My 699th Movie Review
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
My Rating 6. /10
Often I find it's worth watching an average movie if the cast is as impressive as featured in this one especially if the director is Woody Allen.
Interestingly this movie wasn't released in Australia till January 17, 2013 ,perhaps because of the court proceedings that the director was involved in at the time?
It initially was released in Spain in August 2010 after a showing at The Cannes film festival that year in May.
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is the fourth Woody Allen film shot in London, following Match Point in 2005 Scoop in 2006 and Cassandra's Dream in 2007.
This movie for me has a strange almost naive quality in the storytelling it lacks the usual Woodyesque humour and doesn't have near the dramatic impact of Match Point.
Basically all the characters are dissatisfied with their life choices and childishly searching for something or someone to restore their faith in life.
As mentioned earlier even an ordinary script if it stars include Naomi Watts, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Pauline Collins and Gemma Jones for me is worth watching.
Alfie played by Anthony Hopkins and wife Helena played by Gemma Jones have separated it's the usual story .
Alfie in an attempt to relive his lost youth falls for the charms and marries a free spirited call girl escort called Charmaine played with delightful self interest by Lucy Punch , she's a real scene stealer. Meanwhile Helena Alfie's jilted wife has lost faith in everything in life and feeling rejected falls under the spell of a so called charming clairvoyant called Cristal delightfully played by Pauline Collins.
This eventually drives Helena's daughter Sally and her husband Roy to distraction as Helena relates the prophesies of Cristal to them in every visit while depleting their scotch supplies in the process.
Sally played by Naomi Watts took on this role when her friend Nicole Kidman had to decline due to her film scheduling at that time ,perhaps Nicole consulted Cristal?
Sally and her author husband Roy played by Josh Brolin are also experiencing marriage difficulties as Roy looks out their apartment window for writing inspiration as is instead lustfully inspired by his beautiful young neighbour opposite Dia played by Freida Pinto.
To add spice to this tale of dysfunction Sally who is discontented and restless at home goes back to work for an enigmatic attractive Art Gallery owner Greg played by Antonio Banderas and you guessed it becomes infatuated with her boss.
This Comedy of Errors bears no comparison to William Shakespeare's early play written in 1623 it's not Woody Allen at his best probably because it's not very funny but it's worth a look for the excellent cast who obviously had faith in Woody Allen's reputation but like the characters in this story their faith was ill placed .
Often I find it's worth watching an average movie if the cast is as impressive as featured in this one especially if the director is Woody Allen.
Interestingly this movie wasn't released in Australia till January 17, 2013 ,perhaps because of the court proceedings that the director was involved in at the time?
It initially was released in Spain in August 2010 after a showing at The Cannes film festival that year in May.
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is the fourth Woody Allen film shot in London, following Match Point in 2005 Scoop in 2006 and Cassandra's Dream in 2007.
This movie for me has a strange almost naive quality in the storytelling it lacks the usual Woodyesque humour and doesn't have near the dramatic impact of Match Point.
Basically all the characters are dissatisfied with their life choices and childishly searching for something or someone to restore their faith in life.
As mentioned earlier even an ordinary script if it stars include Naomi Watts, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Pauline Collins and Gemma Jones for me is worth watching.
Alfie played by Anthony Hopkins and wife Helena played by Gemma Jones have separated it's the usual story .
Alfie in an attempt to relive his lost youth falls for the charms and marries a free spirited call girl escort called Charmaine played with delightful self interest by Lucy Punch , she's a real scene stealer. Meanwhile Helena Alfie's jilted wife has lost faith in everything in life and feeling rejected falls under the spell of a so called charming clairvoyant called Cristal delightfully played by Pauline Collins.
This eventually drives Helena's daughter Sally and her husband Roy to distraction as Helena relates the prophesies of Cristal to them in every visit while depleting their scotch supplies in the process.
Sally played by Naomi Watts took on this role when her friend Nicole Kidman had to decline due to her film scheduling at that time ,perhaps Nicole consulted Cristal?
Sally and her author husband Roy played by Josh Brolin are also experiencing marriage difficulties as Roy looks out their apartment window for writing inspiration as is instead lustfully inspired by his beautiful young neighbour opposite Dia played by Freida Pinto.
To add spice to this tale of dysfunction Sally who is discontented and restless at home goes back to work for an enigmatic attractive Art Gallery owner Greg played by Antonio Banderas and you guessed it becomes infatuated with her boss.
This Comedy of Errors bears no comparison to William Shakespeare's early play written in 1623 it's not Woody Allen at his best probably because it's not very funny but it's worth a look for the excellent cast who obviously had faith in Woody Allen's reputation but like the characters in this story their faith was ill placed .