Match Point

I finally saw Match Point last night. It's always nice when you watch a film that got good reviews and now you can finally see what's so good about it yourself. It is really a fantastic film, very intense, great development of characters. You would think all of this would be done before, there wouldn't be anything new to this story of betrayal and an unfaithful husband. But somehow Woody Allen takes it to a whole new level. The ending is full of suspense. It's greatly done. Even the great Alfred Hitchcock came to mind at some point. The film starts slowly, then at the middle everything takes its place to end with a bang. For so many times you're left unsure of what is about to happen.

What is it about?

It all starts off with Chris Wilton, a former pro tennis player who now only teaches. When Tom Hewett starts taking lessons from him they notice they both share a love for opera and soon thereafter Chris is invited to the opera house to watch La Traviata. There he meets Chloe, Tom's sister. The two start to fall in love, but there's someone else. Tom's engaged to Nola, an American struggling actress whom many man desire. Chris falls for her and the two start an affair. Meanwhile Chris and Chloe get married. And when Tom and Nola break up, Nola leaves Chris's life and he got no other choice than to continue his life with his wife. Still on his mind, he tries to contact Nola. When he sees Nola, while attending an art exposititon with Chloe and one of her friends, he manages to get Nola's phone number. Soon they meet at her place and continue their intense affair full of lust. At the end Nola turns out to be pregnant. She begs Chris to leave Chloe, but he never has the gut to. Eventually Chris makes a dreadful decision and makes a plan to kill Nola. Looking like a robbery, he kills Nola's neighbour and then Nola herself. The police contact him, but there's no proof he murdered Nola. It all seems just like a robbery. Chloe finally gets pregnant and Chris gets away clean. The guilt will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Final Verdict: *****

Woody Allen did a great job. The ending is so crazy, that you just can't fully believe this is the decision Chris takes. The writing, though, is so great, that you believe all his actions. He really seems capable to commit this murder. He's desparate, scared, and knows he screwd up. The acting is solid. I loved Scarlett's character Nola. She really goes ballistic as the whining mistress. The ending is full of suspense. It's a great thriller, very well made. A must-see.