Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Wimbledon Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 2, 2021

Tennis at its highest level of competition is the backdrop for Director Richard Loncraine’s (Firewall) Wimbledon, an agreeable little film that blends the sports drama and RomCom genres into a pleasantly effective entertainer. The focus follows an aging star who is reignited by his last shot at glory and a new chance at romance. It’s more concerned with how the romance impacts play on the court so the game is certainly the film’s first priority. But Loncraine and his team of writers effectively merge the components and, with the help of a very strong lead performance from Paul Bettany, build a solid film that plays well start to finish.

Peter Colt (Bettany) was once one of the most highly rated and successful men’s professional tennis players in the world. But time has caught up with him. The competition is younger and stronger and certainly more driven than he. This year, the 119th-ranked journeyman is set to participate in his final Wimbledon tournament. Pundits don’t expect him to make much of an impact in the tournament and neither does he, truth be told. He’s set to retire from professional tennis and take a gig as a tennis pro at a ritzy club, living a comfortable life, still around the game he loves, but giving up the competition side of it for good. While at Wimbledon, he meets a young, beautiful hotshot female player named Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst) who is driven to win at all costs, a passion shared by her father, Dennis (Sam Neill), who is accompanying her through her professional journey. She and Peter hit it off and their friendship has a quick turnaround time to romance. Can the two navigate the highs and lows of love while keeping their focus on the court and proving to the tennis world that he’s still got it and she’s going to the top?

This is a compelling portrait of an aging athlete. Bettany is very good as the lead. He looks like a tennis player, he carries himself in that arena and in his personal life with effective balance and personality, and allows for a rather deep exploration of his character’s psyche. While the film relies on some trite moments when his innermost thoughts are audible to the audience, he still builds an identifiable interior to the character and speaks volumes even when his character is verbally silent. One can see the emotion on his face, and he experiences a broad range of them throughout the film. Dunst is a solid match for him. There’s some chemistry there, some real sparks and relatable angles that they explore collectively and individually alike. The pairing is strong but this easily Bettany’s film. He’s a rock and he’s extremely good, physically and emotionally alike.

The tennis action is well done, too. How much of it is real play and how much is digital is hard to tell. Part of that is Bettany’s sell of the physical mechanics; it’s clear he’s well versed in the sport and not just reciting lines or allowing a double to handle all but the simplest of close-ups. He may not be a world-ranked player but he’s certainly good enough to sell it convincingly and thoroughly. The film does make use of some standard issue sports commentary banter to help set the stage for various dramatic points of tension during matches, but largely Bettany’s emotional presentations are enough to convey the basics. It’s a really good performance of a solidly written character in a well-rounded film. Good stuff.

Wimbledon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Universal serves up a fairly impressive transfer for Wimbledon. The 1080p presentation is pleasantly organic, retaining a fine grain structure and a healthy level of inherent detailing. The picture is crisp and firm, well capable of delivering satisfying core elements on faces and environments alike, from ritzy hotel rooms to the fine textures on the tennis courts. This is not eye-popping stuff by any stretch of the imagination, but the picture's essential stability and steadfast adherence to its natural film state certainly elevates it a good bit. Colors are a little on the warm side by design, impacting everything from faces to clothes, but colors are generally cheerful and bright, well saturated and never appearing either overly faded nor grossly overcooked. Black levels impress for depth and stability. The print is free of all but the most insignificant pops and speckles and the compression was likewise handled with care; there are no signs of artifacts to be seen. This is a good one from Universal.

Wimbledon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack introduces some variable and active surround sound elements only moments into the movie when thoughts swirl through Peter's head as he's about to serve. Such are repeated at several key junctures throughout as the film peers into his psyche, usually in the middle of an important tennis match. Surrounds carry plenty of other information too, including some fine natural atmosphere which filters through the stage at Peter's family's estate in several scenes. Additionally, immersive crowd din at matches or packed cafeterias easily draw the listener into some of the film's most active and key locations. Music plays with pleasant spacing and fidelity. Dialogue is clear and center focused but playback revealed some minor lip sync issues which matured into severity at the 35-minute mark. Fortunately this scene is not representative of the whole, but it's so far off at that point as to be a major distraction.

Wimbledon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Wimbledon contains a few featurettes and an audio commentary track. There is no "top menu" screen. Pressing that button on the remote simply restarts the film from the beginning. The extras can only be accessed in-film from a crude "pop-up" menu. No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

• Wimbledon: A Look Inside (1080i, 9:45): A basic behind-the-scenes that recalls the plot, looks at the characters, and features some tennis pros discussing their superstitions, inner dialogue, and more.
• Welcome to the Club (1080i, 3:02): A quick peek inside the real Wimbledon and shooting the film on location.
• Ball Control (1080i, 4:50): A closer look at making the movie's tennis scenes appear authentic, using practical and digital effects as well as some nifty photography with a series of still cameras.
• Coach a Rising Star (1080i, 2:53): Training the actors to look like pro tennis players.
• Audio Commentary: Actor Paul Bettany and Director Richard Loncraine come together to deliver an unremarkable commentary. It's informative but delivered without much emotion. Fans will find the content insightful but the delivery a bit wanting.

Wimbledon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Wimbledon: a sweet and simple feel good volley of a film that feels genuine and sincere. It's not beholden to cliché – either in its sports scenes or its romantic scenes – and even if it's more or less predictable it's the heartfelt path it takes to get there that sees it stand above others. Universal's Blu-ray delivers solid video and audio presentations in addition to a handful of supplements. Highly recommended.