SCOOP d: Woody Allen
Though hardly one of Woody Allen’s best comedies, the light-as-air Scoop is a perfectly enjoyable romp. The film’s basic storyline has already been told countless times — investigator (here a journalist wanna-be) falls for a suspected murderer who happens to be rich, handsome, and quite the seducer — but what sets Scoop apart from its predecessors is Allen’s unique brand of quirkiness.
Scoop could have been even better had Allen cast someone other than Scarlett Johansson as the heroine. Though effective as the young seducer in Allen’s crime drama Match Point, Johansson is badly out of her element in comedy. Her mannerisms feel like an off-key imitation of the acting style of previous Allen leading ladies Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow, and even of Allen himself.
But despite this bit of central miscasting, the predictable plot, and the fact that Allen’s timing is at times a little off, Scoop offers enough hilarious one-liners and silly little twists to keep one entertained. After all, even a minor Woody Allen film is considerably more intriguing than the best work by most filmmakers out there.
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Actually, I disagree. Just saw the film this afternoon with my wife, and I thought Scarlett was much better at comedy. In Girl With A Pearl, Lost In Translation, and Match Point, I thought there was always something missing. In this film I thinks she’s second only to Diane Keaton in the Woody comedienne pantheon. DAN
Scarlett Johansson could be great in comedy but in the one comedy that I have seen her in, some teen flick about stealing test scores called creatively “The Perfect Score” she was very much out her element, and that came around the same time she was getting raves for Girl with the Pearl Earring and Lost in Translation. I think under the right guidance she has possibilities, something about her is very old school, and she could be great though, there’s something there but she is still just a kid. I’ll have to check out Scoop.
I never cared for Scarlett Johansson until I saw her in “Match Point.” That’s her only performance I’ve seen that I found effective. (Though I gotta admit that I haven’t seen “The Perfect Score.”)
Not the greatest, but a fun Woody Allen film. I don’t know why some people thought it was so bad. Light stuff, but fun stuff. Woody doesn’t have to be profound all the time.