Scoop

In the type of role which gets usually bagged by Woody Allen, Scarlett Johansson maybe tries a bit too hard. But the rest is quite good – at last I don’t mind Allen’s acting, Jackman is great, and Scarlett is at very least gorgeous. The screenplay is average, uninventive and completely predictable. It flies by quite smoothly and a couple of funny scenes work well... But it’s more of a put your feet up movie rather than a “masterpiece" in the good old Woody style we know so well. (12/10/2006)

I'm curious as to why Woody Allen's casual viewers usually consider Scoop a pleasant comedy, while his more regular audience remains disappointed. I stayed somewhere in between. It's no disaster; quite the contrary. Some gags work perfectly and perhaps Woody couldn't have chosen a more appreciative role to bid farewell to his acting for the next few years. That said, in competition with dozens of his other works, I come to the inevitable realization that I have seen the individual components of the story elsewhere and differently. And better. Scarlett Johansson in particular does not fit at all into the role of the main neurotic. Though she delivers some great lines during her arguments with the magician, she has no personal charisma, and above all, no chemistry with the usually flawless Hugh Jackman. (05/31/2011)

Woody Allen is simply interesting in every form, and even though it's not perfect, even though it sometimes squeaks, it's still a result he doesn't have to be ashamed of. His acting is more of an echo and I think it's understandable that he has mostly wrapped it up. He chose interesting actors, but the best thing about this otherwise average film is the script, which is actually a comedic thriller that works. It's not something great, some elements are unnecessary, like the ending, but the idea is interesting and quite cleverly executed. (03/18/2014)

This is exactly what a Woody Allen film looks like without his wit, sophisticated insight and creativity. A bunch of stilted dialogue, not even Scarlett Johansson in a swimsuit can save the wtf story and the feeling that this film was actually pointless and about nothing. The ending is like a copy of Match Point, which was still a much better film as a whole (11/04/2015)

I see that this film hasn't received much acclaim and there is talk of rip-offs and loss of directorial power. Well, this is only the second Woody Allen film I've seen, so I'm totally blown away by his style. I was impressed, both on the crime and comedy side. Woody Allen shined and I laughed at his monologues and dialogues. And inserting the last journey to eternity wasn't a bad idea either, also a "London ride on the wrong side". It Intrigued me and made me laugh - 75%. (12/28/2009)