© 2006 Ray Wong
It’s difficult to pin down Woody Allen, the prolific New Yorker who favors independent films over big studio fares. Even so, Allen has a unique style that is unapologetically “Woody Allen-esque.” So imagine the surprise while watching MATCH POINT, a drama-thriller that is every bit as clever and loquacious as other Allen’s films, but also decidedly different.
Chris Wilton (Rhys-Meyers) is a “retired” tennis pro who quits the game to teach at a prestigious country club, where he meets Tom Hewett (Goode), son of wealthy Alec (Cox) and Eleanor (Wilton). The Hewett family takes an immediate liking to the handsome and assertive young man, especially Chloe (Mortimer), the youngest and sweetest Hewett. Soon, Chris and Chloe become a couple, and the Hewetts are more than happy to groom Chris for the family business.
At a family gathering, Chris encounters sexy Nola (Johansson), Tom’s fiancé. They flirt blatantly when nobody is watching. One stormy afternoon, Chris and Nola find themselves unable to keep their passion under wrap, and they make love. Later, Nola insists that what happened was only a one-time fling, and she’d have nothing to do with Chris, who becomes more obsessed with her as time goes by. After Tom and Nola broke up, Nola disappears and Chris decides to tie the knot with Chloe. A year later, when Chris sees Nola again, his life would forever change from that moment on.
Rhys-Meyers (ALEXANDER) is intense as Chris Wilton, the aggressive manipulator who carries much of the film. That’s a lot of weight to rest on the young actor’s shoulders. At times, Rhys-Meyers’s performance is forced and unconvincing, lacking the emotional depth that is required of the character. Still, his intensity, good looks and charms compensate for any shortcomings. Johansson (THE ISLAND) plays a very grown-up role – a seductress who doesn’t seem to know guilt or remorse. While it’s not her best performance to date, Johansson’s Nola is still fascinating to watch.
Mortimer (DEAR FRANKIE) plays the sweet Chloe to great effect. We root for her, yet find her gullibility and naiveté rather pathetic at the same time. The actress puts together a wonderful but understated performance, here. Cox (THE RINGER) doesn’t have much to do, but his presence adds certain warmth to the material. Wilton (SHAUN OF THE DEAD) has a grand time playing the outspoken Hewett matriarch. Goode (IMAGINE ME & YOU), as the handsome, earnest but bland Tom Hewett, provides a nice counterpoint to Rhys-Meyers’s charismatic but manipulative Chris.
Writer-Director Allen (MELINDA AND MELINDA) has given us a taut psychological drama-thriller that is unlike what he has done before. First, he sets the story in London instead of New York. While his trademarked intellectual, long-winded dialogue is still evident in the film, Allen’s direction is languid and deliberate, evoking the right atmosphere and emotions through meticulous lighting, camera work, and gorgeous location shots.
The film opens slowly and takes its time to unfold, letting us get to know the characters and their intertwining lives. Then come the twists and turns that are rather unpredictable. There are three films in MATCH POINT: The first act resembles last year’s CLOSER, exploring the intricacies of deceptions and betrayals. The second act reminds me of FATAL ATTACTION, the cautionary tale of an affair gone bad. And the last act has that strange, tragic feel of THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY to it.
That’s the thing. Allen’s script is suspenseful and full of surprises, very much the strength of the film. However, one can’t help but sense that the film lacks a soul. 
The characters (except for Chloe) are unlikable, and the ending, while unexpected and clever, is disappointing in that it leaves the audience feeling defeated. Allen also breaks from the mood of the film, near the end, with the introduction of the detectives. Also, Chris’s final actions are not consistent with the situations and motivations, despite the fact that Allen has spent over two-thirds of the film developing the character. I just don’t buy it. Perhaps that’s one major flaw I find in this clever concoction of deceits and consequences, even though I think Allen’s mature skills remain unmatched in many ways.
