Scarlett Johansson is no Patricia Racette

OK, now I am sure this may have been discussed in all sorts of other settings--but clearly Woody Allen has read Dreiser's An American Tragedy, or perhaps just really loves A Place in the Sun?

I am a huge Woody Allen fan, despite some of the crummy stuff he has spun in the past few years. I just (finally) saw Match Point, and thought it was quite good, in spite of Scarlett Johansson's characteristically non-existent acting. Someone please explain. Have we not, as a film-going society, caught on that she has no skill? I say, keep hiring her (hey she sells tickets), but stop saying she is good. And for God's sake, stop giving her awards.

Really, stop. F-ing crappy actress.

That said, has anyone been able to find any mention that Woody Allen has in any way credited Dreiser, or perhaps even mentioned the actual events from the late 19th century upon which the novel is based? Having only read endless articles and synopses of the book, and having seen Picker's opera twice, I am going to go out a fairly sturdy limb and say Match Point is SUCH a direct adaptation, that the lack of credit is pretty shocking. There must have been some deal made at some point, no? I am no legal expert, but I *do* work in film, and if we ever dared to develop a movie that was so directly based on other material, we would have a team of lawyers warning us against calling it original material...

Woody Allen, come ON. I adore you....but this ain't no original screenplay. Out with it!

And PS--I really like the movie, and would like to invite to invite Jonathan Rhys-Meyers over for tea to tell him as much...the door is open.