Match Point (2005)

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

20 January 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Sport | Thriller

Tagline:

Passion Temptation Obsession

Plot:

At a turning point in his life, a former tennis pro falls for a femme-fatal type who happens to be dating his friend and soon-to-be brother-in-law.

Plot Keywords:

Tennis | Actress | Instructor | Tennis Pro | Tennis Player

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 6 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Jonathan Rhys Meyers	...	Chris Wilton (as Jonathan Rhys Meyers)
Alexander Armstrong	...	Mr. Townsend
Paul Kaye	...	Estate Agent
Matthew Goode	...	Tom Hewett
Brian Cox	...	Alec Hewett
Penelope Wilton	...	Eleanor Hewett
Emily Mortimer	...	Chloe Hewett Wilton
Janis Kelly	...	'La Traviata' Performer
Alan Oke	...	'La Traviata' Performer
Mark Gatiss	...	Ping-Pong Player
Scarlett Johansson	...	Nola Rice
Philip Mansfield	...	Waiter
Simon Kunz	...	Rod Carver
Geoffrey Streatfield	...	Alan Sinclair (as Geoffrey Streatfeild)
Mary Hegarty	...	'Rigoletto' Performer

Also Known As:

Woody Allen Summer Project (USA) (working title)
Balle de match (Canada: French title) [fr]
La provocación (Venezuela) [es]
Maç sayisi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Match Point (Spain) [es]
Match Point (Greece) [el]
Match Point (Italy) [it]
Match Point (Finland) [fi]
Match Point (Denmark) [da]
Ponto Final - Match Point (Brazil) [pt]
Provocación (Mexico) (festival title) [es]
Punto decisivo (Mexico) [es]
Wszystko gra (Poland) [pl]
Zavrsni udarac (Croatia) [hr]

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality.

Runtime:

124 min | Turkey:115 min (TV version) | Finland:126 min (theatrical version)

Country:

UK | USA | Ireland | Russia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Mono)

Certification:

UK:12A | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Ireland:15A | Finland:K-11 | Spain:18 | Germany:6 | Austria:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Norway:11 | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Hong Kong:IIA | Iceland:12 | Hungary:16 | Greece:K-13 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | South Korea:18 | Japan:PG-12 | New Zealand:M | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Belgravia, London, England, UK

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

The haunting recording used several times in the soundtrack, including over the opening and closing credits, is the Enrico Caruso 78 rpm of "Una furtiva lagrima" ("A furtive tear"), from Gaetano Donizetti's opera "L'Elisir d'Amore" ("The Elixir of Love").

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Nola calls Chris on his mobile when Alec and Eleanor Hewett have come to visit, the ring-tone that is heard is Nokia's default, 'Grande Valse', although Chris's phone is a Motorola.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Christopher "Chris" Wilton: 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.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Un dì felice, eterea

Ignore the UK paper reviews, this is terrific

What a throughly engrossing evening Woody Allen has provided. This film has been, by and large, poorly received by the British critics. I cannot understand why. Yes, it does have the strongest echoes of Crimes and Misdemeanours, but if a director/writer can't borrow from his own product, who can? This isn't funny Allen -- there are few laughs -- but it is an extremely intense and successful serious Allen.

Does Allen's magic transfer to my home city? You bet it does; lovely locations; Notting Hill, the Tate Modern, the "Gherkin" in the City, all look great but are also entirely relevant. Many critics said he didn't have an ear for British dialogue. I simply don't hear that -- it may be a bit stagy at times, but the writing is spare, to the point, and literate. Few trans-Atlantic clunkers.

Yes, there are some silly bits; bits where you wish any half-intelligent Englishman had watched the film and said "Wood, old son, this is cobblers". British detectives don't call themselves "Detective so-and-so". They might be Detective-Sergeant or whatever. The force that polices London is the Metropolitan Police, not the "London Police". Perhaps Allen didn't realise that his main copper, Ulster actor James Nesbitt, sounds a parody of the amusing roles he plays in some widely-seen British Yellow Pages adverts. Little things, so easy to iron out, that detract just a touch from credibility.

Scarlett Johannsson -- what an actress, is she really only 20 or whatever? She packs huge power and stunning looks, if occasionally getting a trifle near Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Jonathan Rhys Myers does his forlorn sports coach bit, as from Bend It Like Beckham. The solidly Brit supporting cast is entirely believable, even if their effortlessly affluent lifestyle takes a bit of swallowing. Genuine surprises at the end. This is a thoroughly satisfying evening at the movies.