Stars: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer, Matthew Goode, Brian Cox, Penelope Wilton
Director: Woody Allen
Writer: Woody Allen
Distributor: DreamWorks
MPAA Rating: R for sexuality, language
Running time: 124 minutes
Script – 8
Performance – 7
Direction – 8
Cinematography – 8
Music/Sound– 7
Editing – 7
Production – 8
Total Score – 7.2 out of 10
© 2006 Ray Wong
Triple threat comedian Albert Brooks is at it again, this time trying to cash in on the volatile world under the shadow of terrorism. The result is at times humorous, but often off the mark.
Brooks plays himself, a Hollywood comedian looking for his next big thing. 
When he receives a letter from the US State Department asking for his help, he’s intrigued. What transpires is that the government wants him to head up a committee to find out what makes the Muslims laugh, as a new tactic for combating potential terrorism. Lured by the promise of the Freedom medal and international fame, Brooks takes the job and flies with two agents (Lynch and Tenney) to India. They’re supposed to interview people in India and Pakistan to find out what is funny to them, then write a 500-page report.
Like fish out of water, Brooks has trouble getting people to laugh. He hires an assistant, Maya (Sheth) to help him write the report, and she gives him some good advice. Nobody knows who he is, except that he’s in that “fish” cartoon. Brooks decides to give the first standup comedy performance in Delhi. Little does he know that his performance will soon trigger an international crisis.
OK, we get it. It’s a comedy and the subject matter is timely. But racial and cultural parodies are tricky. Brook’s humor can be low-brow sometimes and sometimes subtle, but it can also quite funny. For instance, when he receives the government letter, his first reaction is, “Boy, are they going to come get me because I searched for ‘terrorism’ once, online?” Given the current brouhaha concerning the Feds over Google’s search records, the line is particularly funny. The constant jokes about outsourcing (an operator at a remote call center in Delhi: “Hello, this is the White House, how may I direct your call?”) and the fascination and ignorance about American culture are quite on the nose as well. Over all, though, I think Brooks misses the mark on making this a great satire.
Brooks (FINDING NEMO) specializes in the school of self-deprecating humor. Here, he plays himself as a doofus, someone who is egotistical but knows nothing about foreign countries or cultures. Always lauded as the Woody Allen of the West, Brooks has the same grating, self-gratifying, nasal whininess in his demeanor. He sounded cute in the “fish” cartoon but in real life, he’s tiring. His co-stars, however, are not so bad. Sheth (DANCING IN TWILIGHT) is beautiful and sweet and innocent. She steals the show. Lynch (GOTHIKA) and Tenney (YOU CAN COUNT ON ME) play what Brooks calls “Abbott and Costello” to good comedic effect. Ryan (CAPOTE) plays Brooks’ on-screen (not real) wife in good fun. The film was shot on location in India, employing local actors and hundreds of extras.
I think Brooks’ first misstep is choosing to play himself. Sure, the character is a comedian and he lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter, but they are not Albert Brook’s real wife and daughter or his real life. So it’s hard to suspend disbelief after that. Also, Brooks’ humor relies too heavily on cultural stereotypes. At first, the jokes are funny because we could all laugh at a Polish or Indian joke. Then it just gets old fast, if not utterly offensive. The plot is rather thin and the stakes are superficial. The characters are caricatures, but we come to expect that from an Albert Brook’s comedy. The film just feels very spotty and the humor unfocused. Aside from a few genuine laughs, trying to look for comedy in this comedy can be a difficult task.
Stars: Albert Brooks, John Carroll Lynch, Jon Tenney, Sheetal Sheth, Amy Ryan
Director: Albert Brooks
Writer: Albert Brooks
Distributor: Warner Independent
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for drug use and brief strong language
Running time: 98 minutes
Script – 4
Performance – 6
Direction – 5
Cinematography – 6
Music/Sound– 6
Editing – 6
Production – 6
Total Score – 5.6 out of 10
© 2006 Ray Wong
Stars: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Randy Quaid, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams
Director: Ang Lee
Writers: Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana (based on short story by E. Annie Proulx)
Distributor: Focus
MPAA Rating: R for sexuality, nudity, language and some violence
Running time: 134 minutes
Script – 9
Performance – 9
Direction – 8
Cinematography – 9
Music/Sound– 8
Editing – 8
Production – 9
Total Score – 8.7 out of 10
As I type these words, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN just won four Golden Globe awards including Best Drama. It’s no surprise to a lot of people, even though the film itself was every bit a surprise.
