Match Point simply put, is one of Woody Allen's strongest films in years. In terms of tone, I'd compare it to what I believe to be Allen's best movie, Crimes and Misdemeanors, only Match Point sticks to straight forward drama. Interesting given the film maker's recent profile in Entertainment Weekly. In the piece, the prolific director commented on his own resume and when Crimes and Misdemeanors was brought up, he suggested that he felt it would have been a stronger film without the comedy. Match Point definitely matches that point as there is nary an ounce of humor to be found in it. In fact, this film is downright tragic - one might even call it Crimes Without Misdemeanors.

Match Point tells the story of tennis pro Chris Wilton. After a rough ride, Wilton decides to step away from the rigors of world class competition and give it a rest. He opts to teach tennis at a posh, upscale resort. Before long, he befriends Tom Hewett, a wealthy man with a strong head on his shoulders. The two become buddies, and Wilton soon finds himself surrounded by a life of privilege. He also finds love in the form of Tom's sister Chloe and after a breezy courtship, the two marry. Now, Chris has the life he's always wanted, but that life is jeopardized when he finds himself bewitched by Tom's gorgeous fiancée Nola. Without thinking things through, Chris' impulses get the better of him, and before he knows it he's quickly entangled in a heated affair. With only himself to blame, the ex-tennis pro struggles to come up with a way to extricate himself from the predicament.

Match Point is a departure of sorts for Allen. Yes, the director has dealt with tragedy in his past work and certainly a lot of adulterous tomfoolery, but not with such unflinching nerve. This is a serious, sometimes brutal tale of obsession, and it's also a story about what one might do to maintain a life of privilege. What's most interesting about Match Point though, is how it unfolds.

Match Point seems as if it might turn into a mystery, but it never really does. It certainly has elements of a mystery-murder and intrigue etc., but the movie never puts an emphasis on the "whodunit and why?" aspect of the story. Nor does it turn into a crazed, psychotic thriller like Fatal Attraction. This is a film about people and how they choose to deal with the tough situations they create for themselves. Unlike many of Allen's films, this is essentially a four character play. This isn't the huge ensemble we quite often see from him. Another Allen trademark missing from Match Point is the quintessential neurotic character, a role the director often plays himself.

The performances here are just stellar. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is subtle, and truth be told, I thought his character might have a hidden agenda. Where this character goes, I wasn't really prepared for, and while I never really felt sorry for his Chris Wilton (he does, after all, make his own bed), I found his entire predicament engrossing. I never found myself loathing his character, and that's a testament to Meyer's performance. Scarlett Johannson proves to be more than an ornament here. She is stunning to look at, but proves to be equally complex. Like Chris, she's trying to make her way in life, and the harder she tries, the more she fails. Furthermore, she seems completely aware of the power she has over men, and quite often she uses that power as a way of numbing her internal pain. Of all the characters in the film, she's the most sympathetic. Matthew Goode is terrific as the likable Tom Hewett. He reminds me of Hugh Grant, only he's less smug. Emily Mortimer is outstanding as Chloe, a woman who loves Chris for who he is and not his fame or his lofty new social status. She's a sweet spirit, and she's integral to the story, because we become increasingly disheartened at the notion that a man would be so quick to forsake a woman so wonderful. In a way, she's the polar opposite of Johannson's Nola.

Woody Allen's screenplay is a master stroke. It is literate, compelling and tragic. These are real people, not card board cut outs. Where he takes Chris Wilton in the final act might be extreme and even unjustified, but as an audience member, I understood why he does it. I don't agree with it, but I understand it. Furthermore, Allen builds an amazing amount of tension toward the end that I wasn't expecting, and the way the title of the film comes into play, is simply masterful.

Match Point is slow moving but deliberately so. Allen develops these characters and their situations with a patient and assured hand, and as the film ended I found myself flooded with several different emotions - anger, disgust, and, to my great surprise, hope. This is one of the strongest films of Woody Allen's illustrious career, and it would have made my top fifteen had I seen it in time.