Scoop Review
by dnb@dca.net (dnb AT dca DOT net)August 8th, 2006
SCOOP
A film review by David N. Butterworth
Copyright 2006 David N. Butterworth
**1/2 (out of ****)
It's encouraging to see Woody Allen (finally) writing himself a role in which his character poses as his leading lady's *father* (versus, naturally enough, her lover, which would have been the case, oh, maybe a year or two ago), although the more cynical and/or perceptive among us might consider grandfather to be more in keeping with their actual age difference (Scarlett Johansson, the actress in question is, at 21, a mere pup compared to Allen's spry 70 years and counting).
It's also encouraging to note (perhaps because of the role Allen has elected to play, although those same perceptive cynics might argue the point to be irrelevant given all those art-imitating-life parallels) that we aren't afforded the opportunity to witness the aging writer/director/actor making out with the nubile Johansson in spittle- sharing widescreen (he has, after all, cast her in back-to-back movies now which would tend to indicate an interest of *some* kind, be it savory, simply chic, or otherwise).
What's less encouraging is the fact that "Scoop," Allen's 37th feature to date depending on how you do the math, is only mildly diverting and, even with the affecting Johansson and her co-stars Hugh Jackman and Ian McShane, doesn't build on the strength of its predecessor ("Match Point"), which showed Allen in fine fettle (up until the third act, anyway).
"Scoop" is an amalgam of recent W.A. flicks, from last year's game, set, and love match to 2001's "'Curse of the Jade Scorpion" to "Small Time Crooks" the year before (yes; Allen's been reliably cranking out one film per annum since as far back as 1992). It's one of his "funny" films, although once again this one happens to feature a murderer for some reason, and tosses in the equivalent
of "Deconstructing Harry"'s Descent into Hell (lawyers be damned!) or "Mighty Aphrodite"'s Greek Chorus with a Grim Reaper-ferried ride on the river Styx providing, through some cornball prestidigitation (Allen plays a hack magician, Splendini, real name Sid Waterman), the major league newspaper tip of the title (Johansson plays an American journalism student aloof in London where "Scoop"--as was "Match Point"-- is set).
Some of it *is* funny, with Allen himself fashioning a goofball vaudevillian in the guise of maestro Splendini, although his "no disrespect but you've been a great audience" shtick and geriatric Jewish jokes quickly test the patience. Johansson's Sondra Pransky is pretty and earnest and anxious but, unlike Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow before her, the star of the sublime "Lost in Translation" and the ridiculous "The Island," reserves the temptation to turn into a female version of Woody, replete with tics and tired amorphisms.
Jackman, as Peter Lyman, the suave, well-to-do bachelor under investigation as the tarot card killer, is square-jawed and well dressed and eminently charming but no more, no less. Likewise McShane, who plays a stiff--deceased reporter Joe Strombel--who materializes and dematerializes at whim, brings an ethereal depth to the proceedings, i.e., not much. His is an unlikely (and essentially non-) role.
Compared to the afore-mentioned "'Harry" or "'Aphrodite," "Scoop" is a minor masterpiece since it rarely offends and offers up a significant number of laughs. On its own, however, it's unlikely to be mentioned in the same sentence as "Annie Hall" or "Hannah and Her Sisters" (even though I appear to have just done precisely that!).
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David N. Butterworth
dnb@dca.net
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