The headline from this scoop would read "let down."
Scarlett Johansson: Sondra Pransky
Hugh Jackman: Peter Lyman
Ian McShane: Joe Strombel
Woody Allen: Sid Waterman a.k.a. “Splendini”
Kevin McNally: Mike Tinsley
Romola Garai: Vivian
Lord Lyman: Julian Glover
Written/Directed By: Woody Allen
Release Date: July 28. 2006
Running Time: 96 minutes
Rated PG-13 for some sexual content.
The buzz surrounding Woody Allen’s new film Scoop was considerably positive, and why shouldn’t it be? The acclaimed filmmaker gained massive attention from moviegoers and critics alike with his exceptional suspense thriller Match Point. Admittedly, I was greatly anticipating his new release. My thoughts were most likely similar to many others. I expected that Mr. Allen had returned to molding classic motion pictures for audiences to adore. Unfortunately, Scoop is a disappointment, not a total one, but dissatisfying in the sense that Woody Allen has very clearly blown a golden opportunity to capitalize on the success of Match Point. It is comparable to Bill Buckner allowing the ball to travel right through his legs in the 1986 World Series.
Sondra Pransky (Scarlett Johansson) is a student journalism major, who is visiting with friends in London. One night she is enjoying a magic show by Splendini, and goes up on stage as a volunteer. While on stage she is startled to meet the spirit of the late Joe Strombel (Ian McShane). Mr. Strombel was an investigative reporter, and he fills her in to the supposed identity of the “Tarot Card Serial Killer” that has been murdering women all over London. Sondra convinces the reluctant Splendini, also known as Sid Waterman (Woody Allen), to aid in her unearthing more evidence to have the killer apprehended. After successfully scheming to meet the British Aritsocrat Peter Lyman (Hugh Jackman), she gradually becomes more romantically involved with the wealthy suspect. Before she realizes it, she has fallen in love with him, but will that get in the way of her discovering the crucial proof she needs?
Scarlett Johansson was stunning and even compelling in Match Point, but as Sondra Pransky she has given one of her worst performances to date. It seemed as if the beautiful young actress was flawless in terms of her acting lately, but that is quite evidently not true. The recital of her lines is executed as if she were reading directly from cards. She has never been so disproportionate, precarious, and unstable before. In certain scenes Johansson becomes comfortable enough, but in others it appears that she is striving to be something she is not. Those fluctuating scenes will act as a permanent blemish to the viewer.
I didn’t mind the presence of a spirit, who popped up whenever he could persuade Sondra and Sid to continue pursuing Peter Lyman. It was amusing and pleasurable, especially since Ian McShane was the actor behind the part. One of facets that saves Scoop from being a complete disaster is his ability to adapt to any plot, no matter how unstructured. He effortlessly steps out of his Deadwood persona, and instantly becomes a die hard and persistent investigative reporter, who must fulfill the news headline dumped right in front of him even if it means returning from the grave.
One man who is a workaholic as of late is Hugh Jackman, who has around ten films being released in the next two years. As Peter Lyman he looks and sounds at ease as a charming and debonair member of the upper class. He conveys a quality of contentment and strength to the role that is impossible to ignore, but overall his involvement in this picture is adequate. It is the character of Peter Lyman that brings trouble to the movie. He is perhaps the only wealthy man in existence who is this understandable and clueless to blatant lying.
As for Woody Allen, I am reminded of a dog doing the same old tricks as I watch him portray Sid Waterman. Like Kevin Smith, Allen will be closely followed by loyal fans until he passes away, but at this point those admirers must be indulging him out of pity. This is not the genius New York personality that viewers have grown to adore as lovably restless and nervous. What is displayed is an elderly filmmaker so far past his prime that it has become a lost cause. The lines of Splendini are manufactured as if they were stolen from numerous past characters, and slapped together the night before production like a middle school student frantically trying to finish a project. I will not fault the direction for one second. He captures Johansson so gorgeously and seductive in her red bathing suit, but it is the plot and screenplay that suffers so intensely. Almost every portion feels rushed, and never stops to establish a connection with the audience. As the sequences unravel, the mind will act as a person on a balance beam by deciding how good the film is, but the countless convenient coincidences are irritating and unacceptable. At one point Allen’s comedy was sharp, intelligent, and a breath of fresh air, but now that same routine can apparently destroy his films.
Scoop unwinds somewhat like The Thin Man series with its laughter intertwined with mystery. Those films exceptionally weighed comedy and suspense, and anyone who refers to these two films in the same sentence should reevaluate their feelings considerably. Scoop feels like Allen wants Johansson to be his new invention that he is solely responsible for. The humor is sporadically funny, but it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Mr. Allen should have a lot of regrets about this film. Instead of returning to this particular genre, he should have stayed with a drama like Match Point. That could have been the spark that reignited his celebrated filmmaking career, but the result is one of the year’s most notable miscalculations.
The 411: To say I did not enjoy any part of this movie would be a lie, but I was expecting something much more substantial from Woody Allen. Scoop is a very bland and hurried film that has some decent performances that are overshadowed by the two leads contributing lifeless presentations. If you are a loyal Allen fan, you have already made up your mind on whether or not you’ll see this, but if one part of you is hesitant, do not ignore it. That is your conscience advising you to spend your money elsewhere. That is precisely what you should do.
