Romance and Suspense combined awesomely!

Rating: 9/10 (24 April 2010)

Woody Allen never came across to me as a great director, mainly since all of his films are boring and romantic "masterpieces" that lets you look at the cheating lives of old people, and I have tried watching one of his films but could never find myself interested. I tried watching Annie Hall, never came around to watching it, because it looked so lame and old-fashioned for me but one of the other reasons was that I wasn't too keen on watching a grandma and a grandpa having sex. When Match Point came out (get it) along with it's favorable reviews and a hot young cast, that included Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Scarlett Johansson, I decided to finally watch his latest film.The films is, from my point of view, about the two LL's: Love and Luck. It uses tennis as an example of luck and throughout the movie, at the beginning, the middle, and at the end, it references luck as a tennis ball that has tipped the net in the middle and which side will it land in: your opponents or back into your own. It uses love like any other Woody Allen movie.... Apart from the two LL's, Woody Allen is also pursuing Adultery and murder. And if mix that with the two LL's the result can be pretty entertaining and mesmerizing. The film also proved that Woody Allen is not as boring as I say he is and that consensus will live with me until he makes another Annie Hall. The performances by Johansson and Meyers are terrific and they are probably the best actors of the new generation. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays an intriguing ex-tennis payer who falls for a friends sister and then he meets another girl who he thinks is his true love. Scarlett Johansson plays a hot Blondie who smokes often and is a sex symbol in Chris Wilton's life (Meyers). The performances from both of them is something to remember because they plays their role convincingly well. Brian Cox is also a respected actor in this film and even though his role isn't as important as Johasson's or Meyers, he is still good to see. The story is slow at the beginning but then eventually, when it starts reaching its climax, things heat up and the twist at the end of the film was a bit of a surprise but all that tension and suspense led up to nothing. It would have been better if the ending was different than the one used in the theatrical version. The character development was just perfect because during the movie you become attached to the characters so much that you want a happy ending to take place. But Match Point, to everyone who sees it, purposely did what it did at the end to make your blood boil. The film should be recommended to anyone who hates the genre romance/suspense but wants to start getting into because Match Point is one of the rare films that define both of the genres. The film isn't Oscar worthy but.....(sigh)...the performances are so good.
Chris, a recently retired tennis player, requests work like instructor in a London select club, there he knows and friendship begins with Tom Hewett who is member of an English wealthy family, Chris is a youth with luck, Chloe sister of Tom falls in love with Chris who takes advantage of this. On the other hand, Nola, an American sensual actress of little mount, girlfriend of Tom, knows Chris in a family party and the Irishman immediately is attracted by the beauty of the actress. Different to Nola's fate, Chris is well accepted in the Hewett's family and has the fortune of sympathizing with Mr. Alec Hewett who uses their influence to place young Chris in an executive position. Chris marries this way Chloe, Tom breaks up suddenly with Nola and he marries a youth of his class. Then Chris looks for Nola laboriously, and he revives the passion that feels for the American, this way Chris is amid an enormous pressure, coming from the work, of his relationship with Nola and of his wife's necessity of having a son. Finally, Nola leaves pregnant and she begins to press Chris so that he abandons Chloe, the retired tennis player has to make a difficult decision that will take him to extreme situations and a fatal destination for the young actress. Again the random, the good luck, allows Chris to stay free of this difficult situation, again the ball hits in the net and it falls in the rival's land.
The music going along with this movie is what you would expect and that is slow, enjoyable, and thrillingly clever. The film is flawless apart from the ending and I hope everyone thinks the way I do. Now, I'll be heading off to my local video store.....here I come Match Point...
"Over and Out." 24 April 2010.