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.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Bend it Like Beckham, Vanity Fair) plays Chris, a washed up professional tennis player who is forced to give up his Wimbledon dreams to teach bored socialites the art of swinging a racket at a swank London club. The lessons are slowly pickling his mind until he comes across Tom (Matthew Goode) who has a keen eye for the game and shares his love for opera. Tom invites Chris along to the families' box, and Tom's sister, Chloe (Emily Mortimer), is instantly smitten by this debonair young chap. As he's busy planning dates for a lifetime with sweet Chloe, ravishing American Nola (Scarlett Johansson) bounces into his court as a struggling actress. After Chris does everything short of mounting her in the game room, Tom enters to collect his fiance. Ah the plot thickens. Chris is hopelessly enamored with this striking beauty and finds any excuse available to double date with his brother-in-law to be and his unattainable object of lust. One rainy afternoon after Tom's mother (Penelope Wilson) has filleted her profession, Nola launches out of the house, Chris in tow. Before we know it, bodily fluids are being swapped, and we officially fashion our pointy love square.

Match Point Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Emily Mortimer, Matthew Goode, Brian Cox, Penelope Wilton, Ewen Bremner & James Nesbitt Director: Woody Allen View the Trailer (Quicktime) Related Articles Melinda Melinda In Good Company Wimbledon

Scarlett Johansson is devilishly sexy as the blonde bombshell Nola. As the ultimate object of desire, Johansson lassoes the camera with her intense magnetic pull in a way we haven't quite seen before. Jonathan Rhys Meyers steps into the role as leading man with considerable comfort and style. The character interactions are brilliantly executed and often remind you of the subtleties of an old Bogart picture. It's the dynamic of a film lost in another time. Allen's following this film to London made all the difference. It feels fresh and new and doesn't get mired down in the introspective babble that plagues many of his works. He has the film unfold like an epic opera, complete with booming vocal signatures that accompany the dramatic poise.

Both characters are interesting in their famished draw to the Richie Rich Hewett family. Coming from nothing, they resign themselves to lackluster relationships to attain the lifestyle they've struggled their entire lives to achieve. Once there, they can't diffuse the draw they feel towards one another, putting their dreams of affluence in jeopardy. Even when Chris works to the point of having fallen in love with Chloe, he still recklessly toys with that love, allowing his inextinguishable lust for Nola engulf it. Then it's amazing to see the extent he will go to in order to maintain that place in life he craves so badly. The cross currents of passion coupled with human fallibility creates a fascinating portrait and blankets the audience in tension when things sour.

Allen has created a very compelling picture in Match Point. By stepping outside of his Manhattan comfort zone, he's been forced to take on the challenge of tackling a new city, complete with its rich English culture. He takes to it marvelously well and constructs a film that lives up to his reputation as a great filmmaker rather than detracting from it. Johansson continues to cement her place as one of the hottest 'IT' girls of her generation, and Rhys Meyers gives a solid performance, which could finally pull him past the supporting roles gluing this star to the pavement.

Originally Posted: February 3, 2006