"Scoop" Fails
Todd McCarthy's review of Woody Allen's Scoop (Focus Features, 8.28) in the 7.16 Variety won't be lifting anyone's spirits over at Focus. (Kirk Honeycutt's Hollywood Reporter review is a little kinder.)
This McCarthy passage stands out: "Sadly, Allen's patented harangues and complaints have rarely been more irritating, not only because they sound like barely revised versions of those we've heard many times before, but because his broad accent and uncouth manner stand out so conspicuously amid so many well-spoken British thesps.
"Asked with some bemusement by some stiff old Brits about his background, Sid replies, 'I was born into the Hebrew persuasion, but when I got older I converted to narcissism.' And yet Allen's appearance in Scoop belies this: "Looking significantly older than when he last appeared onscreen (in Anything Else three years back), Allen comes off as a disagreeably disgruntled curmudgeon whose wit has curdled."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 18, 2006 at 4:27 PM
comment #1
Astral Weeks says ...
For what it's worth Hooywood Reportet liked it. Maybe the Woodman should stick to straight dramas.
Posted by Astral Weeks at July 18, 2006 4:42 PM
comment #2
Mathew says ...
Well not every one of his films can be a Match Point. His lesser films are rather hit and miss for me. I enjoyed fluff like Manhatten Murder Mystery, Mighty Aphrodite et cetera but Anything Else, Hollywood Ending and Celebrity I didn't care for (Small Time Crooks and Jade Scorpion were just ok). Scoop however looks to be worth it for Scarlett alone. She looks hot as hell in spectacles. Otherwise I'm not expecting much.
Posted by Mathew at July 18, 2006 5:22 PM
comment #3
Mathew says ...
I want to add that I'm also expecting some beautiful cinematography. Allen's films always look great regardless of how entertaining they are. Women also always look beautiful in his films. I never thought much of Johanson until Match Point...
Posted by Mathew at July 18, 2006 5:26 PM
comment #4
Osama bin Laden says ...
As a Woodophile, I can honestly say Match Point was overrated and sucked and SJ can't act her way out of her panties (though I wish she would). she has only two modes, that low, sexy thing that puts you to sleep while giving you a chubby and then she screams. that's it.
Posted by Osama bin Laden at July 18, 2006 7:07 PM
comment #5
aliasanythingyouwant says ...
Allen's films have been completely inconsequential for awhile now. Sometimes amusingly so, sometimes not.
Posted by aliasanythingyouwant at July 18, 2006 7:29 PM
comment #6
Osama bin Laden says ...
"Sweet and Lowdown" was his last great film.
Posted by Osama bin Laden at July 18, 2006 8:21 PM
comment #7
Patrick says ...
'Match Point' was his last "great" film, and
please don't tell me these damn movie critics
are going to turn on him this quickly.
Posted by Patrick at July 18, 2006 9:53 PM
comment #8
Jojo says ...
The trailers are atrocious! Scarlet cannot deliver any of her lines convincingly in any of them. It's like someone serving Pop Rocks at a tea party.
Posted by Jojo at July 18, 2006 10:02 PM
comment #9
Clifford Anderson says ...
Fair enough. But look at her tits!
Posted by Clifford Anderson at July 19, 2006 12:03 AM
comment #10
LordReginaldFeinstein says ...
"Allen has rarely been more irritating ... because his broad accent and uncouth manner stand out so conspicuously amid so many well-spoken British thesps."
Yes, just like Alvy Singer at Thanksgiving dinner with the Hall family. So loud and uncouth. McCarthy forgot to mention the "big nose."
Posted by LordReginaldFeinstein at July 19, 2006 12:31 AM
comment #11
Fielding says ...
Patrick,
The first time the critics turned on Woody was back in 1978 when he released Interiors - the reviews were extraordinarily vicious. They embraced him the next year with Manhattan, then mauled him AGAIN when he made Stardust Memories!
And so it went. As a Woody fan, you get used to it and just ignore their prattling like the man himself does.
About McCarthy - the guy's supposed to be a professional, yet he states that Woody's last onscreen appearance was in Hollywood Ending, when it was in fact Anything Else. He should at least do his research before he disgorges his bile.
As for Scoop, reports I've read from actual Woody Allen fans indicate that it's a lot of fun and Woody himself is hilarious. I personally can't wait to see him running amok among the British upper-crust.
