Prepare to get hot with the stylish, synthetic tennis drama “Challengers.”

“Challengers” is a bit of a joke. That's what's fun.

There's a lot of skin, sweat, close-ups of muscular thighs and smoldering looks full of lust and hate in this insanely over-the-top psychodrama. But forget the picture of Josh O'Connor, Zendaya and Mike Faist sitting on the bed together. Most of this action takes place on the tennis court.

It's still a sexy tennis movie about friendship, love, competition and sport, set to a synthesizer soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – it might not contain exactly what you think. But remember, Luca Guadagnino is the one who filmed Timothée Chalamet with that peach, perhaps more memorable than any real sex scene of the last decade. Manage expectations but also trust.

And like “Call Me By Your Name” for Chalamet, “Challengers” is one of those rare original cinematic delights that clearly announces the arrival of a new generation of movie stars. Zendaya and Faist already had a head start. She played significant supporting roles in some of the biggest films of recent years, from “Spider-Man” to “Dune,” and he had his big cinematic breakthrough as Riff in Steven Spielberg's “West Side Story.” But it's O'Connor who really comes out on top, effectively shedding any remaining image of him as the whiny, gloomy Prince Charles in seasons three and four of The Crown. In “Challengers,” his Patrick Zweig is the cocky, flirtatious, slightly mean, slightly dirty, and slightly broken evil friend of our fictional dreams.

Written by playwright Justin Kuritzkes (who is married to “Past Lives” filmmaker Celine Song), “Challengers” is a searing treat about broken relationships, egos, infidelity and ambition. Set during a qualifying match at the New Rochelle Tennis Club outside New York City, the intricately woven story is revealed through flashbacks that build to a crescendo in the present-day match.

O'Connor's Patrick and Faist's Art are former boarding school roommates turned tennis teammates. It's a relationship that is by turns brotherly, erotic and competitive. Whatever it is, they're definitely too close and not remotely prepared for Zendaya's Tashi Duncan to get involved.

Tashi is in high school on his way to becoming the next big tennis superstar. Art and Patrick watch her play, mouths agape at her technical form and physical beauty. Later, they both ask for her number, which leads to a revealing night in a dingy hotel room. She promises her number to whoever wins the singles game the next day. Tashi just wants to see good tennis, she says, but she also knows how to motivate and manipulate.

Because of the broken timeline, we know that Tashi no longer plays tennis today. She was injured at some point and never recovered, unlike her husband Art, who is now one of the most famous players in the world. The two are incredibly wealthy, live in a posh hotel and run advertising campaigns for Aston Martin. At night, Tashi uses Augustinus Bader cream to moisturize her legs. Guadagnino, who likes to wink at and revel in symbols of prosperity, tapped JW Anderson designer Jonathan Anderson to create the costumes that are sure to populate summer style inspiration forums, as did “A Bigger Splash” and “Call Me By.” Your Name” case was the past.

But even though they're technically at the top, Art is also on a losing streak, so Tashi sends him to a low-stakes tournament where he can regain his confidence. There they meet Patrick, who hasn't been doing so well over the years and who has fallen out with his old friends. Of course, it all boils down to Patrick and Art going head-to-head in the final, part of which drags out so wildly and comically that it's almost like a “Saturday Night Live” parody.

“Challengers” is a drama, but a funny and confident one. He doesn't take himself very seriously and has a lot of fun with his characters, all three of whom are anti-heroes in a way. Maybe you have a favorite, but you're probably not exactly looking for anyone – you're just glued to the screen to see how everything unfolds on and off the field.

“Challengers,” an MGM theatrical release Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “language used throughout, some sexual content and graphic nudity.” Running time: 131 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.

Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press