Good but miscast

Rating: 7/10 (31 January 2006)

"Match Point" was Woody Allen's best movie in years. That isn't saying much since I consider his recent attempts to be really bad. The story was similar to "Crimes and Misdemeanors" where a married man has an affair that threatens his marriage. Performances by most of the major characters were very good. Brian Cox and Penelope Wilton were especially good in their roles. I also liked Matthew Goode and Emily Mortimer. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers was at times a bit over doing it but still his performance was believable. Unfortunately the only one I was disappointed with was Scarlett Johansson. I like her as an actress and I've enjoyed her in her other roles but I think she was miscast as the sexy femme fatale. She is gorgeous but she seems too intelligent to fit into the role as a troubled would-be actress. I think a more bimboish actress would have fit the role better. It isn't that she was bad just awkward in the role. Still the movie is worth seeing. Now for the problems of the movie. Mr. Allen typically portrays members of the upper middle class. His characters move through the rarefied sets like people from 1930's movies. They are impeccably dressed and often are portrayed having drinks. "Match Point" was no different but this time it was set in London instead of New York and the switch maybe helped since the characters were more familiar, at least if you watch Masterpiece Theater. I don't particularly like his characters. I find them to be spoiled and complaintive. There is no portrayal of people on the street. You know the street. The place between fashionable enclaves and expensive apartments, between trendy galleries and smart restaurants. The characters move through a world untouched by most of the moviegoers and suffer problems caused by their own selfishness. How are we, the movie watchers, supposed to feel any empathy with characters who are so removed from our lives. His movies aren't escapist fare where muscled jocks and hot babes raced around in expensive cars avoiding the law while pulling their latest caper. Mr. Allen's movie explore the humanness of life but lately they feel very removed from real life. I have a real problem caring what happens to the characters. They don't appeal nor resonate with me. Maybe Mr. Allen is portraying the group he is most familiar with. I think he needs to get out more.