Posted by Fielding at July 19, 2006 12:34 AM
comment #12
Mathew says ...
"Match Point was overrated and sucked and SJ can't act her way out of her panties... "
Disagree. Match Point was one of my favorite films last season. Enjoyed it immensely. Made me admire Woody Allen again. Scarlett was the perfect ingenue for Rhys Meyer's character. I'm not saying she's a great actress but let's face it; how many actresses can be truly considered great? Meryl Streep? Anyone else? I suppose it's not fair as there are very few great parts written for women. Streep gets them all it seems.
Posted by Mathew at July 19, 2006 7:46 AM
comment #13
Mathew says ...
I forgot to throw Diane Keaton into the 'great' column. Probably my favorite female actress though I like her early stuff more (Annie Hall, Mr. Goodbar).
Posted by Mathew at July 19, 2006 7:49 AM
comment #14
Liz says ...
"How many actresses can be truly considered great?" Are you kidding?
In addition to Streep and Keaton, let's see - Judy Davis, Annette Bening, Susan Sarandon, Sigourney Weaver, Julianne Moore, Helen Mirren, Isabelle Huppert, Charlotte Rampling, Catherine Deneuve, Fanny Ardant, Frances McDormand, Cate Blanchett, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jodie Foster. Feel free to toss in some that might be more questionable - Mia Farrow? Michelle Pfeiffer? Emmanuelle Beart? Kristin Scott Thomas?
Johansson seems to have a pretty limited repertoire, but it's probably too soon to tell. The Scoop trailer looks like it should be amusing, but then, I've liked Allen's lighter comedies of late. So what if they don't strike some grand chord with everyone like some of his earlier films did? They're inconsequential, but amusing. Maybe the market's to blame. I doubt Love and Death would float today. Who's "Bergman"? Does he have a MySpace?
Posted by Liz at July 19, 2006 9:33 AM
comment #15
Mathew says ...
Eh I see I left out a few. However a lot of those actresses like Sigourney Weaver, Jennifer Jason Leigh have kind of disappeared. Also I don't think I would consider someone like Michelle Pfeiffer 'great'. She's had some good roles granted. Joan Allen is good but I don't find her incredibly likable on screen. Same for Annette Bening. Sarandon, ok but she's more of an activist now than a serious actor. Cate Blanchett was great in The Aviator...
Didn't Wells do a column about actresses's disappearing before they peak?
Posted by Mathew at July 19, 2006 10:13 AM
comment #16
Goulet says ...
I saw SCOOP this morning and it's actually pretty damn good! Scarlett Johansson is no Diane Keaton, but otherwise this is not unlike MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY, a fun little comic thriller.
Posted by Goulet at July 19, 2006 12:34 PM
comment #17
Dixon Steele says ...
The movie is probably at most OK, but you have to admit he gets great casts.
Looking forward to seeing Ian McShane especially.
Posted by Dixon Steele at July 19, 2006 12:41 PM
comment #18
Liz says ...
Well, I'm not a fan of every one of those actresses either, but I think each has given several performances that could be considered "great" over the course of her career, and I believe all of them continue to work fairly steadily. It's just depressing to hear things like that when there are a lot of actresses out there equally as worthy of canonization as Streep and the countless actors we're supposed to recognize as masters of the craft.
The comparison of Scoop to Manhattan Murder Mystery is heartening, and reminds me of one more--Anjelica Huston.
Posted by Liz at July 19, 2006 1:31 PM
comment #19
Fielding says ...
Good to read a confirmation of other positive assessments, Goulet. Unfortunately, I'm certain this will get a lot of poor reviews simply because it's a Woody Allen comedy featuring Woody Allen, and critics are now programmed to hate those.
Posted by Fielding at July 19, 2006 7:10 PM
comment #20
Linden says ...
I think Scarlett Johansson is a terrible actress. Yes, I know that's a VERY unpopular opinion, but there's always something off about her line delivery.
However, I should clarify that this is only from judging her in Lost in Translation, The Island and Match Point. The way she delivers her lines, her intonations, her rhythm of speaking, just seems very fake. I always feel like I'm listening to an amateur high schooler trying to act but no succeeding.
Posted by Linden at July 20, 2006 4:14 AM