Grade: A- | Genre: Drama
Summary: Strong performances, interesting character dynamics and an intriguing storyline pull together one of 2005's most interesting films in Match Point.

Woody Allen has been jettisoning down this film roller coaster, bugs lodged in his teeth, for many, many years. I don't know if he's been too busy soaking up his own peculiar pallet of neurosis or just feeling stale in the streets of New York. Regardless, I think all film buffs have grudgingly resigned themselves to the fact that we'll never again see anything as clever and mischievous as Annie Hall, spilling from his chaotic mind. Last year's Melinda Melinda, starring Radha Mitchell, certainly showed a lot of promise through its story bending formula, but it was still heavily steeped in the baggage of Allen's lifetime of film. Match Point only looks like a Woody Allen film in its title sequences and its character interactions. Otherwise, it is a fresh, savvy piece of cinema far removed from Allen's beloved New York (filmed in London) that shows a spark in his step we feared was lost forever. Strong performances, interesting character dynamics and an intriguing storyline pull together one of 2005's most interesting films in Match Point.