Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers give brilliant performances in Woody Allen's new film Match Point.

Rating: 8/10 (6 January 2006)

When I first saw the trailer for "Match Point" a few months back, I knew this was a movie I had to see. What surprised me about it most though was the fact that it was a Woody Allen film. I personally like Woody Allen but lately his work hasn't been very good. And "Match Point" didn't look like a Woody Allen movie but t was about time that Mr. Allen tried some new material and it looked liked this was the answer. Today, "Match Point" opened in limited release and I ran to the theater to see it at the first showing.
"Match Point" is about a former tennis pro named Chris (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) who has just moved from Ireland to London where he teaches tennis at a local country club. One day he meets Tom (Matthew Goode) and they hit it off not only because of their love for tennis but also their love of opera. Tom introduces Chris to his sister Eleanor (Emily Mortimer) who falls for Chris. Chris and Eleanor start dating and everything is going great until Chris meets up with Tom's fiancée Nola (Scarlett Johansson). After Chris meets Nola he begins to have an obsession with her and can not stop thinking about her. But it isn't long before this obsession turns into a very serious dilemma than can ultimately make him or break him.
"Match Point" is mainly a movie about love vs. lust and the power of obsession. The film also has a subplot that deals with luck and how lucky a person can be. The film is definitely for a select crowd and I can't see the majority of mainstream movie-goers going to see "Match Point" and leaving it happy. It's definitely for more of an artistic, mature or older crowd.
For me, well my eyes were glued to the screen throughout this entire film. The performances were excellent especially Johansson and Rhys-Meyers. The story was entertaining, interesting, and exciting. And finally the direction by Mr. Allen was perfect. This movie is definitely worthy of some Oscar attention just for the performances and direction alone.
The only problem I have with the film is the ending but unfortunately I can't really discuss that here without spoiling the entire movie. But I will say that this movie is a near masterpiece up until the ending where there seems to be a huge plot hole. Some will say the ending is the whole point of the movie, which does seem to be the case; however it still bothered the heck out of me because the plot hole was way too big to be believable. Also I have to mention that while the film is a great movie especially for this day and age, it has the same plot and storyline of a 1951 film called "A Place in the Sun." This film is basically a remake of that film with an alternative ending. But other than the ending, I really enjoyed everything about "Match Point" from the performances, to the directing, to the score. It's a very well done movie.
So in conclusion, I can definitely see where this movie is getting its buzz from not only because of the performances but the fact that Woody Allen has finally left his rich New York comedy setting and moved to London to make an engaging thriller. This movie is definitely one you want to see with someone because it involves quite a bit of discussion after wards. It's a movie that sticks with you and one that you won't soon forget. That's a pretty amazing accomplishment for director Woody Allen who hasn't had a hit in several years. I highly recommend "Match Point".
MovieManMenzel's final rating for "Match Point" is a 9/10. The performances and direction are worth the price of admission alone. Woody Allen is back with a vengeance.