Match Point

[w/o horse]

It's funny because you guys seem to be disappointed in the movie because it's from Woody Allen and you expected better, but I was relieved that it was as good as it was.

Every Allen flick has at least thrity things to hate.  Sure the ending here wasn't unexpected, but Allen isn't the kind of guy who'd pen a contrived twist twist ending here.  His writing style is more classic.  Though neither of you knew that it was the investigator's dream you were watching.  I won't ask if you did, but you can tell me you did if you feel like flinging some shit.  You didn't.  Which is hardly the point I apologize.  The point is that like ono I thought Johansson's flipping out was real, but unlike ono I thought that Rhys-Meyer's was equally as real.  Like I said in my earlier post, I thought that the majority of the characters' actions felt real.  Inside of a thriller even.  No less, the plight of Rhys-Meyer was tangible, the hot bomb shell who has absolutely nothing to offer or the kind-of cute girl who has a future to offer.  Given the facts, I wouldn't classify either a loveful relationship.  Which is where I would differ with ono as well, I would say that the character was entirely worthy of my sympathy.

I feel that the criticisms of the film that have been expressed have more to do with a lost sense of storytelling and expectations for all the gadgets of modern filmmaking.  That and the continuing discussion of Rhys-Meyers' girlish looks and Scarlett's 'that's hot' body have done little in shedding any light on the film that would convince me it wasn't good.

Come on you two.  It was good.  I agree a little long.  And tales of morality and amorality are better served from tennis pro Atom Egoyan.  And the movie wasn't much more than realistically developed characters and a message story.  Okay.  It was least average, yes.  This Woody Allen film was at least average.

[©brad]

you guys are insane, or maybe i just do not belong on this board anymore.

[ddmarfield]

Spoilers

It felt more like two movies slapped together. The first one felt like an inferior but minorly intriguing version of Closer. It's just too bad it dragged on and on. The second one seemed more like a lessor Hitchcock work. Though it's not the comeback many critics are raving about, Match Point has numerous charms. I agree with onomabracadabra's point about Johansson's acting, as I thought her meltdown scenes were probably the best point of the movie.

I thought that the murder plotline kind of invalidated what the audience had gone through. I'd much rather see the protagonist deal with having a pregnant mistress and a wife than taking what seems like the easy way out (from a screenwriting perspective) and killing a major character.

Hopefully this is a sign that Allen is back on track, and that his next London movie(s) will improve on the flaws of this one. Hell, anything is better than Melinda and Melinda. I'm more than excited about another Allen/Johansson collaboration.

C+

[bonanzataz]

SOOO MANY SPOILERS.

It's funny because you guys seem to be disappointed in the movie because it's from Woody Allen and you expected better, but I was relieved that it was as good as it was.

no. i was disappointed in match point b/c it was stupid. better than woody's previous three or four efforts, but still stupid.

Sure the ending here wasn't unexpected, but Allen isn't the kind of guy who'd pen a contrived twist twist ending here.  His writing style is more classic. 

actually, i thought the ending was completely unexpected, in a totally jarring way. not the way where i'm like "wow, i can't believe they DID that! how genius!" but in the way where i'm like "gosh, this really doesn't make sense in the context of this movie. this is bordering on silly, now i'm going to look for flaws b/c i'm totally aware that i'm watching a movie." yes, woody writes great dialogue. i absolutely loved every word that came out of the characters' mouths. but their actions were totally unbelievable and over the top. now, most people on the board know that i like ridiculous, over the top situations in movies that point out artifice. but, when the rest of the movie makes such a point to say "yes, i'm woody allen, and yes, i'm doing a serious movie. these are real people, going through real situations that real people go through." it's cheating the audience who's expecting a REAL ENDING. not some bullshit cop-out that woody wrote b/c he couldn't think of a way to REALLY END THE MOVIE! there's a point where johannson is flipping out and telling meyers to leave his wife for the umpteenth time and you can feel that woody was really stuck here and knew that any normal ending would just end up being a boring retread if not done carefully. so instead of being honest with his audience, he tacks on an extra forty minutes of some totally different suspense/cop drama film that is COMPLETELY incongruous with the rest of the film. he can't show that meyers is feeling guilty, so he has the ghosts of his victims haunt him. i just felt so cheated! i didn't realize that the movie was this big setup for some stupid parallel of opera/tragedy formulas and that the whole time i was being talked down to and asked to believe that what i was seeing was an excuse for real human drama, and when i found out i was so mad!

Though neither of you knew that it was the investigator's dream you were watching.  I won't ask if you did, but you can tell me you did if you feel like flinging some shit.  You didn't.  Which is hardly the point I apologize.

