Scoop

"Scoop" is not the best Woody Allen movie. It is not on the level of "Annie Hall" or even "Match Point." But it is a fun and interesting movie. It is like a short story by an author who has previously created master works. Woody Allen has undeniable wit as a screenwriter. He also has a strange dichotomy as an actor; audiences juggle the fact that he is both annoying and likeable. Without a doubt, in one of the most disappointing movie summers in recent memory, "Scoop" stands as one of the best films of the season.

The movie begins with a hilarious Woody Allen conception of death. People are sailing on a boat captained by the Grim Reaper. The passengers exchange funny quips about what happened to them and how they died. One passenger asserts that she knew that a British aristocrat was the famed "tarot card killer." A reporter overhears this conversation and jumps off the boat. He eventually appears as an apparition to a young and slutty college journalist played by Scarlett Johansson and gives her the scoop of the century. It is worth noting that Allen has made Johansson into a legitimate actress. Beginning with her role in "Match Point," she has learned comedic timing and how to become a character instead of imitating one. With the help of an aging and neurotic magician, played by Woody Allen (are you surprised?), the young reporter searches for the killer and seduces people that she suspects.

The story is filled with classic Woody Allen screenwriting: "I was born of the Hebrew persuasion, but I have recently converted to narcissism." All in all, this is a very enjoyable movie that will have you curious and laughing. I will go to see and probably enjoy everyfuture Woody Allen movie, even if it is not an "Annie Hall."

4.5