A Serious Drama With Philosophical Overtones
"People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It's scary to think so much is out of one's control." So says Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), the protagonist of Match Point (2005). And a bit later, when a character recalls a clergyman's aphorism, "Despair is the path of least resistance," Chris counters, "I think that faith is the path of least resistance." As indicated by these lines of dialogue, this is a movie that raises issues of morality.
Match Point was written and directed by Woody Allen, but don't expect one-liners and laughs: the overarching tone of this film is quite serious. But the movie shows that Allen's filmmaking skills translate to drama quite well. His comedy often has a dark edge, and he used that sensibility to intensify the cynical, noirish mood in Match Point. The plot reminded me of Theodore Dreiser's novel An American Tragedy and its 1951 screen adaptation A Place in the Sun. However, Allen's story, considered in totality, is considerably different, and Match Point got an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Greed and Lust
Woody Allen movies typically have been set in New York and had jazz on the soundtrack, but in Match Point we get London and Italian opera (mostly Verdi). The story centers around the wealthy Hewett family, who own an immense country estate complete with polo ponies. Their lavish lifestyle takes us to art galleries and performances at Covent Garden.
But the central character, Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), grew up poor in Ireland. He became a skilled tennis player, not because he's passionate about the sport, but because it might lead to a better life. Chris is the tennis pro at an exclusive London club when he is assigned the task of improving the game of one its members, Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode). The two young men become friends, and Chris marries Tom's sister Chloe (Emily Mortimer). He moves into a lucrative position in one of the companies owned by Tom's father (Brian Cox), who provides a stunning apartment for his daughter and son-in-law.
Chris is hard-working and socially graceful, and the Hewetts adore the young man who has married into their family. As for Chris, he thoroughly enjoys the opulent lifestyle his marriage has brought him. There is, however, one big problem: he is sexually attracted to the aspiring actress Nola (Scarlett Johansson), and this leads to tragedy.
Intellectually Engaging, but Not a Feel-Good Movie
I'm a Woody Allen fan who missed Match Point in the theater, but when I watched it on DVD, I was not disappointed. Much of the film unfolds in interiors and through stylized dialogue, all of which works well on the small screen. The movie is beautifully photographed, and the cinematography is very effective for the type of story being told. The film offers a chilly view of the universe, but an intellectually engaging one.
The movie features an excellent ensemble cast, with the performances by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Scarlett Johansson and Emily Mortimer being particularly noteworthy. The film is satisfying as entertainment, but it is also thought-provoking. However, I should warn the unwary that the main character is unlikable, and the movie denies the notion that our world is governed by laws of moral cause and effect.
A Barebones DVD
Below I have given the details for the Match Point DVD, which contains no bonus materials.
DVD Details:
Release Date: April 25, 2006
Feature Film Run Time: 2 Hours 4 Minutes
Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1), Color
MPAA Rating: R for Some Sexuality
English Monaural
French Monaural
English Subtitles
Spanish Subtitles
French Subtitles
