Match Point
4/4
Starring: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer, Matthew Goode, Brian Cox, Penelope Wilton
Rated R for Some Sexuality
So are the opening words, spoken by the lead character, Chris Wilton, in Woody Allen's masterful thriller. On the surface, the film seems to be about marital infidelity (bringing to mind the likes of "Fatal Attraction," a film that has absolutely no relation to "Match Point"), but it's really about luck. There are a lot of coincidences in this movie, and that's the point. Life is full of little coinkeydinks.
Chris Wilton (Rhys-Meyers) is an ex-tennis pro who has settled in London as a tennis coach for the rich. There, he meets a man named Tom Hewitt (Goode), whom after a round of tennis, is invited to the opera with his family. Soon after, he's touring London with Tom's sister, the energetic Chloe (Mortimer), who falls for Chris almost instantly. Things seem to be going great for Chris, but then he meets Tom's fiancee, the beguiling and seductive Nola Rice (Johansson).
I'm not going to say anymore about the plot, although it's mainly a stylistic choice since the trailer (which is very good in its own right) tells more. That being said, this is one of those movies that works best if you know nothing about it.
The acting is incredible; three out of the four leads deserved Oscar nominations (none of them received any--the only nod the film got was for Best Original Screenplay). Leading the pack is Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as Chris Wilton. The Irish actor got his big break in the British comedy "Bend it Like Beckham," but here he proves that he is more than capable of carrying an entire film. Present in almost every scene, the actor creates an incredibly complex and sympathetic character. Chris is a young man who has, in his own words, "become accustomed to a certain kind of living" (read: filthy rich), but he's also tied down by what is really an act of desire, hubris and stupidity. As the eager to please Chloe, Mortimer radiates sweetness while still retaining a personality. We can feel a lot of Chris's conflict because we like her so much. Matthew Goode is also outstanding as the rich boy Tom; he's filled to the brim with charisma, and it's easy to understand why the meek Chris would be attracted to him. The weak link (a term I use with trepidation because it's not exactly fair) is Scarlett Johansson. As Nola, she's certainly sexy, and it's a great performance, but maybe because of how the character is written, she isn't as strong as the others. Beloved character actor Brian Cox and Penelope Wilton also provide solid support.
Woody Allen ended a long dry spell (so I've heard...haven't seen many of his movie) with "Match Point," and if that's the case, it's certainly a masterful shot back to the forefront. The film is superbly constructed. Each scene builds upon the last, and is filled with subtle filming techniques and delicious little ironies. But more importantly, Allen develops the plot like a master. It starts out fairly slow, but that's actually an asset. It gets us to intimately know the characters while allowing Allen to turn the screws without us noticing. The story takes a number of interesting turns. Allen knows our expectations and plays them against us in a spectacular fashion.
This is a truly amazing movie. The characters are fascinatingly flawed and never cease to compel. By the time the film reaches its heartstopping climax, it's impossible to turn away from it. And there's another act to go!
Starring: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer, Matthew Goode, Brian Cox, Penelope Wilton
Rated R for Some Sexuality
"The man who said I'd rather be lucky than good saw deeply into life."
So are the opening words, spoken by the lead character, Chris Wilton, in Woody Allen's masterful thriller. On the surface, the film seems to be about marital infidelity (bringing to mind the likes of "Fatal Attraction," a film that has absolutely no relation to "Match Point"), but it's really about luck. There are a lot of coincidences in this movie, and that's the point. Life is full of little coinkeydinks.
Chris Wilton (Rhys-Meyers) is an ex-tennis pro who has settled in London as a tennis coach for the rich. There, he meets a man named Tom Hewitt (Goode), whom after a round of tennis, is invited to the opera with his family. Soon after, he's touring London with Tom's sister, the energetic Chloe (Mortimer), who falls for Chris almost instantly. Things seem to be going great for Chris, but then he meets Tom's fiancee, the beguiling and seductive Nola Rice (Johansson).
I'm not going to say anymore about the plot, although it's mainly a stylistic choice since the trailer (which is very good in its own right) tells more. That being said, this is one of those movies that works best if you know nothing about it.
The acting is incredible; three out of the four leads deserved Oscar nominations (none of them received any--the only nod the film got was for Best Original Screenplay). Leading the pack is Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as Chris Wilton. The Irish actor got his big break in the British comedy "Bend it Like Beckham," but here he proves that he is more than capable of carrying an entire film. Present in almost every scene, the actor creates an incredibly complex and sympathetic character. Chris is a young man who has, in his own words, "become accustomed to a certain kind of living" (read: filthy rich), but he's also tied down by what is really an act of desire, hubris and stupidity. As the eager to please Chloe, Mortimer radiates sweetness while still retaining a personality. We can feel a lot of Chris's conflict because we like her so much. Matthew Goode is also outstanding as the rich boy Tom; he's filled to the brim with charisma, and it's easy to understand why the meek Chris would be attracted to him. The weak link (a term I use with trepidation because it's not exactly fair) is Scarlett Johansson. As Nola, she's certainly sexy, and it's a great performance, but maybe because of how the character is written, she isn't as strong as the others. Beloved character actor Brian Cox and Penelope Wilton also provide solid support.
Woody Allen ended a long dry spell (so I've heard...haven't seen many of his movie) with "Match Point," and if that's the case, it's certainly a masterful shot back to the forefront. The film is superbly constructed. Each scene builds upon the last, and is filled with subtle filming techniques and delicious little ironies. But more importantly, Allen develops the plot like a master. It starts out fairly slow, but that's actually an asset. It gets us to intimately know the characters while allowing Allen to turn the screws without us noticing. The story takes a number of interesting turns. Allen knows our expectations and plays them against us in a spectacular fashion.
This is a truly amazing movie. The characters are fascinatingly flawed and never cease to compel. By the time the film reaches its heartstopping climax, it's impossible to turn away from it. And there's another act to go!
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