The battle of the sexes, Borg/McEnroe, Clay or more recently the Challengers… Cinema has repeatedly taken an interest in tennis, either returning to historical matches or telling us behind the scenes of this sport in a fictional form. High level, as demanding as it is trying.
In 2021, former amateur tennis player turned director Quentin Reynaud tried his hand at training with 5ème Set. It stars Alex Lutz as Thomas, a tennis player who never shined.
Yet 17 years ago, he was one of tennis’ greatest hopes. But the defeat in the semi-finals hurt him and since then he has remained in the depths of the rankings. Today he is preparing for his last tournament. But he refuses to resign. Suddenly driven by the desire to save his dignity, he embarks on an incredible Homeric struggle with uncertain consequences…
Preparing for an elevated racket
Although he had never played tennis in his life – at least not at a good level – Lutz accepted the challenge. Someone we know more for comedy than drama pulled out all the stops for the 5th set. In particular, the four-month preparation lasted four hours a day.
If this express training has taught him to take positions, take care of serves and be in better physical shape, the actor also took advantage of the double body to perform exchanges. The director’s biggest challenge was filming the final match, a sequence that lasts 25 minutes. Lutz had to repeat 21 points… 7 times in a row:
“Because I needed Alex’s reaction, the next day we replayed the whole match, the day before we meant editing the sequences, which I did during the night. I was there, on the field with my computer and authority. The captain of the army, I addressed Alex, who was consistent in the box, did not follow my order … which I didn’t have time to justify, complains not because he missed the ball, but because he has no perspective (laughs).
Filming in a legendary location
When you watch the 5th set, you will recognize the legendary setting of Roland Garros, with its pink clay. And for good reason, Reynaud and his team were lucky enough to be able to shoot at the tournament’s host venue:
“We stayed in this legendary place for four weeks, longer than the players who come there to play tournaments. The experience was great, technically and emotionally. Before that, Roland Garros was an unattainable dream for me, for a month this place became my home.”
The film, which was released in 2021 to coincide with Roland Garros, even benefited from showing Suzanne Lenglen on court. With only 30,000 showings in theaters, Set 5 went relatively unnoticed. Still, this movie is worth watching, especially if you like tennis and sports dramas.
It’s waiting for you now on Netflix!
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
