BBBB.5
(out of 5)
After a number of unimpressive comedies, Woody Allen redeems himself with this fantastic drama set in London and featuring an impeccable cast of mostly British actors (and one superb American one). Working for the first time completely outside his native Manhattan, Allen has fashioned a mesmerizing tale of passion and desperation as successful tennis-pro and instructor Jonathan Rhys Meyers becomes friends with an upper class student (Matthew Goode) and starts dating his sister (Emily Mortimer). Upon meeting Goode’s fiancee (Scarlett Johansson), Rhys Meyers becomes obsessively fixated on her and they begin an affair. His life with his girlfriend, however, is much more satisfying financially, propelling him into a double life of social-climbing with Mortimer’s connections and satisfying lust with Johansson. Unfortunately, people who think they can have it all usually can’t, and it is not long before consequences come knocking on our dubious hero’s door. Johansson is the picture of femme fatale glory which soon gives into the reality of existential misery as her character gives more and more of herself and receives less and less in return, while Mortimer has such an incredible lack of chemistry with Rhys Meyers that their relationship’s shallow justification is only made more believable. The luminous photography, the exceptional dialogue and the jaw-dropping resolution all make for the best film that Allen has made since Crimes And Misdemeanors.
United Kingdom/Luxembourg, 2005
Directed by Woody Allen
Screenplay by Woody Allen
Cinematography by Remi Adefarasin
Produced by Letty Aronson, Lucy Darwin, Gareth Wiley
Production Design by Jim Clay
Costume Design by Jill Taylor
Film Editing by Alisa Lepselter
Cast Tags: Alan Oke,Alexander Armstrong, Anthony O’Donnell, Brian Cox,Colin Salmon, Emily Gilchrist, Emily Mortimer,Ewen Bremner, Geoffrey Streatfield,Georgina Chapman,James Nesbitt, Janis Kelly,John Fortune, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Margaret Tyzack, Mark Gatiss, Mary Hegarty, Matthew Goode,Miranda Raison, Patricia Whymark, Paul Kaye,Penelope Wilton, Philip Mansfield, Rose Keegan,Rupert Penry-Jones,Scarlett Johansson, Scott Handy, Selina Cadell,Simon Kunz, Steve Pemberton, Toby Kebbell, Zoe Telford
Academy Award Nomination
Best Writing (Original Screenplay) (Woody Allen)
Golden Globe Award Nominations
Best Motion Picture-Drama
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Scarlett Johansson)
Best Director (Woody Allen)
Best Screenplay (Woody Allen)
National Board Of Review Award
Top Ten Films
Cesar Award Nomination
Best Foreign Film
Goya Award
Best European Film
Chicago Film Critics Award Nomination
Best Supporting Actress (Scarlett Johansson)
