Emma Stone and Steve Carell star in this recreation of the legendary 1973 tennis match that pitted Billie Jean King against Bobby Riggs.

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Special Presentations

Battle of the Sexes

Valerie Faris, Jonathan Dayton

The 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs was a turning point in the politics of their game. Scripted by Academy Award winner Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton (Little Miss Sunshine), Battle of the Sexes is a rousing recreation of that moment, featuring winning performances from leads Emma Stone and Steve Carell.

King (Stone) is a champion athlete and an outspoken feminist in her professional life, but her personal life is a struggle. Her marriage is failing. Her closeted sexuality feels like a distraction. Outraged that the National Tennis League won't allow equal pay for men and women, King founds her own tour with Gladys Heldman (Sarah Silverman) as manager. Riggs (Carell) is decades removed from his last championship. Facing dwindling finances and desperate to win back his ex-wife (Elisabeth Shue), he proposes a publicity-snaring challenge: a $100,000 winner-take-all match. King is more than game.

The film reminds us just how much blatant sexism pervaded the so-called sexual revolution. But it also shows the great strides made by trailblazers like King.

Bursting with colourful period production design and costumes, Battle of the Sexes is as fleet and fun as it is politically acute, and Stone and Carell make hugely enjoyable adversaries.

CAMERON BAILEY

Screenings

Sun Sep 10

Ryerson Theatre

Premium
6:00pm
Mon Sep 11

Scotiabank 1

Press
8:45am
Mon Sep 11

Scotiabank 3

Press
8:45am
Mon Sep 11

Princess of Wales

Regular
2:30pm
Thu Sep 14

Scotiabank 12

Press
9:30am
Fri Sep 15

Princess of Wales

Regular
3:00pm
Sat Sep 16

Ryerson Theatre

Regular
5:00pm