Match Point

Woody Allens first UK film and his 40th over all, Match Point promised to be a welcome return to form mostly lost since Crimes and Misdemeanours in 1989. But, for British reviewers at least, the movie has proved to be disappointing, described as laboured, unconvincing and a misfire. Centering on the world of tennis, obviously, but also opera, the movies London setting is definitely not Allens Manhattan. A tight, noirish plot and moral vacuousness indicate that this is a movie in tune with the darker side of Allens genius. However, American reviewers are much more disposed to declare this among Allens best. With fine performances from Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Scarlett Johansson and Emily Mortimer but with Jonathan Rhys Meyers working a little too hard and lacking the substance to carry the necessary weight for such a dastardly protagonist.