didn't buy the hook-up but......

Rating: 7/10 (9 January 2008)

Having read many comments and agreeing in principle with most, this movie really is a thoughtful and fairly intriguing film about a poor boy from Ireland faced with an age-old problem, the stable, attractive woman, or the more combustible, but gorgeous.....(oh who am I kidding? I wish my choices were that good) woman.
For me, I had a bit of a problem with the premise on which one of the relationships is premised. Without giving too much away, it seems that one affair seems to have begun rather reluctantly, indeed, it seemed to me inexplicably given the initial resistance. That said, if you can get past that seeming unlikelihood, Allen has hit on a very nice film. In addressing the role that luck plays in life and the pressures on a poor boy to make good, Allen has tapped into a rich vein of material addressing class, gender roles, and sexual politics. The acting is quite good although the setting, a rather tony British social circle seems quite exclusive. That said, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Emily Mortimer as a naive but sweet lady, and Scarlett Johannsen who seems effortlessly to inhabit her somewhat troubled, provocative character. She is very talented-do not underestimate her abilities on account of her good looks. (That admonition may be directed at me as much as anyone :) ) Seriously though, Johanssen is a very very very talented actress. She creates and seems to meld with the characters she plays effortlessly.
I found the soundtrack (early Italian opera originally recorded on 78s (not sure if that's how they're transferred into the movie)) excellent and it foreshadowed throughout the film. I thought his selection of this extremely visceral, emotional music was quite fitting for story arc. Really, Allen is an excellent director and I would imagine he thought he needed to take a break from New York. Really though, this is a very good film and it will be interesting to see what he does next.