Match Point

What I loved about this film was that it was like three different pieces in one. It’s a mild drama, a thriller, and then finally moves toward being a crime/detective story. It’s a rather eerie film about a tumultuous affair involving a man who is caught in the middle of an unfortunate situation. Ultimately, it is a tragedy that leaves you walking out of the theater with chills as the subtle yet effective opera music plays in the background. The performances in the first third of the film felt a bit stale, especially that of Scarlett Johansson’s, but once the plot thickened the characters became much more involved, which, in turn, gave them more opportunities for giving powerful deliveries. Overall, the Woody Allen directed film has undertones of the novel Crime and Punishment and plays a lot with the meanings of ‘good’ and ‘luck.’ Match Point is almost a guilty pleasure, filled with lies and seduction, but ultimately it is a poignant tale about the chances one can take in life and how lucky, and sticky, situations can leave a deep and even numb imprint on one’s conscience.

Starring: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer
Director: Woody Allen
Runtime: 124 minutes