This 2005 Woody Allen film stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Scarlett Johansson, and Emily Mortimer. Chris Wilton (Rhys Meyers) is a former touring tennis pro who takes a temporary job as a tennis instructor at an upscale London country club. There he meets Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode), one of his pupils, who introduces him to his wealthy and powerful family. Many doors are opened for and opportunities are presented to Chris, including a possible new career and a love interest in Chloe (Mortimer), Tom's sister. When they all retreat to the Hewett country estate, Chris falls for Nola Rice (Johansson), Tom's fiance. Although he and Chloe eventually get married and Nola and Tom break up, Chris's feelings for Nola linger, and when they meet again by chance, they begin a torrid love affair that, as time goes on, becomes increasingly more complicated and threatening to the comfortable life that Chris had gotten used to. He begins to wonder if murder is the only way out. While I like the premise of the film (it is, as always, a very well-written script from Allen), it leaves out a vital plot point (which I won't reveal) that knocks the story incredibly. I don't see how such an important twist could have been neglected from the resolution of the film, and the fact that it wasn''t discovered, or even mentioned, by the detectives in the film left me very confused and annoyed. What could have otherwise been a terrific, suspensful thriller wasn't so because of a disappointing, careless finish.
Should you see it: Yes, because everything up until the ending is great.
Grade: B-
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