La provocación

A drama about lust, ambition and luck, this is the first of Woody Allen's urban adventures to be set outside New York City, i.e., in London, and with the exception of one performer, all the actors hail from Britain or Ireland. Chris Wilton (misty-eyed Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) is a former lower rung touring tennis pro from Ireland now trying to scrape by. He lands a teaching job at a toney private tennis club, where he is befriended by the handsome young Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode), who comes from a wealthy family. Chris comes round the Hewetts' house for drinks and dinner, meets Tom's sweet but marginally attractive sister Chloe (Emily Mortimer), one thing leads to another, and they marry.

Meanwhile, Chris has met Tom's fiancée, the struggling American wanna be actress, Nola Rice (Scarlett Johannson). For Chris, meeting Nola is lust at first sight. But she is off limits, until Tom breaks up with her in favor of another woman. Now, despite being a virtual newlywed, Chris pursues and impregnates Nola. The narrative then proceeds along a well worn path: Chris must somehow dispose of his predicament without sacrificing his marriage (he does genuinely care for Chloe, never mind the family fortune). Bad things happen. I cannot say more about the resolution without shamefully spoiling things for you.

This film is a mixed bag. The basic theme is formulaic. We know it from such classics as "A Place in the Sun" and "Room at the Top": poor boy meets rich girl and sees a vision of Paradise on earth. The trouble in "Match Point" is that the (anti-) hero is not nearly as sympathetic as the principled, brooding Montgomery Clift was in "Sun." Rhys-Meyers is frosty, cool, and way too untroubled until close to the end. Nor, on the other hand, does he have the slick, psychopathic charisma that Laurence Harvey mustered in "Room." Rhys-Meyers instead comes off as an unconvincing kid, for all the daring his course of action requires, in the same sense that the boyish Matt Damon did not seem up to the title role in "The Talented Mr. Ripley"; ditto for Leo DiCaprio in "Catch Me if You Can" and "The Aviator." (Regrettably, box office appeal is a very different matter than proper casting.)

I thought that Brian Cox seemed lost in his role as Alec, head of the Hewett clan; Penelope Wilton fares better as Hewett's wife, Eleanor. This brings us to the female co-leads. Ms. Mortimer is excellent as the pigeon-toed, plain but endearing, trusting Chloe, strained by her infertility and riffs of disaffection from Chris. She nails the complexities of this role beautifully.

Ms. Johansson is simply marvelous. As ever a luminous visual presence on the screen, she also shows once again her impressive range in convincingly inhabiting her characters. Her American girl here is small town coarse, provocatively seductive, and more than a little desperate. How different from her pensive, measured, well-educated, retiring character, Charlotte, in "Lost in Translation." And both so different yet from her nearly mute, servile yet perceptive Dutch maid, Griet, in "The Girl With the Pearl Earring." Ms. Johannson is not only a rising star, at 21 she is already a splendid actor.

The photography and production design are lush. I especially enjoyed the brief scenes shot at Covent Garden, though the operatic theme in general is somewhat mystifying. Is it the affectation of the rich seeming to dig opera that counts? Is there some special significance to the recurring use of ancient scratchy recordings of Caruso arias? If so, Mr. Allen has kept entirely quiet about it amidst his other comments at the film's website. The best things in this movie are its "luck" theme, its visual delights, and the two female leads. The rest is just OK. My rating: 8/10 (B+). (Seen on 01/18/06). If you'd like to read more of my reviews, send me a message for directions to my websites.

...and what a great stroke of luck it is to have sat through Woody Allen's latest, "Match Point." Fans of Woody could sense his comeback in the tragedy half of his last effort, "Melinda and Melinda." It was far more compelling than the comedy half, and the philosophical ideas it brought up were the best Woody Allen had given us in a long while. Here with "Match Point" he explores the notion of luck and gives us his best film since....well, since I don't know when. He proves here that when he leaves himself out of the cast, and changes locations (the transition from New York City to London is as flawless as it is invigorating), he can deliver the goods. This film, free of all the typical Allen shtick, and full of noirish twists and surprises, is every bit as good as Robert Altman's "The Player" or "Gosford Park," and like those two films, it's the best kind of return to form you could hope for from a past master.

Chris Wilton (played moderately well by Johnathan Rhys Myers, who comes across as a more handsome Joquin Phoenix) is a failed tennis pro from Ireland who gets a plum job at a snobbish country club in London where he meets up with Tom (an appropriately British Matthew Goode), woos his sister, Chloe (an adorable Emily Mortimer), and has an affair with Tom's flighty fiancée, a struggling American actress named Nola (a ravishing Scarlett Johansson). The film starts off like a more refined version of last year's tawdry affair, "Closer," with Allen exploring the love lives of semi-bored, over-educated filthy rich Brits who when not hopping in and out of each other's beds are hob-nobbing at the opera, the latest art exhibit, or lounging around their lavish estates reading and drinking. There's also a hint of "The Talented Mr. Ripley" in its exploration of the class system and Chris' obsession with infiltrating this exclusive and beguiling society. Thankfully, we're spared all of the weirdness of an atrocity like "Ripley," as Allen keeps it all very clean, sheen, clever and classy.

