Overall Rating
 Awesome: 29.35%
Worth A Look: 51.09%
Average: 11.96%
Pretty Bad: 5.43%
Total Crap: 2.17%
9 reviews, 38 user ratings
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| Match Point |
by William Goss
"The Games People Play"
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Scarlett Johansson is hot. This has been established as a universal truth. However, in 'Match Point,' the latest film written and directed by Woody Allen, she is smoldering, intoxicating, seductive, and a million other kinds of tempting. Then again, so is her character, Nola, who woos tennis instructor Chris (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) as he gets married to Chloe (Emily Mortimer) and the lavish lifestyle provided by her parents.However, when Chris decides that Nola isn’t worth the risk, she begs to differ, threatening to reveal their relationship to Chloe if he doesn’t. At this point, the tone shifts into thriller territory, as Chris determines how far he is willing to go to remain in the lap of luxury to which he has grown accustomed.
Wait. This is a Woody Allen film. What happened to the neurotic lead, the verbose wit, the bustling streets of Manhattan? Instead, Allen offers a crisp morality tale concerning the hierarchy of London society, as the lowly Chris is introduced to high society and then puts his new status at jeopardy by having a fling with Nola, who happens to be the fiancé of his brother-in-law (Matthew Goode).
Johansson delivers a scintillating, then scornful performance as Nola, exuding a cool confidence and undeniable allure beyond her years, a woman eventually driven by lust and jealousy above all things. She is countered by the understated Rhys-Meyers, who performs with a subdued, yet deliberate, sense of desire, whether for women or wealth. Goode and Mortimer manage to remain out of the loop, serving more as hurdles than anything else, and Brian Cox and Penelope Wilton make the most of their brief appearances Chloe’s parents, whether grooming Chris or disdaining Nola.
What makes Match Point so compelling is the absence of a traditional hero. With his first line of dialogue, the protagonist establishes his belief that “the man who said ‘I’d rather be lucky than good’ saw deeply into life.” This philosophy dictates his ambitious behavior, even if his actions only serve to keep him in good graces, no matter how costly the sacrifice. Save for the occasional operatic or literary reference, nothing distinguishes the film as a work of Allen’s. The English environment only reinforces that notion, particularly with their stricter establishment of class structure. Though it runs a bit long, no one scene seems extraneous. By the end, one can easily retrace every step that lead from Point A to Point B, which makes the ultimate destination all the more satisfying.While 'Match Point' may be tart and taut, it isn’t exactly unique. The central moral dilemma is reminiscent of Allen’s own 'Crimes and Misdemeanors.' The detached determination of the main character is not unlike that of 'The Talented Mr. Ripley.' An art gallery rendezvous is similar to one in 'Closer.' Hell, the entire narrative arc of how far one adulterer will go to get away with his dirty deeds has been recycled as recently as last November’s painfully trite 'Derailed.' Despite all the parallels, 'Match Point' succeeds in the end because of how it is told: plain and simple.
link directly to this review at https://www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=13671&reviewer=409
originally posted: 01/17/06 19:16:01
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USA
28-Dec-2005 (R)
DVD: 25-Apr-2006
UK
06-Jan-2006 (12A)
Australia
02-Mar-2006
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