The man who said ‘I’d rather be lucky than good’ saw deeply into life. 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. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net and for a split second it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck, it goes forward and you win…or maybe it doesn’t, and you lose.

That line is taken from the opening narration from the 2005 Woody Allen film Match Point that I recently watched on dvd. I think for most people, you either have an affinity for Woody Allen films or you don't. For myself I happen to fall into the first category probably because I tend more toward the quirky and ecletic. To me Match Point is a film that yet again reaffirms Allen’s talents as a filmmaker. I haven’t seen such a quality piece of work from him since Deconstructing Harry. His talented cast and crew brought to life a story that focused on the forces of life that are both in and out of our control. The plot constantly shifted directions and remained one step ahead, yet it always kept my interest. The resolution of the film was satisfying because the plot was believably resolved while Allen presented a thematic worldview in a subtle yet unobtrusive way.

I will say Match Point is a bit of a departure from Allen’s usual subjects, but on a larger scale the themes are still very familiar. The film is set in England and opera makes up most of the soundtrack. But before you roll your eyes and groan (yes, admittedly when I heard the opera at the start I did the same), the use of opera surprisingly framed the film amazingly well because like so many of that genre’s tales, this film’s plot had tragic consequences. It really was a good call!

The acting was top rate, especially by Scarlett Johansson (Nola Rice) and Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Chris Wilton). The characters were real people with believable conversations and motivations. Without going into all the specifics of the plot (you'll just need to see it), I will say that the conflicts Chris (the main character) encountered are universal. They were about choosing between submitting to or ignoring his selfish desires, doing what he wants or doing what is best for others. Like a character in the tragic operas he loves, the chain of events he sets forth lead to dire consequences that disrupts the lives of everyone involved because every decision is affected by things out of his control. He ends up trapping himself in a corner that he himself cannot get out of.

Overall I would definitely recommend this film, it’s an engrossing and interesting movie, one that manages to engage and affect you right till the closing scene. Rating: R