Match Point

Romance novel material. Or maybe even lust novel. After many years of not such good movies, Woody really needed the ball to fall on the right side of the net, even if it meant a drop shot. Moving the acting to London giving it a hint of Hitchcock won him the entire match. And as his following movies show, this was no swan song or stroke of luck. Thank god. (26/12/2008)

The "hard" cinematography and the narration going through an avalanche of dialogues with the absence of visual narration initially confuse the viewer, but the dream romance turns into a drama, then into a thriller, and the morality falls on its face into the mud. That’s quite an unorthodox way to go against the sunshine trend, which Allen does get to with a very shaggy insert from the detective office. However, it was probably all worth the feeling of Dostoyevsky turning uneasily in his grave a few times. (22/08/2014)

Woody Allen, they are definitely not just comedies. My third encounter with Allen happened with a slight surprise, because after films that are mainly conversational comedies/tragedies, or dream-like pieces, I jumped straight into the thriller genre. Can a perfect crime be committed? The film is actually not about how to prepare for the crime, that is just a part of the whole story. The crime itself is not at the center of the plot. The focus is on a young man who gets married. Not because he is in love, but because his fiancée has a wealthy father who owns a company where the young man could succeed. And so it happens. However, there is something missing in their easy-going relationship. Especially passion, and maybe even love from the man's side. He finds everything he needs in the young woman, Nola, with whom he becomes very close and finds everything he is lacking at home. Hot and beautiful sex, understanding, tenderness. Well, maybe he has that at home, but this adventure is something new, it is beautiful, forbidden, and therefore tempting. Although his relationship with Nola goes through certain twists and turns, it even seems like he would leave his wife for her. But then everything breaks apart. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who played the main character, summarized it beautifully in the following speech (I am paraphrasing): "I love her, but what would I do with her? What kind of life would it be? I am used to a certain standard." Woody Allen shows that he is truly close to all topics. He can precisely express what the character feels, and both Rhys Meyers and the beautiful Scarlett Johansson (yes, I have a weakness for her, I took a picture of her huge billboard in Venice's St. Mark's Square) are perfect in their roles and portray real characters, not just fabricated ones. Even though the film turns into a thriller towards the end, it doesn't bother at all. It is an amazing culmination of what preceded. The film is predominantly underscored by opera music, which may not be tolerable for everyone, but on the other hand, strong melodies fit here and there. Although it is quite dramatic, it still stays within certain limits. But mainly, it is because the film gets under your skin. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/10/prach-uspesna-pokracovani-animaku.html (01/03/2013)

Allen can really surprise us even at an older age and he proves that he is far from done, and if he has the same tenacious roots as his dad, he will still please us film fans with a decent line of movies. Match Point is a film where I couldn't guess the name of the director and creator of the story and screenplay in advance. The film breaks away from the traditional pattern of Allen's intellectual conversation films and is more of a fateful psychological drama supported by a crime plot. The story of a careerist who wanted everything and in the end had to sacrifice a lot and some people paid a heavy price for his rise. The film's strength lies in the excellent portrayal of society and the psychological profile of the individual characters in the story. It is a very believable affair supported by great acting. Scarlett Johansson is charming and playing these types of femme fatales comes naturally to her, and the other actors also give great performances. A distinctly European film that is one of the best Allen has ever made. It proves that he is not only capable of comedy. I didn't miss not seeing him as an actor in the film at all. Overall impression: 95%. (17/01/2009)

I like the love triangle according to Woody. I completely disagree that this isn’t a Woody Allen classic. It seems to me that it retains his style. And if he was improvising in a new direction, it was just an added bonus. What caught my attention was the Scarlett as a blackmailer and Jonathan Rhys Meyers as a man who is incapable of arranging his life rationally. But I don't mind at all that he did it irrationally... at least that meant there was more drama. Crazy, but good. 4 stars. (21/08/2011)