Love triangle with Zendaya heats up the film ‘Rivals’

Summary
“Rivals” is a film starring Zendaya and filled with hot scenes between a trio whose lives are used as a metaphor for tennis. To make the atmosphere even more intriguing, the soundtrack is the work of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

“Rivals”, the new film by director Luca Guadagnino (“Call Me By Your Name”) features actress Zendaya as the apex of a love triangle between three tennis players, and has already been causing a stir even before its premiere, thanks to the numerous hot scenes involving all three.

“Rivals” follows Tashi (Zendaya), a tennis prodigy turned coach. Married to Art (Mike Faist), she managed to transform her husband’s career, which went from a mediocre player to a great champion.

When the two agree to participate in a “challenger” tournament (the lowest level of a tennis player’s professional career) to overcome a difficult time, they find themselves struggling with the return of Patrick (Josh O’Connor) to their lives. Tashi’s boyfriend and Art’s former best friend, Patrick rekindles old flames and rifts between the three, placing the trio at a pivotal moment in their lives and careers.

“Rivals” is full of hot scenes between the trio, but don’t expect conventional sex scenes. Luca Guadagnino’s specialty is creating the atmosphere and valuing not just sex, but the sensual nature of his characters.

But the film isn’t just about hot scenes. “Rivals” is also a film about tennis and positions it as a metaphor and main driving force in the trio’s lives, defining not only the direction they take over more than a decade, but also their careers.

Another highlight of the film is its soundtrack – almost a character in itself –, setting the tone of the production in several moments. Those responsible are Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, winners of the Oscar for Best Original Score for “Soul”, but who have already composed some of the most intriguing and striking soundtracks in modern cinema, such as the films “The Social Network”, “Mank” and from the series “Watchmen” among others.

Watch the video with Rodrigo James’ commentary.