7 Days in Hell (HBO)

About 7 Days in Hell (HBO)

"7 Days in Hell" is a comedic spoof documentary that premiered on HBO in 2015. The movie tells the farcical story of a faux 7-day-long tennis match between the fictional characters Aaron Williams (Andy Samberg) and Charles Poole (Kit Harington). Themes of sports rivalry, personal struggle, and media spectacle humorously clash in this over-the-top satire.

Making / Production

The movie was written by Murray Miller and directed by Jake Szymanski. Former professional tennis players John McEnroe and Serena Williams also make cameos in the film, lending it a whimsical blend of fiction and reality.

Actors

• Andy Samberg as Aaron Williams - Samberg's character is a brash, self-centered tennis star. His comedic performance heightened the film's satire.
• Kit Harington as Charles Poole - Harington played a dim-witted but talented player, delivering his lines with a straight-faced sincerity that added to the comedy.
• Other familiar faces such as Jon Hamm, Michael Sheen, and Mary Steenburgen appear in supporting roles, infusing the film with additional comedic talent.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film's title "7 Days in Hell" refers to the duration of the fictional tennis match, a tongue-in-cheek exaggeration of real-life tennis games.
• The main characters were loosely inspired by Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, coining the in-film rivalry as the "bad-boy versus the prodigy."

Quotes

• "All I knew was, I was in hell. And I’m not talking about the cute hell with the little red guy with the pitchfork. This was 7 Days in Hell." - Aaron Williams
• "I would sooner fail than not be among the greatest." - Charles Poole

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's score was composed by Matt Novack and Craig Wedren, providing the right balance of drama and humor.
• Iconic rock and pop songs pepper the soundtrack, further adding to the farcical nature of the film.