 

where the hell did you pull this shit from? the investigator's dream? are you completely fucking insane? that is the most nonsensical thing i've ever fucking heard. what a totally idiotic thing to say or even think! how do you live with yourself? can you really look at yourself in the mirror every morning and keep your stomach from turning? if, in fact, your interpretation is right, however, and it was the investigator's dream, then i hate this movie even more. what a REAL copout that would have been. and where do you get off telling me i'm an idiot b/c i didn't come with as ludicrous an excuse as you did for why this movie blew? like, who the fuck do you think you are, man, talking down to me almost as much as that movie did. fuck you, prick.


how's that for "shit flinging?" on with the post!

I feel that the criticisms of the film that have been expressed have more to do with a lost sense of storytelling and expectations for all the gadgets of modern filmmaking.  That and the continuing discussion of Rhys-Meyers' girlish looks and Scarlett's 'that's hot' body have done little in shedding any light on the film that would convince me it wasn't good.

yeah, no. if allen did a good job of eschewing the "gadgets of modern filmmaking," i would have been devastated when meyers blew those chicks away, not cheated. and my comments towards johannson and meyers were simply meant to illustrate humorously that the two should just be underwear models or something, b/c all they really know how to do is look pretty and/or brooding. and don't tell me johansson can act. you just think she's hot.

Come on you two.  It was good.

don't tell me what to think, or i'll get a shotgun and KILL YOU!
and it will make more sense than it did in this movie.

[w/o horse]

Haha.  Good times.

The starting point for the film was the killings.  It was the human drama that was tacked on.  And I absolutely refuse to agree with either Rhys-Meyers or Johansson's characters and/or acting being over the top.  Maybe acting, but definitely not characters.  I say that wthout even taking into account that the king of neurosis was behind them; which there, I now just have.  I don't agree at all that movies should consist of the same characters again and again who act in the same way, who act according to or in direct opposition to social norms values attitudes mores folkways or whatever.  A writer should be free to have his characters act in any logical manner, I did not see any slip of logic in either of the two main characters.  That you cannot like the characters does not negate the film for me, who did like the characters.

And yeah.  I totally thought it was the investigator's dream.  It was, right.

[Pozer]

you guys are insane, or maybe i just do not belong on this board anymore.

We're not insane, the movie just simply wasn't all that good.  But taz, he may very well be insane.

[Naz]

I can't wait till this film is out on dvd. Seems like a very interesting movie.

[Recce]

Oh, who cares if you figured out the ending before the ending. I don't know where this whole attitude of "I figured out the ending early so I hate it" came from. There were two other hours of the film before that that may have been worth watching. And we all say that we figured out the ending when, in reality, we figured out four or five possible endings and when one of them ends up being right, we claim it was the one we figured out. I spent years walking into theatres with my mind practically made up about whether I was going to like it or not. I don't care anymore. I want to be entertained and Matchpoint did that for me. We can criticize and rip it apart all we want, but there's no denying Allen knows how to work his audience. Can't we just repect that? Besides, watching movies is a lot more fun when you're not trying to time the start of the second act.

[Pozer]

Now what if you enjoyed the first whatever hours, but then the third act came along and felt really sloppy?  That let down in the end CAN affect the way you feel about the film overall.  And that is pretty much what happened with my experience with Match Point.

[bonanzataz]

i think...

the more i think about this movie... the more i like it.

[ono]

Then stop thinking about it.

[godardian]

i think...

the more i think about this movie... the more i like it.

Okay, the fact that you're willing to reconsider a vehement opinion and found a way to expose everyone who looks at this thread to the sight of the glorious Nellie Olson? I liked you before, but you've just been further elevated in my estimation.

As for the film, I need to see it again for my final opinion. I was too tired/harried when I saw it.

[Bethie]

Spoilers, babies.


To me it was shocking for Chris to shoot Nola because she was such a strong character. It would have been less shocking if he shot his wife.

An interesting thought..I don't think Nola was even pregnant. That's just me though. Notice how the detectives never mentioned she was pregnant? After she was killed, there wasn't any mention of a pregnancy. If only it was brought up that she was indeed never pregnant, it would have made it that much better.

[The Red Vine]

good point, Bethie. that might've been the case.

I did like it for the most part, but it's not particularly original or memorable. the 3 leads were good for their roles, although Scarlett is weak in a few scenes. but she's hot, so I forgive her. 

[MacGuffin]

Universal (for DreamWorks) has announced the April 25th release of Woody Allen's Match Point (SRP $29.98). You'll get anamorphic widescreen video and Allen's typical mono audio. Special features, if any, are still TBA.