Match
Point simply put, is one of Woody Allen’s strongest films in years. In terms
of tone, I’d compare it to what I believe to be Allen’s best movie,
Crimes and Misdemeanors, only Match Point sticks to straight forward drama. Interesting
given the film maker’s recent profile in Entertainment Weekly. In the piece,
the prolific director commented on his own resume and when Crimes and Misdemeanors
was brought up, he suggested that he felt it would have been a stronger film without
the comedy. Match Point definitely matches that point as there is nary an ounce
of humor to be found in it. In fact, this film is downright tragic - one might
even call it Crimes Without Misdemeanors.
Match
Point tells the story of tennis pro Chris Wilton. After a rough ride, Wilton decides
to step away from the rigors of world class competition and give it a rest. He
opts to teach tennis at a posh, upscale resort. Before long, he befriends Tom
Hewett, a wealthy man with a strong head on his shoulders. The two become buddies,
and Wilton soon finds himself surrounded by a life of privilege. He also finds
love in the form of Tom’s sister Chloe and after a breezy courtship, the
two marry. Now, Chris has the life he’s always wanted, but that life is jeopardized
when he finds himself bewitched by Tom’s gorgeous fiancée Nola. Without
thinking things through, Chris’ impulses get the better of him, and before
he knows it he’s quickly entangled in a heated affair. With only himself
to blame, the ex-tennis pro struggles to come up with a way to extricate himself
from the predicament.
Match
Point is a departure of sorts for Allen. Yes, the director has dealt with tragedy
in his past work and certainly a lot of adulterous tomfoolery, but not with such
unflinching nerve. This is a serious, sometimes brutal tale of obsession, and
it’s also a story about what one might do to maintain a life of privilege.
What’s most interesting about Match Point though, is how it unfolds.
Match
Point seems as if it might turn into a mystery, but it never really does. It certainly
has elements of a mystery–murder and intrigue etc., but the movie never puts
an emphasis on the “whodunit and why?” aspect of the story. Nor does
it turn into a crazed, psychotic thriller like Fatal Attraction. This is a film
about people and how they choose to deal with the tough situations they create
for themselves. Unlike many of Allen’s films, this is essentially a four
character play. This isn’t the huge ensemble we quite often see from him.
Another Allen trademark missing from Match Point is the quintessential neurotic
character, a role the director often plays himself.
The
performances here are just stellar. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is subtle, and truth
be told, I thought his character might have a hidden agenda. Where this character
goes, I wasn’t really prepared for, and while I never really felt sorry for
his Chris Wilton (he does, after all, make his own bed), I found his entire predicament
engrossing. I never found myself loathing his character, and that’s a testament
to Meyer’s performance. Scarlett Johannson proves to be more than an ornament
here. She is stunning to look at, but proves to be equally complex. Like Chris,
she’s trying to make her way in life, and the harder she tries, the more
she fails. Furthermore, she seems completely aware of the power she has over men,
and quite often she uses that power as a way of numbing her internal pain. Of
all the characters in the film, she’s the most sympathetic. Matthew Goode
is terrific as the likable Tom Hewett. He reminds me of Hugh Grant, only he’s
less smug. Emily Mortimer is outstanding as Chloe, a woman who loves Chris for
who he is and not his fame or his lofty new social status. She’s a sweet
spirit, and she’s integral to the story, because we become increasingly disheartened
at the notion that a man would be so quick to forsake a woman so wonderful. In
a way, she’s the polar opposite of Johannson’s Nola.
Woody
Allen’s screenplay is a master stroke. It is literate, compelling and tragic.
These are real people, not card board cut outs. Where he takes Chris Wilton in
the final act might be extreme and even unjustified, but as an audience member,
I understood why he does it. I don’t agree with it, but I understand it.
Furthermore, Allen builds an amazing amount of tension toward the end that I wasn’t
expecting, and the way the title of the film comes into play, is simply masterful.
Match
Point is slow moving but deliberately so. Allen develops these characters and
their situations with a patient and assured hand, and as the film ended I found
myself flooded with several different emotions - anger, disgust, and, to my great
surprise, hope. This is one of the strongest films of Woody Allen’s illustrious
career, and it would have made my top fifteen had I seen it in time.
