Match Point ( Woody Allen Summer Project ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, Blu-Ray, Reg.B Import - Italy ]

Harkening back to his earlier "Crimes and Misdemeanors" without a foil for Woody Allen himself (Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers is definitely not playing a caricature of Allen in any way). This is a story about a former amateur tennis player nameChris Wilton who almost made it big, has now moved to London to be a teacher and ends up at a very exclusive club. He soon gives lessons to a wealthy guy named Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode) and says all the right things (dropping comments about opera) to get invited to a family outing. There he meets Tom's sister Chloe Hewett Wilton (the always excellent Emily Mortimer) and she's immediately smitten. As are their parents Alec (Brian Cox) and Eleanor (Penelope Wilton) as Chris continues to strategically drop things into conversation (in an early scene we see Chris reading, ironically, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky with a cheat guide and as Chloe whines to daddy Alec about whether he could help Chris get a leg up in the world, the father notes he and Chris had a really interesting conversation about Dostoyevsky). Chris is smart, savvy and step-by-step working his way into this family and their 1% world of power and wealth and boredom.And then he meets Tom's American fiance Nola (Scarlett Johansson) and becomes obsessed. The film covers most of the "7 deadly sins" as each character is not necessarily "good" and all trying to do whatever they can to get what they want. It is taught, sexy, dark and does not always go where you're expecting which is refreshing considering how many films follow a cookie cutter path.This being a co-production with BBC films and a love letter to London the cast is full of amazing UK actors in roles of varying sizes. For Doctor Who fans, you'll see multiple people who've appeared in that great series (Penelope was "Harriet Jones, Prime Minister; Brian Cox was the voice of the lead Ood in "The End of Time" and played Sydney Newman in the anniversary tribute film "An Adventure in Space & Time"; etc.).So be prepared for a meditative, sexy, smoky, dark story contemplating the mean of life, the role "luck" plays in everything, sin and whether the choices we make have consequences and/or penalties (much like the tennis motif that leads the film) or if everything just happens from moment to moment and everyone's aggressively going after their own selfish "wants" with no concern for others.Where it goes might be hard for some people to watch, but it's an amazing film, well-written, acted, directed and far from the standard Woody Allen film in every way.

Ok, first BIG Jonathan fan so a film with no crown (ok something without a crown since the Tudors was a TV series). Plus I wanted to see what Woody Allen had cooked up for me. And I was only a little disappointed. I like the blossoming friendship between him and Ben Goode (forgive me if I spelled that wrong he's actually very talented man). Back to Match Point, Great casting truly. I love Scarlet as the sex kitten, yes I'm interested but it's wrong but do I really care. They have their tryst in a rainy British day (are they any others?) and than she's gone. Did she even exist at all or was she a dream, invented to take our lead lad out of his vanilla life when there she is at the art gallery he promised his dear wife he'd see. But he will not make the same mistake again. This tryst is nothing like the first he makes total rags of her poor, innocent shirt (quiet well place by out leading lady I must say). They have a little after tryst chat and it's back to vanilla. But then the fantasy comes screaming back to reality and as we all know you can't have your cake and eat your mistress too hmm might have gotten that one wrong but read on if you will (plushy job gotten only because you are married to the boss' one and only daughter, best mates with said wife' brother and expecting your first child which said' wife has waited oh so long for). Sexy, fun, taboo mistress is...oh what's that word that ruins fun, oh so wrong trysts oh yes pregnant. What's our poor suffering leading lad to do? Well, watch Match Point and you'll know won't you. Thought I'd tell you the ending? Never lol sorry

Ripped right from the pages of Theodore Dreiser's classic novel "An American Tragedy," Woody Allen retells the tale of a poser trying to walk the line between lust and love of money. Johansson and Rhys Myers capture the sexy heat of two down on their luck gold diggers who finally strike it rich in a taboo affair. Johansson's Nola Rice is engaged to enormously wealthy Tom Hewitt and Myers Chris Wilton is busy cozying up to Hewitt's naive, rather gawky sister, Chloe. Both are entranced by the siblings' money. Sparks fly when Rice and Wilton realize they are two of a kind. As their affair builds to a crescendo Wilton suddenly realizes he loves the good life, if not his good wife. Allen pulls all stops as he builds tension and suspense.Both Match Point and Allens later movie, Blue Jasmine deal with smart, people, who manage to attain the lives they dream of through deception and lies, when the the truth would serve them best. Others have commented on how they were happy to see Woody Allen phase himself and his neurosis out of his movies, however, I see this Match Point and Blue Jasmine as Allen dealing with other aspects of his personality and his life....Riveting performances, a great script and fabulous scenery make this movie a very short two hours.

