Battle of the Sexes (2017)

Semi-biopic of Billie Jean King (played by Emma Stone), who campaigns for equal rights for women in tennis while juggling her own messy love life involving her husband Larry (Austin Stowell) and new lover Marilyn (Andrea Riseborough). Matters get even more complicated when King is challenged to a “battle of the sexes” tennis match by Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell), who is eager to drum up money and publicity with a male-vs-female publicity stunt. 

The leads are all superb and the world of 1973 is convincingly evoked. With the focus on personal matters and the politics of the game, there’s surprisingly little actual tennis until the last quarter of the film. But when you do get to see the pivotal game, it’s dramatic and excitingly shot.

I was slightly disappointed to learn afterwards that the role of Marilyn was changed from secretary (real life) to hairdresser (the film). Surely the truth is interesting enough that a biopic should reflect it rather than mess with the facts.