Superb.

Rating: 9/10 (28 August 2006)

It's not often that you'll see me use the word "suberb" in correlation with a romance work. This, however, is more than a romance. This is...
Tennis.
Pure, unadulterated tennis.
I am by no means a pro tennis player, but after having played quite a few times, I related strongly to Peter's seemingly erratic thought patterns. I've known the pressure of a set point, and the futility you can feel when trying to assure yourself "It's just another point." Paul Bettany plays his role to complete perfection.
Of course, the overall story of the movie is a little improbable. I admit to thinking initially that Kirsten Dunst's character is a little over the top, and the chances of someone like her falling in love in the course of a week and a half tournament seem slim to none. Something about the film, though, makes you believe.
Maybe it's the fact that it's one of these films where you don't just see a "the whole world revolves around the couple" kind of storyline. You see them struggle and fight, like -real- people do.
Oh, and speaking of being real, certain other elements give this movie a sense of being "in the real world." I was really impressed and happy- though not totally surprised judging from past experience- to see John McEnroe and Mary Carillo in this film. They're real tennis commentators, and thank God they were acting as their normal selves in this movie. Also, the mentioning of such real tennis characters such as Tommy Haas, Lleyton Hewitt, and Roger Federer (of all people!) brought humor to the film. Of course we know Peter Colt and his unrealistically rude (or maybe not?) rival do not exist, but the movie still manages to make you ponder the what-ifs of such situations. That's what a good movie does.
I know maybe giving this film a 9 might seem a little wacky. It has it's faults. For example, the way it looks sometimes when they're playing- how they keep the points short and change camera angles frequently because the actors and actresses, despite being able to play well enough to act the part, are far from professionals.
It's a little predictable sometimes, but it has everything. Humor, romance, suspense, and of course, my favorite part-
Tennis! (With special effects in there too.)