A different sort of Woody Allen...

Rating: 8/10 (18 May 2006)

"It's amazing how much of our lives depend on luck." Fatalist or not, by the end of the film you will definitely be contemplating that line from the opening scene. In fact, the idea that luck defines our lack of control only emphasises the definition of fate.
Powerful in many respects, Woody Allen's intimate, depiction of everyday life gets woven into the thick canvas of Dostoyevsky's 'Crime and Punishment'.
There are hints to his previous films but Match Point is a completely new style. I would like to say, if you are a fan of Woody Allen, watch this; be warned though: this is no comic portrayal of a neurotic man; this is the examination of a mind torn between love and lust, symbolised by a tennis game.
I believe that it starts off on a bad foot; too slow and unconcerned with story, but then again, is this the way Woody Allen builds up a relationship between these externally-simple characters and the viewer?
The cast give satisfying performances: Scarlett Johansson proves that she is a competent and sexy actress, but there are some frustrating aspects of Jonathan Rhys Meyers' persona; his accent and manner nauseatingly overshadow the important history of his character. Nonetheless, you do grow accustomed to it and in the respect of consistency, he does give a good performance as the man torn between Johansson and his soon-to-be-wife, Emily Mortimer. I am not going to summarise the story; it may have more of an impact if you don't have any presumptions.
If you haven't yet, I do recommend you watch this film. Arguably, one other glitch is that it's the sort of film, when you know the ending, the initial power is lost for further viewings.