PLOT: An American journalist (Scarlett Johansson) in London investigates a wealthy British playboy (Hugh Jackman), who may or may not be a serial killer. Her unlikely sidekick is a washed-up American magician (Woody Allen).

For anyone still paying attention to Woody Allen's career, The Wood Man is definitely back.

First, there was last year's well-received Match Point, a sophisticated, sexy drama set in London, directed and written by Allen and starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Scarlett Johansson .

Now comes Allen's light summer comedy, Scoop, starring Johansson again, this time as an aspiring American journalist visiting friends in England.

Johansson's plain-clothed, earnest and bespectacled journo in Scoop is a far cry from the sexy, troubled actress she played in Match Point, and presumably that's the point of being Allen's new muse.

Allen is basically her main co-star in Scoop as an aging magician with a bad act who happens to choose Johansson's character as a volunteer for one his disappearing tricks.

But Johansson is visited by a recently departed Fleet Street hack, played by the always delicious Ian McShane (Deadwood), who gives her a big "scoop." He believes he knows the identity of the so-called Tarot Card Killer currently terrorizing London, and it's none other than a well-known and wealthy British playboy played by Hugh Jackman.

And so the games begin as Johansson takes on the persona of an American aristocrat in order to meet and socialize with Jackman.

Anyone who is familiar with Allen's comedies of old knows that his neurotic, fragile magician, whom Johansson employs as her pretend father in investigating Jackman, has the best lines.

There's also on hilarious driving scene involving a smart car.

As for the rest of the cast, Johansson has brains as well as beauty, damn her, and great comic timing opposite Allen. In fact, it was their off-screen banter during Match Point that inspired him to write Scoop for Johansson.

Jackman is also suitably charming and handsome and gets to hang out in some of London's best clubs, homes, and gardens, but McShane, sadly, is underused.

Whenever he leaves the screen, after showing up to lead Johansson in the right direction, you can't wait until he returns.

BOTTOM LINE: It's no Match Point, last year's drama widely considered to be Woody Allen's return to form, but Scoop is definitely one of his strongest comedies in years, with fine and funny performances from Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman, Ian McShane and Allen himself.

(This film is rated PG)
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