Very well acted and directed drama that differs love from lust and conventions from honesty...

Rating: 8/10 (23 April 2006)

What is the reason for complicating one's life if everything for happiness seems to be there? What is so hugely exciting in the lust that submitting to it may destroy friendship, love, stability, even the whole life? The answer seems to be the fact that emotions primarily win and reason usually seems to be doomed to lose. But is it so universal and fateful in all people's lives?
I started this review with such questions... Although they may seem sophisticated, they have their roots in the content of this movie, written and directed by Woody Allen. Throughout the film, such questions appeared unintentionally in my mind and now I am almost certain that the director wanted the viewers to leave the cinema with reflections. MATCH POINT is a powerful film that shows the sophisticated life of Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a tennis player and an opera lover, who is not a simple man. From the very beginning, he wants to be noticed, wants to leave something special in the world. But is this "special" something proper or is it, in fact, a huge mistake? That is the matter of fate, like the tennis ball falling either on the left or on the right... From the moment Chris meets his friend Tom's (Matthew Goode) girlfriend, beautiful Nola Rice (Scarlett Johansson), he cannot forget her. Nevertheless, he gets married to rich Chloe Hewitt (Emily Mortimer) to whom he does not feel the equal passion like to Nola, but she is a woman who can ensure him a rich life. After the wedding, she desperately wants to have a baby, but she does it so automatically it all occurs so unnatural and sophisticated ...
The film touches the very core of human struggles between desires and reason, the very core of the ambiguity of human nature. Chris is not a bandit, but commits two murders. He is no debaucher but lust totally occupies his mind. Nola is not an "easy-going girl", but she continues living in a deeply unfair affair. Chloe is not a bad wife, but she cannot help her marriage problems. The characters are very complicated and there is definitely no simple answer that this one is good and that one is bad. They are all ambiguous, sophisticated. That is one thing that makes the film and interesting look at personalities. Another thing is the fact that Woody Allen shows the decadence of widespread morality that has no roots in the hearts of people but ONLY in the old social conventions. "You may kiss the bride" for the first time while she is in the 6th month of pregnancy (Tom's wife), "You should make up your mind whether be in this difficult job especially for women (an actress) or not," says Tom's mother to Nola. "It (sexual act) leads us nowhere" or "Not now, I am tired!" as refusal of a wife's offer of making love. The rotten decadence of shallow but comfortable morality that the society is used to is highly questioned in the movie. The viewer gets an impression that in such a world, there is no place for true love and frankness. Partly true, isn't it? But whose guilt is this? Besides, the film deeply stresses the existence of conscience. I loved the symbolic scene when Chris sees his two victims (as if ghosts). "You will pay for that" ... not by prison but by constant mind suffering. The final shot proves that...
The performances are very fine. Jonathan Rhys Meyers gives a very good performance as Chris. He wonderfully expresses a character of a liar, a passionate, lustful but at the same time a crazy man. Scarlett Johansson fits very well to her role as Nola Rice. She portrays a woman who does not want to live in lie and wants to give birth to a child that will be "born out of true love" (but rather lust)... Some people said that this role will be crucial in Scarlett's career and I would agree with this viewpoint. She is great! I also liked the performance of Emily Mortimer as Chris' wife, Chloe. She is worth consideration and although her role is quite difficult, she manages to express different feelings in an outstanding manner. There is also such a famous star in the cast as Brian Cox who plays Alec, the father of Chloe. He is perfect as an old rich gentleman who loves his son-in-law not knowing what harm he does to other people.
MATCH POINT is a good film, interesting to watch. It throughout catches the attention of the viewer because of its action combined with psychological aspects of human minds. No character is shallow in interpretation, each of them leads a viewer to reflections. The end is also great... Chris is not punished for his deed so noticeably. No one finds him guilty, but his conscience knows what happened. That is how it usually is in life. Can he be happy? The closeup onto his face tells everything...
One of the few films that I discussed with my friends long after we left the cinema! 8/10!