Match Point
The weekend box office choices were limited so out of the lesser of all evils, Match Point was chosen for this week’s movie night. I have to preface this by stating that I am not a Woody Allen fan and generally am bored by his movies. But there have been so many rave reviews that I went with an open mind to see this film.
Match Point follows down on his luck former tennis star Chris, as he aspires to become more and does so by marrying into a wealthy family. The central theme of the movie what choices will a person make in order to protect and maintain a lifestyle. The theme for the audience is how well are we willing to accept the choices that the central character makes? For Match Point to succeed the moviegoer must make that choice and in this matter, the movie is a success. People did make their choice and desire for a specific outcome. The end may or may not have matched the audience desire but the entire theater left talking about the final act of the movie.
That’s not to say Match Point is a good movie. It has an engaging first act as we meet the main four people and see how their lives are about to intersect. The motives of each person are believable and all are manipulative in some way but their end goals match and each is willing to be pushed by the others in some way. About halfway through the movie lost focus and spent too much time on random incidents that plodded along and created a restless audience.
The main suspense element doesn’t even occur until towards the end of the movie and just when the story became good again, everything was resolved and the end credits rolled.
The actors did their jobs but nothing was outstanding. Tennis was used mainly for symbolism and metaphor and the movie isn’t about the sport. While not quite a character study, the movie focuses on four people and how they each react to situations in their lives.
I kind of liked the movie but I can’t really urge anyone to go see it either. If you’re in the mood for something different then Match Point is a good choice.
Match Point follows down on his luck former tennis star Chris, as he aspires to become more and does so by marrying into a wealthy family. The central theme of the movie what choices will a person make in order to protect and maintain a lifestyle. The theme for the audience is how well are we willing to accept the choices that the central character makes? For Match Point to succeed the moviegoer must make that choice and in this matter, the movie is a success. People did make their choice and desire for a specific outcome. The end may or may not have matched the audience desire but the entire theater left talking about the final act of the movie.
That’s not to say Match Point is a good movie. It has an engaging first act as we meet the main four people and see how their lives are about to intersect. The motives of each person are believable and all are manipulative in some way but their end goals match and each is willing to be pushed by the others in some way. About halfway through the movie lost focus and spent too much time on random incidents that plodded along and created a restless audience.
The main suspense element doesn’t even occur until towards the end of the movie and just when the story became good again, everything was resolved and the end credits rolled.
The actors did their jobs but nothing was outstanding. Tennis was used mainly for symbolism and metaphor and the movie isn’t about the sport. While not quite a character study, the movie focuses on four people and how they each react to situations in their lives.
I kind of liked the movie but I can’t really urge anyone to go see it either. If you’re in the mood for something different then Match Point is a good choice.
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