Chris Wilton (Rhys Meyers) is a tennis pro at a London club, who's invited to the opera by one of his posh clients, the young Tom Hewett (Goode). Soon Chris starts dating Tom's sister Chloe (Mortimer). But he's also secretly in love with Tom's American fiance Nola (Johansson), and as time passes he has trouble making up his mind about what he wants. Bad decisions lie ahead, as do birth, death, suspicion and guilt.

"I'd rather be lucky than good." This is the phrase that echoes in Chris' head both on and off the tennis court. And Allen insidiously examines the idea from all sides using fascinating characters who seem to exist in a parallel universe, namely upper class Britain. This is a realistic view of these jolly snobs, although it seems corny because people can't really be this privileged and oblivious, can they?

Allen lets them circle around each other with a seeming banality, while something truly creepy gurgles under the surface. When he avoids moralising, it's powerful stuff, but then he adds a couple of unnecessary scenes near the end that make it drag badly and undermine his premise with arch references (Sophocles?) and some contrived events. Even as he layers in a clever sense of irony, he muddles the film with a cheesy police investigation that forces an unneeded and extended closure on the events.

Performances are very strong. Rhys Meyers is good as a man who makes a few very bad choices, although he doesn't add the extra depth that would make Chris' moral dilemma truly resonate. Johansson and Mortimer are excellent, delivering riveting, astonishingly naturalistic performances as two very different women who are sure of what they want. Along with the terrific supporting cast, Allen's human drama comes sharply to life, and if you can get past the film's few potholes, it has the power to really make you squirm.

themes, violence, sexuality

29.Nov.05