Scoop

Scoop ***

I'll say right off the bat that "Scoop" is not the best Woody Allen movie ever, but it provides light entertainment for 90 minutes. It's fast, fun, and contains many many good one liners. It's great to see the Woodman back on the screen again after a little absence. It's Woody's second film in London after his last film and masterpiece "Match Point," and it's also the second time that he uses beauty Scarlet Johannson. I must say that she is acting much better than she did in the last one as well.

Here, she takes on the role of the Woody Allen like character-Sandra Pransky-a vacationing Brookynite in London, visiting a friend of her's. She studies journalism, and writes for the college paper. At a magic show, where she watches Splendini, played by Allen himself, she is called upon to the stage for a disappearing act. She is put inside a box, and while inside, she is visited by the spirit of Joe Strombel, a recently deceased newspaper reporter, who had a reputation for going as far as he could for a story. And it's still apparant, even in death, where he escapes the boat that brings him to the underworld many times, in order to tell Sandra that he has the biggest scoop of the century. It turns out that the infamous Tarot Card serial killer might be British aristocrat Peter Lyman. Sandra enlists in the help of the magician, whose real name is Sid, in helping to solve the case. Sid is against it, scared that he could end up dying, by Sandra doesn't allow it. And the two follow Lyman, to the Governer's Club, where he enjoys swimming there often. She gets his attention by pretending to drown, and the two hit it off. Calling Sid her father, and calling herself Jade Spence, she is invited to his estate for a garden party, and she begins snooping around. However, over time she begins to fall in love with the potential killer, and she doesn't want her personal feelings for the man to affect her story, and the fact that he could be a murderer.

Many people complain that Woody Allen is "losing his touch," and comparing every single film that he does to the classics, like "Annie Hall," and "Manhattan." But, face it, the guy is in his seventies, and fans should be happy that he is still plugging away, making a film every year. Leave the guy alone, and let him make movies that he finds enjoyable and entertaining, and take it for what it is. I'm not saying that "Scoop" is an amazing film, but it was a pleasant diversion, compared to the horrid comedies of late such as "My Super Ex-Girlfriend," and "You, Me and Dupree."

Thankfully, Johannson is not as wooden as she was in "Match Point," and she is really able to explore her comedic abilities. With her playing a Woody Allen-esque character, and Allen himself playing. . . well himself, there is alot of quirk. Hugh Jackson sounds like he's literally reading lines from a piece of paper, but he is forgiven. Ian McShane is new to me, but he was a bit of fun as Joe Strombel. The satire of newspaper reporters, and how they will do whatever they must to obtain a story is taken to the next level, with Strombel escaping the Grim Reaper everytime he has a new piece of information to share with Sandra. Woody also knows how to pick the right music, choosing some classical pieces that are often overlooked, at least by the average person. And I must comment on the absolutely brilliant ending, where Woody Allen pretty much says that he likes London, but nothing will ever compare to his New York City. . . said in a much more harsher way. . . and I can't say why because it would be giving away one of the biggest surprises in the film. "Scoop" is distributed by Focus Features, who helped bring out "Broken Flowers," "The Ice Harvest," "Eternal Sunshine. . . " etc, and this is worthy addition to their library. You can always count on them for delivering something very amusing, and different, and fun. Woody Allen may not be as sharp as he was back in his heyday, but he can still churn out an entertaining two hours. For his next assignment, I want him to deliver something with the cleverness and haunting qualities of "Match Point," and with the comedy and classic one liners of "Scoop." Or maybe one genre for each film is enough. . .