Scoop (2006)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

15 September 2006 (Iceland)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Mystery | Romance

Tagline:

The perfect man. The perfect story. The perfect murder.

Plot:

An American journalism student in London scoops a big story, and begins an affair with an aristocrat as the incident unfurls.

Plot Keywords:

Scoop | Journalist | Student | Magic | Card

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jim Dunk	...	Funeral Speaker
Robert Bathurst	...	Strombel's Co-Worker
Geoff Bell	...	Strombel's Co-Worker
Christopher Fulford	...	Strombel's Co-Worker
Nigel Lindsay	...	Strombel's Co-Worker
Ian McShane	...	Joe Strombel
Fenella Woolgar	...	Jane Cook
Pete Mastin	...	Death (as Peter Mastin)
Doreen Mantle	...	Joe's Co-Passenger
David Schneider	...	Joe's Co-Passenger
Meera Syal	...	Joe's Co-Passenger
Kevin McNally	...	Mike Tinsley (as Kevin R. McNally)
Robyn Kerr	...	Tinsley’s Fan #1
Richard Stirling	...	Tinsley's Fan
Scarlett Johansson	...	Sondra Pransky

Also Known As:

Untitled Woody Allen Fall Project 2006 (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Mono)

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Canada:G (British Columbia) | Netherlands:AL | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Singapore:PG | Malaysia:U | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Sweden:7 | France:U | Germany:6 | Spain:13 | Hong Kong:IIA | Portugal:M/12 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-11 | South Korea:12 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Brazil:12

Filming Locations:

Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, Mayfair, London, England, UK

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

Woody Allen specifically wrote the script for Scarlett Johansson after working with her on Match Point (2005).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sondra sits in the boat with Peter before he pushes her into the lake she wears beige / light brown clothes. When she returns to the house and happens upon Peter and the policemen, being still wet, her clothes are dark brown, almost black. That's too dark to be wet beige. It can't be muddy either, because the rest of her (hands, hair, face) are clean.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Funeral Speaker: Don't mourn Joe Strumble.

Movie Connections:

References All the President's Men (1976)

Soundtrack:

Gayaneh - Suite: Sabre Dance

The critics didn't get the "Scoop" on this one

Reading a wide variety of "Scoop" reviews over the past few days, I walked into the theater prepared for a subpar outing from Woody. Happily, I couldn't have been more wrong. Granted, Woody the performer is slowing down a touch or two, but Woody the writer/director is in fine form - and found a credible way to integrate his 70-year old self into the story. Judging from the laughter and guffaws, the audience ate up Allen's one-liners and dialogue in a way that I haven't seen in several years.

In a movie landscape dominated by software-approved story arcs, twentysomething tastes and assembly-line formula fare for kiddies, it's a source of both satisfaction and inspiration to see Allen pursuing his highly personal and still-rewarding path.