'Wimbledon' is a winner

Rating: 7/10 (24 January 2005)

I'm not a tennis fan, but boy, did this movie make it interesting for me. I'm not sure how director Richard Loncraine feels about the sport, but the way the matches are filmed, I'd have to guess that he's mesmerized by it. "Wimbledon" is your typical underdog story, set in the world of tennis, but with a romance thrown in. Aging tennis star Paul Bettany and young, aggressive spitfire Kirsten Dunst are the duo in question. He's a longshot, and she's the superstar. Dunst has never been sexier or more appealing in an adult role, and Bettany proves he's got the chops to ascend to leading man status. "Wimbledon" is a winner all-around.