Woody Allen directs Scarlett Johansson, himself and Hugh Jackman in this comedy where a gauche journalism student receives a tip from the afterlife that an upperclass Englishman is a serial killer… romance ensues.

The plot of Scoop is so random that it is hard to précis. The above description completely leaves out Allen’s magician character who acts as partner, father figure and comic foil to Johansson geeky naïf. Their scenes make up the meat of the film, and are the best. Both have a genial nervy energy together, Johansson particularly making a good fist of being the comedy lead. Aside from that this is quite a forgettable film… even when that ungainly story settles, you never get a sense Woody has planned out a satisfying ending to it. Jackman, usually a scene stealer in his lead roles, feels forgotten about and idle. Infamous for being filmed in London yet never released in the UK, it is a watchable little film. I particularly enjoyed revisiting the recognisable back streets of Paddington and Kensington.

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