Battle of the Sexes is a semi-biographical sports film, starring Emma Stone, Steve Carell, and Sarah Silverman. The film is loosely based on the 1973 tennis match between a 29-year-old Billie Jean King and a 55-year-old Bobby Riggs. Riggs had been a top men’s player in the 1930s and 1940s in both the amateur and professional ranks. King, who had previously rejected challenges from Riggs, finally accepted the challenge after a lucrative financial offer was made to play him for $100,000, winner-take-all. King further explained that she accepted the match not only for the money, but also for all of women’s tennis and to prove that women are equal to men. The match, dubbed “The Battle of the Sexes”, took place at the Houston Astrodome in Texas and garnered huge publicity. Emma Stone is great as Billie Jean King. The Academy Award-winning actress shows off her talent once again as she basically becomes King. Stone looks very much like a young Billie Jean King and even speaks like her. She does well in making the character more than a two-dimensional athlete. She gives the audience a look into King’s soul as she works through the complexities of her emotions, need for equal rights, loyalty to her husband, and love of tennis. The same goes for Steve Carell’s performance as Bobby Riggs. He plays a loveable yet damaged guy very well. He’s a good dad and a great tennis player, but he’s also a gambler and a hustler. He knows he has a problem, but he doesn’t hide it. Well, he mostly doesn’t hide it. He wants this happy life with his wife but is unwilling to change for her. Also, I really enjoyed Sarah Silverman’s portrayal of Gladys Heldman. She provided comic relief as well as a small dose of sincerity when needed. I wouldn’t be surprised if she got a few Best Supporting Actress nods this upcoming award season. The film’s story was easy to follow and very believable. The writer did a great job of focusing the story on the characters’ lives building up to the match instead of just focusing on the match itself. With all the ups and downs each character experiences, the audience is never overwhelmed as the events unfold on screen. Also, the director’s pacing was smooth and use of camera angles and color was phenomenal. Lastly, the editing of the older footage into the film fit in seamlessly. While watching the final match, there are times when you can’t tell if they edited the old match footage or shot new match footage. The only negative I have for this film is how it was advertised. The trailers made it seem like just a comedy, but clearly, it’s much more than that. I give Battle of the Sexes a Decent 8/10. This film offers up a fun and interesting history lesson about tennis and equality.