Absolutely engrossing - one of Allen's very best

Rating: 9/10 (29 January 2006)

We hear Nola Rice before we see her in "Match Point." Scarlett Johansson poses an enticing query in a low, husky voice that promptly establishes Nora's persona. The scene that follows between Nola and Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) is just one of the many joys in Woody Allen's new film, his best in years and one of the finest in his remarkable oeuvre.
Critics have said that if you knew nothing about his film and walked in after the credits, you'd be hard-pressed to recognize it as a Woody Allen film. They're right.
Although there are some familiar touches that fans of Allen would recognize - how many filmmakers would have a character looking for his "Strindberg book," after all? - this is quite possibly the most un-Allen like film he's made.
There's no schlemiel character or even an Allen surrogate here. No excessively neurotic people - although I'm a huge fan of his neuroses. Although Allen's stepping into English society for the first time, he doesn't seem out of place one bit. Though I doubt very much a London cop would say, "Schmuck." But such a trivial faux pas can easily be forgiven considering what a gem Allen's created.
Having seen all of Allen's films - most of them several times - I must admit I never would've pegged him to make a masterful thriller that raises important philosophical questions, places his characters in moral crises and creates tense moments and a delicious twist that would have made Hitchcock smile.
I know some have complained that Allen dealt with similar moral dilemmas in "Crimes and Misdemeanors" (1989). True. But surely that doesn't mean he can't tackle those issues again. F.W. Murnau dealt with good vs. evil in 'Sunrise" (1927), but that hasn't stopped countless filmmakers from delving into that topic ever since.
Allen assembled a superb cast. I've never been a fan of Rhys-Meyers because I've always viewed his performances as being somewhat affected. As tennis pro Chris, however, Rhys-Meyers is convincing as a man working himself up the social strata and enjoying the luxuries that come with it. The moral crisis he faces is dealt with honestly and it's to Rhys-Meyers' credit that I actually found myself rooting for him.
The story's great moral complexity is that you also find yourself desperately not wanting to see his wife, Chloe (Emily Mortimer), hurt, either. Mortimer's so absolutely lovable and charming that Allen toys with our emotions as we envision her world collapsing.
But the film's bright, shining light is the glorious Johansson.
"I'm not beautiful," Nola says at one point in the film. "What I am is sexy." Johansson has never been better in a film - the Best Supporting Actress Oscar should go to either her or Amy Adams for "Junebug," unless Johansson snags a Best Actress nod - as she completely captivates us. It's a subtle performance that captures every nuance of Nola's complex and confused character.
Johansson also has never looked sexier on the screen. Cinematographer Remi Adefarasin's camera adores her, much like how Nestor Almendros' camera loved Meryl Streep.
Adultery and obsession are not novel ideas to cinema or Woody Allen. Yet, he's drawn utterly believable characters - albeit in the upper class - and his film succeeds on many levels.
After a few stumbles, Allen's found his touch, his fine touch, again. With "Match Point," he proves why he's a cinematic genius, someone who can almost 40 years after directing his first film still surprise us and show us what a unique filmmaker and storyteller he is.