"Some say luck is more important than skill—they must have truly figured out life."
"There are moments in a match when the ball hits the net, and that moment can decide the outcome. If you're lucky, the tennis ball will bounce over, and you'll succeed. If not, you'll lose everything."
"If time flies by and you gain nothing, how long can you hold on before you try a new path?"
After receiving the script, Luca read it several times carefully and found it very insightful.
Woody Allen certainly lived up to his reputation as a master screenwriter, and as a 70-year-old veteran of life. His script not only showcased his talent but also reflected his deep thoughts on life. Many dialogues were filled with philosophy, metaphors, and satire, leaving a lasting impression.
In addition to the beautiful language, the structure of the script was brilliant.
The main character of Match Point, Chris Wilton, comes from a humble background. He meets a wealthy woman through tennis, marries her, and successfully enters high society. At the same time, he falls in love with the girlfriend of the woman's brother, played by Scarlett, and their affair heats up, eventually resulting in her pregnancy.
When the affair is about to be exposed, the main character reveals his dark side. He takes a shotgun and murders them both, including the woman carrying his child.
The murder scene was particularly well designed by Woody Allen. In a typical movie plot, if a character kills innocent people, especially his mistress and unborn child, he'd be portrayed as a monstrous villain. However, in Woody Allen's script, after Chris kills them, there is no graphic imagery. Instead, we see Chris, overwhelmed and in tears, feeling helpless and heartbroken.
This approach doesn't make the audience hate him. Instead, it evokes sympathy and pity.
That's the brilliance of a master screenwriter.
Luca felt that he was still a second-rate writer with a lot of room for improvement.
After finishing the script, Luca called Woody Allen to discuss the film and ask for some advice. The old man agreed and invited him over.
Woody Allen lived in a stylish two-story villa in the Brooklyn area, not far from Fort Greene Stadium. In the afternoon, Luca arrived with a bottle of Bordeaux as a gift and was greeted by Allen's wife, an ordinary-looking Asian woman.
"Good afternoon, ma'am!"
Luca politely greeted her and handed over the wine.
"Mr. Kelly, please come in," she replied with a gentle smile. She had a calm and polite demeanor, a common trait among East Asian women.
"Finished reading the script?" the old man asked, coming out with his hands behind his back.
"Yes, Mr. Allen, but there are a few parts I don't quite understand, so I came to ask for guidance!"
Luca followed him outside to the lawn.
"You didn't understand it?" Woody Allen glanced at him sideways. "Aren't you a famous screenwriter? Didn't you write Buried? I've seen your work, The Blind Side. I even borrowed a little from it. Did you notice?"
Luca was stunned. Why mention The Blind Side, and how did he "borrow" from it?
He thought about it carefully. There were some similarities, but it wasn't exactly borrowing.
In The Blind Side, the opening scene is an intense football game that introduces the film's theme. Similarly, Match Point starts with a tennis match, using the game as a metaphor to bring in the storyline—this is Woody Allen's style.
In fact, The Blind Side had likely borrowed from Match Point, except that The Blind Side happened to come out earlier.
Luca awkwardly smiled and replied, "Mr. Allen, I've often watched your films while writing scripts. I learned a lot about narrative and structure from you."
"Hmm!"
The old man nodded in satisfaction. No way could someone claim that Woody Allen borrowed from anyone else. He had been writing scripts for decades, each one a classic. It was others who borrowed from him.
"What part of the script don't you understand? Tell me," he asked.
"There are three main parts, the introduction of Chris, the reunion of the male and female leads, and the murder scene."
The two of them sat down under a tree, one old and one young, discussing slowly.
Luca asked three key questions: the introduction of the characters, their reunion after a long absence, and the design of the murder. These were particularly well-written parts, showcasing a high level of skill. While Luca could understand them, he wanted to learn more about Woody Allen's masterful techniques.
As expected, once Woody heard these points, he became excited. He sat down, explaining his design choices, his original thoughts, and alternate approaches. He spoke passionately, gesturing animatedly.
Luca nodded constantly, absorbing a wealth of knowledge.
Before this, he had been self-taught as a screenwriter, relying on basic materials. But after receiving guidance from a master, many things that had once confused him became clear.
"Luca, do you understand now?" Woody asked, holding a teacup.
Luca nodded. "This design is indeed more brilliant; it elevates the story. Your control over the plot, Mr. Allen, is truly remarkable. If I had written it, it probably would have ended poorly."
"Haha, don't feel bad. You're young, and you've already learned so much from my script."
Woody patted him on the shoulder, giving him an encouraging look.
Luca quickly expressed his desire to visit often for more guidance.
The old man readily agreed.
"You're pretty smart, hardworking, and you know how to flatter."
"Um..."
Why did the conversation suddenly shift to flattery?
Luca felt a bit awkward. "Mr. Allen, I wasn't flattering you."
The old man chuckled and looked him up and down. "Kid, do you know why I gave you this role?"
"Why?"
Luca had been curious about the reason for days and had planned to ask.
"One reason is your eyes."
The old man pointed at his eyes. "The eyes are the windows to the soul, and yours are full of ambition and desire—just like Chris Wilton."
Luca blinked. Ambition and desire? Was that a compliment?
"Mr. Allen, there are countless young people in the entertainment industry with ambition and desire. I'm nothing special."
"Yes, young people should be ambitious, but your eyes have a special quality, a certain intensity. My film needs that. The second reason..."
The old man paused, smiling at him. "I watched some of your earlier films. You were terrible in Honey and Mean Girls."
"Uh..."
So direct?
"But you were decent in The Notebook, and excellent in Buried. From your performances, I can see that you're highly adaptable. Like a piece of raw metal, with the right blacksmith, you could be forged into something sharp. With a bad blacksmith, you'd just be scrap. I think I'm a pretty good blacksmith, so I chose to work with you!"
Luca nodded. So that's how it was.
"And the third reason!"
"What?"
"I just like the look of you. That's the most important reason."
Woody Allen laughed, patting his shoulder.
"Like the look of me?"
Luca muttered to himself, "I thought you'd be jealous of my good looks ruining your dates."
"What was that?!"
"Uh, nothing!"
Luca had accidentally spoken his thoughts out loud.
"Hmph! You don't know how to charm women yet. Back in my day…"
"What happened back then, Mr. Allen? Please continue!"
Luca asked eagerly.
"Hmph, like I'm going to tell you!"
The old man gave him a sideways glance and walked off with his hands behind his back.
Luca chuckled and followed after him.
It's said that Woody Allen used to be quite a ladies' man. If Luca could learn a few tricks from him, today's trip would be a huge win.
But Woody was tight-lipped, only talking about films and scripts, and nothing more about women.
Around four in the afternoon, Luca finally left, reluctantly, after getting a meal at the old man's house.