Episode 58: Battle of the Sexes, Starring Emma Stone as Tennis Legend Billie Jean King

Remember that time in 1973 when sexism was cured? Well, yeah, it didn’t work out because (**gestures around at everything**), but this unfairly overlooked movie nevertheless deserves your attention. The legendary match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs is commemorated in this utterly winsome, lovingly made 2017 biopic starring Emma Stone and Steve Carrell.

Battle of the Sexes details the utter triumph of one hard-working, pioneering feminist who has spent her entire professional life breaking down barriers for women as she takes down a possibly-Kayfabe-ing elder statesman and hustler, all while going on a journey of self-discovery about who she really wants to be. But we also have to take time to decipher the sport of tennis (it goes as well as one might expect), talk about what things would actually make America great again (pretty much just guilt-free cigarette smoking), whether or not the mafia is real (it’s not), why Andrea Riseborough’s Marilyn is able to avoid a villain cut, the astonishing hotness of Sarah Silverman, and whether or not this film is too long.

Battle of the Sexes is directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, and stars Emma Stone as Billie Jean King, Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs, Andrea Riseborough as Marilyn Barnett, Sarah Silverman as Gladys Heldman, Natalie Morales as Rosie Casals, Bill Pullman as Jack Kramer, Alan Cumming as Ted Tinling, and Elisabeth Shue as Priscilla Riggs.

Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it.

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