Match Point (DVD, 2006)

Match Point

Directed and written by Woody Allen, it's as always very dialogue driven with many scenes of people quietly talking to make you pay attention to what's going on. Starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers (who I always think is John Rhys-Davis reading his name), Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer, and Matthew Goode, Matchpoint is a tale of deceit, betrayl, choices, and luck.

Meyers plays Chris, a failed tennis player who befriends a rich fellow named Tom (played by Goode) and his sister Chloe (played my Mortimer) and eventually becomes engaged to Chloe and marries into their very wealthy family solving all his problems. This isn't enough for Chris, however, who falls into lust with Tom's fiancé, Nola (played by Johansson) and begins an affair with her. Eventually he gets her pregnant, something he is unable to do with his eagerly fertile wife and complications arise when Nola wants Chris to leave Chloe. This is something he isn't thrilled about because he's become accustomed to a certain way of living. When he takes matters into his own hands to remove Nola from the equation, it becomes a game of luck and deception as the cops try to get to the bottom of the crime.

This movie quietly exudes a lot of drama as Chris casually lies to almost everyone he meets for the course of the movie for his own desires. It's actually quite sad at times, especially when you're trying to discern whether he has ever loved Chloe. He never took Nola seriously and used her as a plaything so you almost have to pity her as well even if she turns into a needy, half psychotic low self-esteem momma-wannabe. There is a cool scene where he literally confronts his own ghosts and tries to deal with some level of guilt. I won't reveal whether or not he gets caught, but I'll say it's a good watch. The characters are well portrayed. I find the portrayl of rich life to be a bit boring and snooty, but probably pretty close to accurate.

Of course I'm horribly disappointed with the character of Chris and I think he never gets enough punishment for what he does throughout the movie. Both girls get lied to and treated horribly even though they don't really realize it that much. He's the worst kind of mooch, the mooch who swears they don't want to be one but is really sucking everyone dry throughout the movie. He never even gets substantially upset, always soooooo composed. It's scary how even he is. Check out this movie, it gets a B+ from me.

The movie wasn't classic Woody, but it wasn't bad, either. It's refreshing to watch a movie with quality dialogue and a thoughtful story. That such qualities are refreshing unfortunately says more about the really sad state of film making than it does about this movie.

The acting was what we expect from Allen's non-comedies, meaning restrained and refined. Jonathan Rhys Meyers did a competent job of portraying a social climber tennis pro, and Scarlett Johansson showed the most range of her career as the young man's lover. The problem isn't the acting, however, it's the fact that Allen has made this movie before as Crimes and Misdemeanors, and that this latest exploration of getting away with murder doesn't take us beyond what we learned the last time around.

Not what you typically expect from Woody Allen, first of all it is shot in London not NYC. Second it is a really dark movie, yes it has his usual wit but the psychoanalytical humor is not present.

Jonathan Rhys-Meyer has never been better, I have always been a fan but have always seen him as a sexy guy with talent not a talented guy who is sexy. Scarlett Johansson looks mad for this part - sexy, troubled, the object of desire until she relents and then is dropped.

The writing is sharp and biting, Allen does another great job as a writer/director. The city is like another character and has never looked better - Allen does this for NYC so well and does not disappoint with London.

Highly recommended but not for everyone. It may seen a little long or slow but you cannot stop watching, you have to know what happens next. Luck is a funny and terrible thing!

I usually do not like Woody Allen movies. They are usually too silly! But Woody Allen has outdone all his previous movies with Match Point. Set in London and starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers (who played Elvis in the TV miniseries), Match Point is the story of a poor tennis player (hence the name of the movie) who marries into a rich family but then strays with a beautiful woman played by Scarlett Johansen. What happens after that is hinted beforehand when the movie begins as an allusion to a tennis game where the ball hits the top of the net. It could go either way. Be prepared for a surprise!

Woody Allen is the most prolific writer and director of our time. No one else has put out a movie per year for the last 30 years. With that kind of production you can expect some movies to not be the best. This however is not one of them. Match Point has characters that are believable and a story line that could happen. Though there may be some similarities to Woody's "Crimes and Misdemeanors" there are enough differences to make Match Point better. You would think that this kind of movie could only be watched once but you would be wrong.