Average Joe's review - more interesting than entertaining.

Rating: 6/10 (4 February 2006)

MATCH POINT - written & directed by Woody Allen
This movie is set in London, and has the style of a foreign film. While I understood beforehand that this was a romantic drama, those expecting some of trademark Allen's humor throughout this movie will be disappointed. There is none. What does this movie offer? There is Scarlett Johansson's voluptuous presence, playing an aspiring actress from Boulder, Colorado. And for those with enough patience, there is some romantic intrigue to resolve.
Unfortunately, for most of the American public, without a generous curiosity for upper class British style, these character's dialogue is very cold, dry, and emotionless. Even Johansson's character seems to be a bit overdone in this regard until deep into the film, and to criticize Allen, some of the early romantic repartee seems forced and flounders a bit.
Which makes one wonder what Allen's motivation for making this film was. Most Americans have no access to or knowledge of upper crust British society - could Allen could be condemning their detached and aloof style with this film? These British characters are generally sedated throughout and seems entirely oblivious to current events.
The focus of the drama, an Irish, former tennis pro named Chris, seems a bit too wrapped up in his chauvinist understanding of philosophy and literature to see the situation he is wrapped up in straight. Women too have the ability to have absorbed the wisdom of philosophy by this, the 21st century, and have a good amount of common sense in general, and Chris unfortunately tries to make all the decisions in this own head without relying on anyone else. The passion implied by his humble past sets up the drama for the film.
(Note: one must be alert to notice the scene early in the film when it is mentioned the one and only time that tennis was a way of escape for him from poverty, especially as his manner and speech are on par with any of the upper class company he keeps.)
Ultimately I doubt most of the American public would be able to stand how robotic the speech of these Brits is, and so unless you are a fan of foreign films in general, vis a vis a person with two hours of patience to blow for the small reward of a reasonably interesting comment on youth and foolish passion, I suggest you stay away. An interesting but not entirely entertaining film that I suspect to be aimed mostly at the British public and the coolness of their quasi-democratic society.
If you are going to see Scarlett Johansson, you will have to wait for her to find another vehicle to titillate your senses; Allen is all for his message and the sex scenes are gone before they begin to smolder at all. The way she looks now they might have memorable. ----- 6/10