Jan 30, 2006 08:01 PM
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(Updated Jan 30, 2006 08:15 PM)
MATCH POINT (2006)
DIRECTOR- Woody Allen.
CAST- Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (of ''Bend it like Beckham'' fame), Scarlett Johanssen, Emily Mortimer, Matthew Goode, Brian Cox.
I'm an idealist to the core and in terms of movies, I gravitate towards those that are hopeful and have some aspect of human goodness about them. ''Match Point'' couldn't be further from my ideals in cinema or real life. Despite that, it is an absorbing, well-made movie, very unlike the usual quirky Woody Allen film.
PLOT-
The story evolves from the point of a view of a young man who believes luck and good fortune, rather than effort, is responsible for all that is good in life. He doesn’t particularly believe in the karmic theory….in that all actions have consequences.
Chris Willton (Rhys-Meyers) is an ambitious, young, ex Tennis-Pro, who moves to London looking for a job. He takes up work as a tennis coach at an exclusive club, striking up a friendship with a rich, young patron Tom (Matthew Goode). With his diffident, insidious charm, he snakes his way into the society of Tom’s family, and starts dating Tom’s sister Chloe (Emily Mortimer). Tom is engaged to a struggling American actress Nola (Scarlett Johanssen), who is not particularly popular with Tom’s family, especially his mother (in the, “How can you marry that ghastly American that is so obviously beneath you?”way!). Nola may not be popular with her future mother-in-law, but she has that alluring “je ne sais quoi” quality that appeals to men, especially Chris.
Chris, meanwhile, despite not being particularly well-off, is approved off instantly by Chloe’s parents. With an eye to being groomed as the future son-in-law, he’s even offered a high paying job at Chloe’s family firm. While Chris is attracted to Nola, aside from flirting with him, she doesn’t respond to his advances, and he isn’t too persistent knowing fully well how that could jeopardise his ambitions.
Chloe and Chris get married…..a few months later Tom breaks of his engagement with Nola as he falls in love with someone else. Chris happens to run into Nola and starts pursuing her in earnest…..now he’s married after all, has a great job, there isn’t a lot he stands to lose….or so he thinks! They embark on a torrid affair and it’s all fun and games till Nola becomes pregnant and insists Chris leave his wife.
Is Chris’ passion for Nola strong enough for him to give up his meal ticket and leave his wife? If not, how will he extricate himself from this situation? Will lady luck continue to favour him or will he have to suffer the consequences of his actions?
MY THOUGHTS-
“Match Point” reminds me of a movie I watched last year, “Closer”. That too was an extremely disillusioned look at modern day relationships, except “Match Point” is a far better movie- more dark and subtle. While it starts as a sort of grim tale of intertwining social aspirations and relationships, it builds into a thriller of sorts.
None of the characters are particularly likeable. Chris’ cold ambitions and self-serving nature makes one dislike him from the word go. Nola’s self-absorption and insecurity is no less unattractive. While one might be tempted to feel sorry for Chloe, she too is rather obvious in steering her husband towards the “appropriate” career and the appropriate society. As such, you don’t find yourself worrying about any of the characters or their ultimate fate….which is good in a way because you can just sit back and watch the events unfold to its suspenseful climax. It is to the director’s credit that he makes the events very interesting indeed.
“Match Point” is a good movie from Woody Allen after a lo…ong time. It doesn’t have the sweet, nostalgic appeal of an “Annie Hall” (anything but that!), and it may not linger with you too long after, but it does manage to entertain and absorb your attention in the 2 hours you spend watching it.
