Match Point

Rating: 7/10 (14 February 2008)

From Oscar and twice Golden Globe nominated actor-writer/director Woody Allen (Annie Hall), his first in Britain, this is quite a good film that doesn't have any comedy at all. I didn't really pay much attention to the first few minutes of the film, but basically Chris Wilton (The Tudors' Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is a retired pro tennis player, and gets married to Chloe Hewett (Emily Mortimer), who it is quite obvious he is not in love with entirely. So he starts an affair with the girl he has much more passion for, struggling American actress and Femme Fetale Nola Rice (Golden Globe nominated Scarlett Johansson). They have a great secret passion, but she gets very demanding on when they should get together, causing him problems sticking to schedules with his wife or other stuff. As Chris gets more and more harassed by the demanding mistress, he must make a decision on which woman he wants more, he chooses his wife, and decides to kill an innocent old woman, Nola's neighbour Mrs. Eastby (Margaret Tyzack), and then Nola, making it look like a robbery, where Nola got in the way. Chris does have to give an alibi to the police, and of course he has to tell them about the affair when he knows Nola kept a diary, of course, Inspector Dowd (AVP's Ewen Bremner) and Detective Banner (James Nesbitt) realise this plan, but in the end, we never see him get arrested, it's more a will he stay free ending, he should have got what he deserved. Also starring a variety of British stars, including Brian Cox as Alec Hewett, Matthew Goode as Tom Hewett, Penelope Wilton as Eleanor Hewett, Rupert Penry-Jones as Henry, Alexander Armstrong as Mr. Townsend, Paul Kaye (aka Dennis Pennis) as Estate Agent, The League of Gentlemen's Mark Gatiss as Ping-Pong Player, Colin Salmon as Ian and The League of Gentlemen's Steve Pemberton as Detective Parry. I may have seen affair films many times, but this is actually pretty original, with some good acting and interesting realism, well, maybe not the murdering, but everything else. It was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama. Very good!