This is my take on the Critical Practice blog post task. We were asked to choose a film and a. break down the story arc, b. break down the characters into their archetypes, and, c. create a timeline for the character starting before the beginning of the film. I chose Challengers (2024) by Luca Guadagnino, which is undoubtedly one of the films I’ve enjoyed the most.
The story circle in Challengers.
1. You
We meet Tashi Duncan, a young, rising tennis star, who presents herself as a confident, unattainable woman, extremely focused on her goals. She is the centre of attention both on the court and in real life, where she is an object of admiration of two other tennis players, Art Donaldson and Patrick Zweig.
2. Need
Tashi is never completely satisfied with her achievements. It turns out that she has a deeply rooted fear of losing control and perceives everything through the “winning/losing” lens – both on and off court. The viewer finds out that her whole identity depends on her ability to dominate, which also translates to her romantic relationships. She starts dating Patrick, however, their whole dynamic is overpowerd by constant competition.
3. Go
During one of the games, Tashi suffers a knee injury which leads to an immediate end of her career. She loses herself completely and, as a result, ends her relationship with Patrick.
4. Search
To deal with the situation, Tashi becomes a tennis coach. She starts teaching Art, who has admired her for years. Tashi becomes the builder of his fast-developing career; they quickly start dating each other and end up marrying, which all seems like a strategy on the protagonist’s end. On the surface, she has everything she ever wanted, however her life feels hollow; she misses the excitement that was brought to her both by being on the court and Patrick.
5. Find
Tashi turns Art into one of the top tennis stars in the country. Moreover, by signing him up for a small Challenger tournament, she stumbles upon what she’s been craving for years – the excitement, danger and desire, which come when Patrick shows up as one of the players. She finds her lost spark and passion.
6. Take
At first, she thinks that she has control over the situation and dominates in the “love triangle”, however, it quickly turns out that she is trapped in a scenario where the emotional game consumes her. The differences between love and competition completely blur for her.
7. Return
The final game of the tournament is between Art and Patrick – former best friends, now heavely competing not only on the tennis court, but also for Tashi’s approval and attention. The main character watches their game and we see how her spark comes back, especially when she screams “Come on!” with such passion. Again, she is the coach, the dominator and the architect of the situation, however, this time it seems like she’s feeling instead of purely controlling.
8. Change
Tashi experiences real emotions for the first time in years. She realizes that control and love are not the same things and, even though the triangle has completely exploaded, it results in her transformation and the feeling of aliveness, which has been absent throughout her whole life.
The characters and their archetypes.
There are only three major characters who we meet throughout the film – Tashi Duncan, Art Donaldson and Patrick Zweig.
Tashi Duncan
The protagonist of the film, a dynamic and round character. She is the Ruler and Catalyst of the story, controlling the world around her and initiating change in both Art’s and Patrick’s lives.
Art Donaldson
A static and round character, who remains almost the same throughout the whole plot line, representing obedience, discipline, structure and loyalty. He is the Caregiver and Hero; very reliable, approachable and devoted.
Patrick Zweig
The most emotionally raw character of the three, hence very round, however static due to his lack of change. His main archetype is the Rebel as he completely rejects structure and is unconcerned with both discipline and order. He is also the Trickster of the story, provoking and exposing others, which leads to chaos.
Tashi Duncan’s story before the start of the film.
Early years
- Born in the US to middle-class parents who noticed and fostered her athletic talent.
- As a kid, she started competing in local tennis tournaments, where she showcased her outstanding abilities.
- Was recognised as a rising star in the US and began formal training with elite coaches.
- She quickly became a national junior champion and started receiving sponsorships, attention from scouts, and comparisons to tennis legends.