After making “Match Point” (2005), one of his elite dramas, Woody Allen stuck around London for another year to make “Scoop” (2006), again with Scarlett Johansson. It’s like a light dessert after a rich meal – although you’d do as well with a scoop of ice cream. Allen, ScarJo and Hugh Jackman have enough fun that it mildly rubs off on the audience, but this is a thin effort by Allen’s standards.
To catch a killer
The structure is simple: An American college student (Johansson as Sondra) – who chose journalism over dentistry, but should not have – gets a tip that Jackman’s Peter is the Tarot Card Killer.
Sondra’s scenes alternate with Peter – whom she quickly falls for, natch – and with the magician The Great Splendini (Allen), who is posing as her dad.
“Scoop” (2006)
Director: Woody Allen
Writer: Woody Allen
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman, Woody Allen
Both pairings have good chemistry and the pacing is quick, so I went quite a ways into “Scoop” before becoming annoyed at the repetitive narrative. As they find a series of circumstantial clues, Sondra thinks Peter is innocent; Sid thinks he’s a serial killer.
Johansson shows versatility after her sexpot role in “Match Point.” Here, she’s mousy with her glasses and ponytail, although Peter sees through that, and “Scoop” understands the audience does too.
The Aussie Jackman does OK with a high-class British accent. Allen, doing a Kreskin impression, tries to create a character through stuttering, but he might’ve been better off playing a straight Allen role.
Workshopping
The humor is sparse, with a few good one-liners and a broad parody of magic. All of Splendini’s tricks are impossible, but since it’s a movie, they’re made to look real. As with the reporter (Ian McShane) returning from the beyond to share one last scoop with Sondra, it’s something we go with because the tone is so trifling anyway.
But there are missed opportunities. “Scoop” is technically a mystery, but not a deep one. We know the solution will be whatever Allen writes; it’s not truly solvable for the viewer. The stakes aren’t as serious as they’d be in reality, but “Scoop” doesn’t embrace its own invitation into farcical territory.
Allen is workshopping ideas, whether he knows it or not. A Sondra type would be done better in 2019’s “A Rainy Day in New York.” There, Allen leans into the idea with Elle Fanning as an enthusiastic college reporter who doesn’t know she’s short on skills but high on appeal to men.
A better dive into the world of illusionists comes in 2014’s “Magic in the Moonlight.” The charming would-be serial killer has been done better many times.
A throwaway
“Scoop” lacks a polished screenplay; I bet Allen spent half as much time on this as on “Match Point.” It’s a testament to the charms of Jackman and Johansson that the film is so watchable.
The mystery keeps our attention by the simple fact that we don’t know the outcome. When it’s revealed, it’s tame, lacking a twist that would’ve bumped “Scoop” up a notch.
Truth be told, I was a little distracted in the climactic scene by the appearance of “Buffy’s” Anthony Stewart Head in a minor role as a police detective. I guess he wanted to be in a Woody Allen movie and “Scoop” worked into his schedule, but it sure is bizarre to randomly see a legendary TV actor in a throwaway role.
I guess if you’re gonna do a throwaway role, it might as well be in a throwaway movie.
“Scoop” is forgivable; after all, Allen has always peppered lighter stuff into his catalog along with the masterpieces. At times it’s even an enjoyable London chaser after “Match Point.” But there’s no denying it could’ve been better with more love and care.