Match Point

Review by Sean Lynch

A word of warning to the wise: Match Point is not a light-hearted fluffy romantic comedy in the same vein as last years tennis themed hit Wimbledon, so don't be fooled by the poorly punned title.

If you're looking for a date movie, something to snuggle up to with your significant other, giggle at the similarities between your own relationship and the jovial one on the the screen, perhaps steer clear of this little doozy. 

However, if you're looking for a gripping expose' on infidelity,  jealousy and murder, then Woody Allen's latest film is a must see.

Set on the streets of London, a departure for Allen who has built has career on New York-based stories, we follow Chris Wilton (Bend It Like Beckhams' Jonathan Rhys Meyers) a one-time tennis pro who befriends man about town Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode) and marries his sister. In doing so, the doors are opened to the kind of money and success that Chris had once only dreamed of having as he enters a world of nightly Opera's and game-hunting.

Unsatisfied with the methodical nature of the upper class, his wife's blunt and almost mechanical request of "Can you make me pregnant?" is a prime example, and Chris finds himself torn by his attraction to Tom's impossibly beautiful and alluring fiancée, Nola (The Islands' Scarlett Johansson). The attraction turns to a highly passionate obsession that forces Chris to make a critical choice. True love, or the high life. 

Now everything in his life hinges on whether or not Chris' luck falls short again - magnificently represented by the way a tennis ball may fall either side of the net.

Chris' conflicting desires are embodied in the two women who come into his life: Chloe and Nola—one dark-haired, the other blonde; one an upper-class Brit, the other a struggling American actress; one loving and supportive; the other seductive and demanding; one who can give him everything he has ever wanted, and one who can take it all away.

Match Point opened to rave reviews at 2005's Cannes Film Festival, and with good reason. While often slow paced, Allen successfully delves into the almost cold-heartless nature of the upper class and the deadly pressures of infidelity. However, this isn't new territory for Allen and is, at times, a little disappointing in displaying the mental deconstruction of the conflicting relationships, particularly considering the material is so familiar to the filmmaker.

Woody Allen integrates a traditional movie score throughout Match Point, but unlike any of his earlier films, in which jazz dominates the musical backdrop, operatic scores—almost all sung by the legendary Enrico Caruso—provide an unnerving and heartbreaking soundtrack for the film. This, teamed with the dull overcast skies of London, makes for a rather downbeat and bleak film. The only rays of colour stem solely from Johansson's blonde locks.

While Scarlett Johansson is nothing short of a pouty, sexually-charged advantage to the film, the same can unfortunately not be said for her leading man. Jonathon Rhys Meyers, best known for his role in the TV miniseries ELVIS, is far too effeminate throughout the film and at times his high pitched child-like persona can get irritating. Meyers' character seems to slip from innocent to downright sleazy far too often, and the realism of a man with this type of personality being capable of such violent moral actions is low at best. However, these type of male characters are always the case with Allen's films, so it shouldn't come as a surprise.

Sometimes, films of this nature are quite enjoyable. The numb sense of life Chris seems to be living is well expressed throughout the film, a tone which is reminiscent in films such as About Schmidt, The Royal Tenenbaums and Donnie Darko. 

Generally, the major problem with films of this nature is that the viewer needs to be in a similar mind frame to truly become engrossed within these tonal efforts. So, if you are looking for a fun night out, Match Point may drift past you with little fanfare, but on the other hand, if you're drifting through life yourself, these films can be quite touching and enjoyable.

3 out of 5

Match Point
Australian release: 2nd March, 2006.
Cast: Brian Cox, Matthew Goode, Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Penelope Wilton
Director: Woody Allen.
Website: Click here.