Ennis Del Mar (Ledger) and Jack Twist (Gyllenhaal), both 19 years old, are two poor ranch hands from Riverton, Wyoming. They meet one summer while seeking jobs, and Joe Aguirre (Quaid) hires them to herd sheep up in Brokeback Mountain.
Ennis is a taciturn, reserved and shy man. Jack is a charmer, a dreamer, a risk-taker. Their difficult childhoods and shared interests quickly secure a bond between them. Then one cold night, their budding friendship turns into something else: a drunken, violent sexual encounter. The next day, neither of them speaks of the incident, until Ennis tells Jack, “What happened was a one shot deal. I ain’t queer.” Jack replies, “Me neither.”When the summer is over, Ennis and Jack go their separate ways. Ennis marries his sweetheart Elma (Williams) and they raise two daughters. Jack marries wealthy girl Lureen (Hathaway) and has a son. Everything is normal until, after four long years, Ennis receives a postcard from Jack. Something deep inside stirs up a hornet’s nest. Their reunion becomes the beginning of a 20-year secret affair. Brokeback Mountain becomes their refuge from the world they don’t belong.
Ledger (CASANOVA) is extraordinary with his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar, a man who has few words in his vocabulary, a man so repressed that he doesn’t know how to express himself or go for what he wants. Ledger reveals so much about the characters often without saying a word. 
His mannerism and facial expression speak volume. He’s transformed himself realistically into a man that is so unlike the actor himself, who has mostly been known for his fluffy, light performances in the past. In contrast, Gyllenhaal (PROOF) has the more lively role. His Jack Twist is the opposite of Ennis in almost every way. Jack’s longing for the man he loves is evident in Gyllenhaal’s stellar performance. The men also share immense chemistry together. You believe they’re real. You believe their feelings for each other are real.
While one can argue that it’s a character study of two men and their relationship, the women in the film add an immense appeal to the film. Williams (THE STATION AGENT) is amazing with her heartbreaking performance as Ennis’s long-suffering wife Alma. When she witnesses something about her husband that she doesn’t fully understand, her reaction is incredibly real and painful to watch. Hathaway (HAVOC) has a relatively minor role as Jack’s indifferent wife Lureen. But her final scene is mesmerizing – Hathaway has matured into a fine actress.
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN unfolds slowly and, under the direction of Lee (HULK), the pacing is deliberate and leisurely. At more than two hours, the film feels slow sometimes, but it is far from being boring. While the plot is simplistic, the acting is exceptional and there is so much going on at the thematic and emotional levels that one can’t help but feel spellbound by the story.
The script by awarding-winning writers McMurtry (TERMS OF ENDEARMENT) and Ossana (DEAD MAN’S WALK) expands Proulx’s short story into a languid character study that holds on to your heart and doesn’t let go. The dialogue is real and to the point – nothing too poetic or out of character. Mostly episodic, there are many fine moments in the film that are emotionally raw and powerful. The ending will haunt you.Lee’s direction is masterful, and it clearly demonstrates his versatility as a director. It’s even more impressive when you consider Lee’s heritage as a Chinese immigrant, and how he so deftly captures Americana in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. The cinematography by Rodgrigo Prieto (21 GRAMS) is breathtaking. The editing is crisp. Gustavo Santaolalla’s (MOTORCYCLE DIARIES) score is subdue but poignant.
Some say this is a “gay cowboy” movie. I say this is a story about love and betrayal and life. Homosexuality is only part of it – the heterosexual aspects of the story are just as strong. If you have ever loved and lost before, you will feel the impact of this story. The film is like fine wine – it delicately lingers on your palate and seeps into your vein. BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN is destined to become an American classic.
