Match Point (2005)
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A retired tennis pro's life becomes complicated by a clandestine affair and the desperate measures taken to protect his social standing.
The story
Recently retired tennis pro Chris Wilton is hired as an instructor at an upscale London club. He becomes friendly with wealthy club member, Tom Hewett. Tom's sister, Chloe, is smitten with Chris, and they begin dating. During a family gathering, Chris meets Tom's American fiancée Nola Rice, an aspiring actress. They are immediately attracted to each other. After Chloe persuades her father to give Chris an entry-level job at his company, he gradually blends into the family. However, the proximity of the wealthy family and the growing attraction between Chris and Nola create a volatile dynamic of desire and social ambition.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Chris Wilton, a retired tennis pro, enters the orbit of the wealthy Hewett family after dating Tom's sister, Chloe. He begins a secret affair with Tom's fiancée, Nola Rice. When Nola becomes pregnant, Chris faces a dilemma: he wants to maintain his new affluent lifestyle but is haunted by his actions. To protect his status, he eventually murders Nola and a neighbor, Mrs. Eastby, staging a burglary to cover the crime. He then tells Chloe he is the father of her child. The film follows the tension of his double life as he is questioned by a detective, eventually being 'cleared' by a stroke of luck. The story concludes with a reflection on the role of chance and fate in his survival.
- First release year
- 2005
- Runtime (minutes)
- 124
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; Luxembourg; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Woody Allen
- Writers
- Woody Allen · writer
- Cast and characters
- Jonathan Rhys Meyers · Chris Wilton; Scarlett Johansson · Nola Rice; Emily Mortimer · Chloe; Matthew Goode · Tom Hewett; Brian Cox · Mr. Hewett; Penelope Wilton · Eleanor
- Genres
- psychological thriller; romantic drama
- Themes
- morality; greed; lust; money; luck; chance; fate
- Tone and mood
- philosophical; tense
- Premise and plot tags
- affair; upper class; murder; tennis
- Content notes
- murder
- Reception
- The film received favorable reviews in the United States, where it was praised for its setting and seen as a return to form for Allen. Conversely, British critics were less favorable, criticizing the dialogue and the portrayal of British culture.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 77% · scale: percentage · review count: 216; Metacritic · score: 72 · scale: 100; AlloCiné · score: 4.4 · scale: 5 · review count: 30
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Screenplay · nomination
- Production trivia
- The script was originally set in the Hamptons.; The film features a score of pre-World War I 78 rpm recordings of opera arias.; The film was filmed in London after Allen had difficulty finding financial support in New York.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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