Atypical Woody Allen script...

Rating: 8/10 (26 January 2007)

...but very typical strong direction by same of engaging cast kept this night-owl's attention quite handily. I'm not quite the avid fan that many Allen aficionados are, but certainly recognize "Match Point" as one of his finer works. Faultlessly framed in the lens of DP, Remi "Elizabeth" Adefarasin, Allen's tale unfolds in the best Syd Field tradition, wrapping up with a neat little thematic ending. Although Jonathan Rhys Meyers is a bit too mannequin-pretty for my taste, and I always felt he was up to no good right from the get-go, the rest of the cast is outstanding. From the radiant Scarlett "Eight Legged Freaks" Johansson to the wonderful Emily "The Pink Panther" Mortimer, Brian "Braveheart, no, Rob Roy" Cox, suave Rupert "Spooks" Penry-Jones, geeky character actor Ewen "Black Hawk Down" Bremner, and the winning Penelope "Shaun of the Dead" Wilton, the entire ensemble is perfect. I'm almost surprised that the core IMDb cohort of 18-29-year-olds liked this one so much; it gives me faith in their taste in film.