The film takes some dark turns and has some operatic overtures, spiced with some Dostoevsky references and plenty of pondering on luck. Allen here doesn't seem to be writing off the need for hard work completely, but to achieve a truly privileged life, where one can get away with just about anything, you better have a lot of luck.

'Match Point' is gripping and entertaining as well as well-made - the structure, the storytelling, the confidence of style are all impeccably crafted. The performances and cinematography in this film are all-around great. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Emily Mortimer, and Scarlett Johansson are all excellent, and the rest of the cast lends fantastic support. This is easily Woody Allen's most plot-heavy film, and you can tell that he had a great time putting it together. Simply damn good story-telling.

The best Woody Allen movie in about 15 years. I would've said that a couple of months back about 'Melinda and Melinda' but this is a far better cry than Melinda and Melinda. Don't get me wrong, I think Melinda and Melinda is a good movie, but 'Match' is more fulfilling.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays Chris Wilton, a former tennis pro turned tennis teacher who is of Irish lower class. He is shocked to find out he got a job as a tennis instructor in a high class country club. There he meets Tom Hewett played by Matthew Goode in a very strong performance. What Rhys Meyers does is unbelievable, he showcases what he is really made of in this movie. Chris sounds like a simple person but what Rhys Meyers did was make him a person of complexity. From the moments of solitude when he's in the same room as his family, the way he grieves for what he's doing and what he is about to do is very convincing.

Emily Mortimer plays Chloe Hewett Wilton, Chris' wife and Tom's sister. Also what Mortimer does is also outstanding, even though she isn't given much to make Chloe a person rather than a persona, Mortimer makes Chloe a person with ease. In my opinion, I think Emily Mortimer does a better job of playing her character than Kate Winslet would've done had she been attached. She has the right notes and chemistry with Jonathan Rhys Meyers to make their marriage and romance very believable, and what Mortimer does in the moments of denial and solitude she is given, she makes Chloe a complete person. This performance should make her a star.

Scarlett Johansson gives, in my opinion, maybe her 2nd best performance in this movie. Johansson is OUTSTANDING as Nola Rice, a struggling actress. Johansson shows us her range to play this character, the epitome of tragic beauty, Johansson combines elements of sexuality, desire, nostalgia, in one being. Though this performance may not be as good as her performance in Lost in Translation, its still good enough to get her an Academy Award Nomination.

Match Point starts off as a drama and works its way into being a very tense psychological thriller, and Woody Allen shows he is still in top form by trying something daring, and pulling it off. This movie is a silent masterpiece.

Match Point just joined Brokeback Mountain and Cinderella Man in the top three films for me this year. Like Brokeback Mountain, however, it is almost impossible to write a reasonably intelligent review without writing a spoiler.

I have been a hot and cold Woody Allen watcher, but was only a fan during his comedic phase. So, despite hearing from a few reliable sources that this is Woody's masterpiece, I was skeptical and went in with few expectations. I am glad. Approaching the movie this way allowed it to creep up on me.

The NYC Jewish dialog is gone. The quirky sense of humor is nowhere to be found. the hypersensitivity is missing. Where's Woody? Well, he's in London, but the place and time, despite the opinions of some critics, are largely irrelevant in this film.

There is only one line in this film that indicates its origin - it has something to do with 'intertwined neuroses' and nearly made me laugh.

The first 3/4ths of this film is almost completely taken up with character development, but also contains all of the basics of the inexorable plot that truly unfolds near the end. The characters are all quite likable, and, if you're like me, you will yearn for a happy ending. Watch out! - you've just been hooked and Woody's about to reel you in!

Match Point draws its audience in quietly and slowly at first, defining its territory as a smart, hip, and sophisticated character study early on (in no way unexpected for Mr. Allen), but then it takes an irreversibly sinister turn as one man threatens to bring everybody we have grown to love and respect down with him.

The performances and cinematography in this film are all-around the best I've seen this year. Allen uses a lot of very close-in face shots, and his cast handles it with ease, performing their parts with accuracy and no lack of passion. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Emily Mortimer, and Scarlett Johanssen are all excellent, and the rest of the cast lends excellent support. I found no fault in the pace or the plot - this is easily Woody's most plot-heavy film, and you can tell that he had a great time putting it together.

The story line of Match Point is powerful, disturbing, and exceedingly clever. Philosophical folks will likely want to talk about it afterward. Some will find it frustrating and others will find it pretentious. Still others will point to Woody's own life and claim that this film is some form of perverse confession. Well, from my perspective, it is simply damn good story-telling.

Highly recommended for adult audiences.