I recently stumbled across a 2020 French drama film about tennis written and directed by Quentin Reynaud. “Final Set“ stars Alex Lutz as an aging professional player who isn’t quite ready to hang up his racquets when almost everyone else in his personal circle believes that he should. It is a story about taking one last stab at tennis glory that never came.
Thomas Edison (an unfortunate name for audiences in the United States) was once regarded as the top prospect in French tennis. At 37, one knee is in tatters, and his physical fitness has declined. When the French Tennis Federation denies him a wildcard into the French Open, he makes one last go of it in the qualifiers. That ultimately puts him on a collision course with the latest hot prospect from France.
The storyline has some striking parallels to the movie “Wimbledon.” Both are centered around the twilight of journeyman professional tennis players struggling against the twilight of their careers. The setting for their final chapter is in their home country’s Grand Slam tournament. However, “Final Set” has a more believable storyline.
The film premiered at the 2020 Angoulême Francophone Film Festival and was later released in France on 16 June 2021. It grossed less than $500k, which was hardly promising. However, the film garners 88% on the Rotton Tomatoes “Tomatometer” and a 93% Audience Score. The dialogue is entirely in French, with English subtitles available. The dialogue is intense but tight, so following along with the subtitles wasn’t overly onerous.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Thomas obsessively perseveres as he faces his own demons and uncertain future of life after tennis. It is a beautiful portrait of the ultimate confrontation with an inevitable end. I highly recommend “Final Set.”
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