Woody Allen cannot get enough of Scarlett Johansson (Soon Yi Previn, are you listening?). Shortly after his comeback vehicle
Match Point failed to ace the box office, the writer, actor, director has come up with a second film starring the
Lost in Translation beauty. This time round, the 70-year-old actor decided to contrast the seriousness of
Match Point with humor and also act in his venture.
Scoop, which stars Hugh Jackman besides Johansson and Allen, is humor at its best, powered by great performances and light-hearted banter. Sondra Pransky (Scarlett Johansson) is a journalism student. While visiting London during the summer break, she goes to a show featuring the world's worst magician Great Splendini (Woody Allen). The bumbling magician calls Sondra onstage during one of his tricks and eases her into a wooden box. But before he finishes with his stunt, Sondra has a supernatural experience. She comes across the spirit of a dead senior journalist (Ian McShane), who gives her an insider tip –British aristocrat Peter Lyman (Hugh Jackman) is a serial killer with an obsession for tarot cards. A scoop like that can establish Sondra's career in journalism and she's determined to not let the opportunity pass. So she does what any journalist in Hollywood ventures does. Use her good looks to charm her way into the prey's life.
Sondra manages that just fine, with some help from Splendini, nicknamed Sid. The magician poses as her father and infiltrates Lyman's house searching for clues into his alleged criminal acts.
Given the star cast, it's difficult to fault the performances. Johansson matches Allen wit by wit in the film, as she does on the sets, according to the director. “It's extra hard to be witty around a sexually overwhelming, beautiful young woman who is wittier than you are. Anytime I say anything amusing, Scarlett tops me,” Allen had admitted in an interview.
The chemistry spills over onto the screen, adding that dash of spice to an otherwise mundane plot. After years of sabbatical Allen seems refreshed. The result? A whacky but lovable character Sid, who needs nothing short of magic to get his act and his life together. As he tries hard to impersonate a royal American, Allen provides enough funnies to pay for the price of the ticket. Jackman, on his part, belts out an interesting performance, no easy feat considering he has been declawed for the role.
It's easy to give this one top rating.