© 2006 Ray Wong
Stars: Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons, Oliver Platt, Lena Olin, Omid Djalili, Stephen Greif, Ken Stott, Natalie Dormer, Charlie Cox
Director: Lasse Hallström
Writers: Jeffrey Hatcher, Kimberly Simi, Michael Cristofer
Distributor: Bruena Vista
MPAA Rating: R for sexual content
Running time: 108 minutes
Script – 6
Performance – 7
Direction – 6
Cinematography – 8
Music/Sound– 6
Editing – 7
Production – 8
Total Score – 6.7 out of 10
It’s rather interesting to note that Disney/Buena Vista distributes this period romantic comedy thinly disguised as a light sexual romp – Giacomo Casanova wasn’t particularly known for his chastity, and Disney is not known for anything risqué.
Casanova (Ledger) is a notorious “fornicator” living in Venice. When the inquisitor captures him for corrupting a nun – a novice – the lover boy gleefully proclaims, “She’s hardly a novice.” The Doge (Tim McInnerny) takes Casanova under his wings, but insists that he must get married within three days to protect his propriety. Casanova promptly finds a fiancé in Victoria (Dormer), a rare virgin in lustful Venice. Just as quickly, though, he falls for the feisty maiden Francesca Bruni (Miller).
Unfortunately for Casanova, Francesca is a feminist and she also writes under the nom de plume of Guardi, against womanizers such as the famed (but rarely recognized) Casanova. Furthermore, she must fulfill her duty and marry her betrothed, the Lard King Paprizzio (Platt), to save her family from destitution. Casanova tries to woo her while escaping the wrath of the new inquisitor, Bishop Pucci, who is determined to bring down the most famous lover of all time.
Sounds complicated? In a way, the story written by Hatcher (STAGE BEAUTY), Simi and Cristofer (ORIGINAL SIN) is rather convoluted with a huge cast of characters. The plot involves mistaken identity, lost identity, assumed identity… in fact, all variations of “identity” with multiple threads going on at the same time. Fortunately, the writers keep it light and fluffy, and the convoluted plot actually adds to the farcical romp. They also take care of introducing the characters properly so the audience won’t get lost on the “who is who?” The dialogue is generally crisp and light, sometimes very funny.
Earlier last year, Ledger (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) surprised everyone as the gay ranch-hand Ennis Del Mar. Here, he’s light and fluffy (complete with wigs and powdered makeup) as the ultra-heterosexual. At times, though, Ledger slurs his words and it’s very difficult to figure out what he is saying. Miller (ALFIE) is a worthy heroine against Ledger’s Casanova. She’s cool; she’s hot; she’s resourceful; and she’s beautiful, but not in the damsel-in-distress way. And darn, Ledger and Miller look great together.
But by far the strongest aspect of the film is the supporting cast. Platt (THE ICE HARVEST) is hilarious in his fat suit as the disgustingly obese Paprizzio. He pretty much steals every scene he’s in. Djalili (SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW) is also fabulous as Casonova’s loyal servant Lupo. Olin (DARNKESS) is delightful and spirited as Francesca’s gorgeous widowed mother, while Irons (KINDOM OF HEAVEN) adds a dash of comic madness as “good” Bishop Pucci with the red wig. Rounding out the cast are Cox (MERCHANT OF VENICE) and newcomer Dormer as the star-crossed (and horny) young lovers Giovanni and Victoria, respectively. They all seem to have a grand time making this film.
Director Hallström (THE SHIPPING NEWS) has a deft visual style. His Venice (shot on location) is lush and rich and colorfully romantic. Hallström captures the spirit and the splendor of Venice beautifully. The over-the-top set and costume designs add to the lavish production value. However, Hallström is mostly known for his more somber fares such as CIDER HOUSE RULES and, here, his pace is often frantic, to create that high-energy comedic mood that is totally unnecessary. He should have let the material speak for itself and let the actors take care of it. Still, CASANOVA is a light, fluffy fun film to be enjoyed.
