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Match Point By Harry Forbes Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- If you didn't see his name on the credits, you'd probably never guess that this very English and very serious story of adultery was the work of writer-director Woody Allen. By "serious," we emphatically don't mean "not entertaining," because in fact "Match Point" (DreamWorks) is a highly absorbing London-based morality tale. It concerns a social-climbing former pro tennis instructor, Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who makes friends with one of his pupils, affluent Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode). The latter invites middle-class Chris, who also happens to be an opera lover, to join his parents Alec and Eleanor (Brian Cox and Penelope Wilton) and sister Chloe (Emily Mortimer) at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. This is the first of several opera scenes in the film, which also carries a soundtrack of scratchy archival Enrico Caruso recordings, a device that works effectively as a counterpoint to the action, adding simultaneously an air of refinement and menace to the proceedings. Chloe takes a shine to Chris and before long the two are a couple. But when Chris meets Tom's good-looking fiancee, American beauty Nola (Scarlett Johansson), an aspiring actress, he's immediately smitten. And Nola, not unaware of her effect on men, does her best to resist Chris' advances. Chris and Chloe eventually marry -- with Chris advancing in his father-in-law's business -- and Tom breaks up with Nola. Time goes by, but Chris can't get Nola out of his mind, setting in motion an adulterous relationship that will have some unexpected twists and turns along the way. After a slew of disappointing efforts, Allen is at the top of his form in a superbly acted psychological drama that makes its cautionary points vividly even though, like its protagonist, the film delineates a universe governed not by God but by pure chance -- a theme that has permeated some of Allen's other films. This outlook does not, however, preclude the story being told with a strong moral perspective. Working in England for the first time, with a largely English cast, has resulted in Allen's finest work in years. Meyers, who played Elvis Presley in a 2005 CBS made-for-TV movie, gives a well-delineated portrayal resembling, in many respects, Montgomery Clift's character in "A Place in the Sun." Mortimer is quite believable as the clueless wife, and Johannson impresses anew in one of her most mature outings to date. Other roles are well played by Wilton, Cox, Goode and Margaret Tyzack as Nola's kindly neighbor, who proves pivotal to the plot. Because of some surprising plot developments, the less you know about the story before going in, the better. But suffice it to say, this hypnotically compelling drama is among the very best of the year. The film contains several discreetly filmed sexual encounters but no overt nudity, some innuendo, an adultery theme, scattered profanity and crass words, a couple of violent episodes discreetly filmed, an abortion discussion, and a nihilistic worldview. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. - - - Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. END Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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