This is a nail biting movie. It is about a young man's scheme to deal with the position he has put himself into. He has done this thing, all on his own, by desiring something he should never have. His has broken his marriage vows. How he gets himself out of all of it is the central plot of the movie. The performances are excellent all around. Every actor has perfect timing and an ability to deliver a performance. It is well done. I gave it 3 stars because I was traumatized by the ending. I would have gone another way with the story.

I normally hate Woody Allen films.... they are just not my cup of tea, the ones I've watch have been boring and pretentious... but I love Jonathan Rhys Meyers so I had to watch this.. and my goodness, this is the best movie I have seen in a long time. Love the running themes in the movie... "about having incredible luck" vs. being born with skills, opportunity, etc... love that it wasn't your typical ending, and love the legitimately amazing acting. This film has really made me double think giving Mr. Allen's movies a second chance. This was superb!

The product description gives as much of a plot summary as you're likely to need for this attempt at a thriller/film noir by Woody Allen. Unfortunately I could never warm to the character of Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), nor to most of the other players in this, with the exception of Matthew Goode's character. The cast is rather more exciting than the story, everybody turning in solid performances indeed. Scarlett Johansson is terrific, as is Emily Mortimer. Brian Cox and Penelope Wilton well cast. The portrayal of the British upper classes is rather cliched with opera and art galleries and shooting featuring prominently.Unfortunately this is not one of Allen's better films. There is no humour here. The element of whimsy which he does so well is absent. and that's a real pity. But maybe that's just me. Others seem to like it. And that's fine. If anything about it appeals to you give it a go. After all, it's not the worst film ever made. The cinematography is masterful and Mr Allen certainly does have an eye for beautiful shots. Also, he chooses to stay in the director's chair and we are spared his irritating presence on the screen and don't have to listen to his endless plaintive yammering. That, for me, is another point in favour of the film.

Not your standard Woody Allen fare but part of that strand of his work which strains towards significance a la Bergman. Usually the operative word is strain, but this combines a deliciously dark view of life with a fine sense of story sculpture and pacing. Jonathan Rhys-Myers is an outstanding anti-hero, thanks to Allen's great writing of a tremendously attractive, ferociously self-centred plausible villain. Some of the other characters are a bit vague, Brian Cox's Daddy is too good to be true and Johansson is an acquired taste, but as a morality tale of our greedy times this is a fine piece of work. As an audience we're drawn into the evil and gleefully connive at it, until something happens which is truly shocking. In some ways it's a reworking of old themes, but that's OK because Shakespeare did the same thing. If you like films for grown-ups, this is for you.

The theme of this Woody Allen gem is the clash between lust and love. A humble tennis coach meets a wealthy family through a common interest in tennis - then the opera. Allen cleverly uses Verdi operatic arias as a background theme to a scenario that develops and evolves from friendship, through marriage to the tycoon's daughter, to prospects of a lucrative career in business. However, he lusts after a beautiful young American actress, played by Scarlett Johansson, with whom he has an affair - but he has to choose between her, his wife and life with the rich and famous. His decision is developed powerfully by Allen, who builds tension with a dramatic Verdi aria, to a climax reminiscent of Hitchcock at his best.

I feel like this is not a Woody Allen film at all. There is little or no humour within the script but it is very well acted by everyone apart from Rhys Meyers. As Rhys Myers is the main lead this is quite a problem and his accent is all over the place - casting should have swopped him with Matthew Goode - who is by far the better actor(check out his performance in Stoker). The jury is still out on Johansson for me her voice is incredibly grating, however she does have the best scene in the film when she really loses it before being bundled off into the taxi. There was a little nod to Crime and Misdemeanours in that Chris gets away with the murder just like Judah does. An average Allen film that feels like it has been directed by somebody else.

A well acted story of really how life catches up on one tiny mistake/impulse that you know is wrong. But this story ended up with ramifications and twists and fears and impossibe 'had to happen' and it really is a film to feel the pain and panic and all the other emotions. The way the characters grow and change subtly is splendid stuff. in the end you don't know who to feel sorry for... if anyone. Great stuff and excellent acting by Rhys-M<eyers.