Holly
01-25-2006, 12:11 PM
It isn't so much that “Match Point” signals a “new” Woody Allen, it's just proof that the familiar one is back in form.
“Crimes and Misdemeanors” and “Interiors” are among earlier pieces of evidence that Allen has been potent before in dramatic terms, and after a wave of films that haven't caught the fancy of critics or the public quite as much, his latest movie -- set in London, an intriguing creative move for such a devoted New Yorker -- proves he still has the goods. He also still has an eye for smart casting, demonstrated by the quartet of fine young talents at the center of the tale.
The recent winner of a Golden Globe Award for his performance in last year's miniseries “Elvis,” Jonathan Rhys-Meyers has the pivotal role of a tennis pro who makes a new friend in a privileged Englishman (Matthew Goode, “Chasing Liberty”) and gets a big taste of his pal's posh life. He also gets close to his buddy's sister (Emily Mortimer), and it looks like he's found the best love match he could hope for ... until he gets to know his friend's fiancée, a definite femme fatale (Scarlett Johansson in a part she plays expertly, even if it's not as demanding as other roles she's had in recent years).
Which way will the smitten fellow go, and what will the repercussions be for everyone else in the very tangled web? Those are the questions “Match Point” boils down to, and it's to the stars' credit as performers and Allen's as writer and director that attention stays riveted throughout the picture's entire two hours (which marks one of Allen's longest movies, incidentally). Romance does become a game in this case, so the allusion to sports that “Match Point” makes -- merely from its title -- is more apt than cutesy.
Perhaps most stunning about “Match Point” is the fact that it comes from such an unexpected source. Relationships are always the cornerstones of Woody Allen's movies, but they're usually played lighter, or at least with overt irony. Not only is it a surprise for him to play it as relatively straight as he does here, it's also a most pleasant surprise, since the result is highly admirable.
The catch is that some people (reviewers in particular) may now expect this tone from Allen regularly, and that would be an enormous mistake. You need only consider his range of films from the past 20 years to understand how often he likes to change his thematic direction. It's much better to appreciate “Match Point” on its own for what it is, a singular gem in the current motion-picture climate, and just hope Allen remains as effective with whatever unpredictable step he chooses next.
(Rated R)
“Crimes and Misdemeanors” and “Interiors” are among earlier pieces of evidence that Allen has been potent before in dramatic terms, and after a wave of films that haven't caught the fancy of critics or the public quite as much, his latest movie -- set in London, an intriguing creative move for such a devoted New Yorker -- proves he still has the goods. He also still has an eye for smart casting, demonstrated by the quartet of fine young talents at the center of the tale.
The recent winner of a Golden Globe Award for his performance in last year's miniseries “Elvis,” Jonathan Rhys-Meyers has the pivotal role of a tennis pro who makes a new friend in a privileged Englishman (Matthew Goode, “Chasing Liberty”) and gets a big taste of his pal's posh life. He also gets close to his buddy's sister (Emily Mortimer), and it looks like he's found the best love match he could hope for ... until he gets to know his friend's fiancée, a definite femme fatale (Scarlett Johansson in a part she plays expertly, even if it's not as demanding as other roles she's had in recent years).
Which way will the smitten fellow go, and what will the repercussions be for everyone else in the very tangled web? Those are the questions “Match Point” boils down to, and it's to the stars' credit as performers and Allen's as writer and director that attention stays riveted throughout the picture's entire two hours (which marks one of Allen's longest movies, incidentally). Romance does become a game in this case, so the allusion to sports that “Match Point” makes -- merely from its title -- is more apt than cutesy.
Perhaps most stunning about “Match Point” is the fact that it comes from such an unexpected source. Relationships are always the cornerstones of Woody Allen's movies, but they're usually played lighter, or at least with overt irony. Not only is it a surprise for him to play it as relatively straight as he does here, it's also a most pleasant surprise, since the result is highly admirable.
The catch is that some people (reviewers in particular) may now expect this tone from Allen regularly, and that would be an enormous mistake. You need only consider his range of films from the past 20 years to understand how often he likes to change his thematic direction. It's much better to appreciate “Match Point” on its own for what it is, a singular gem in the current motion-picture climate, and just hope Allen remains as effective with whatever unpredictable step he chooses next.
(Rated R)