You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010)

Sally's parents' marriage breaks up when her father undergoes a mid-life crisis and impulsively weds a prostitute. Meanwhile, Sally's own marriage also begins to disintegrate.

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen

Stars:

Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin

2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gemma Jones	...	Helena
Pauline Collins	...	Cristal
Anthony Hopkins	...	Alfie
Rupert Frazer	...	Jogging Partner
Kelly Harrison	...	Personal Trainer
Naomi Watts	...	Sally
Josh Brolin	...	Roy
Freida Pinto	...	Dia
Eleanor Gecks	...	Rollerblading Friend
Antonio Banderas	...	Greg
Fenella Woolgar	...	Jane
Ewen Bremner	...	Henry Strangler
Christian McKay	...	Poker Friend
Philip Glenister	...	Poker Friend
Jonathan Ryland	...	Poker Friend

Storyline

Follows a pair of married couples, Alfie (Hopkins) and Helena (Jones), and their daughter Sally (Watts) and husband Roy (Brolin), as their passions, ambitions, and anxieties lead them into trouble and out of their minds. After Alfie leaves Helena to pursue his lost youth and a free-spirited call girl named Charmaine (Punch), Helena abandons rationality and surrenders her life to the loopy advice of a charlatan fortune teller. Unhappy in her marriage, Sally develops a crush on her handsome art gallery owner boss, Greg (Banderas), while Roy, a novelist nervously awaiting the response to his latest manuscript, becomes moonstruck over Dia (Pinto), a mystery woman who catches his gaze through a nearby window.

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Plot Keywords:

call girl | manuscript | charlatan | prostitute | divorce | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [France] Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA Spain

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

22 October 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Woody Allen London Project

Filming Locations:

Albion Riverside, Battersea, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$160,103, 26 September 2010, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$3,247,816, 6 February 2011

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mediapro, Versátil Cinema, Gravier Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (3-track)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In some territories, such as Australia, this Woody Allen film was theatrically released after Midnight in Paris (2011) and To Rome with Love (2012) which were made after this movie.

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Goofs

When Alfie and Helena are arguing about his new fitness regime, they enter house and Alfie sits down. The female fitness trainer has followed them. She can be seen in the mirror above the fireplace. Her legs, and the legs of a male crew member, can also be seen reflected in the glass front of the fireplace.

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Quotes

Sally: [to Roy bitterly after meeting Charmaine] That cheap tart is what he left my mother for? Actress, my foot! The only acting she's ever done is faking an orgasm.

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Connections

Featured in American Masters: Woody Allen: A Documentary (2011)

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Soundtracks

Let Your Body Move
Written by Marc Ferrari and Michael McGregor
Performed by Marc Ferrari & Michael McGregor

User Reviews

Another trip to Woody Allen country

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010) was written and directed by Woody Allen. Even if you didn't know that, you could guess it pretty quickly. In Woody Allen country, nobody stays in a love relationship if someone better comes along.

Alfie Shebritch (Anthony Hopkins) is an older man married to Helena (Gemma Jones). He decides to have a (somewhat late) midlife crisis, finds a bimbo, and leaves his wife.

Meanwhile, their daughter, Sally Channing (Naomi Watts) is leaving her husband Roy (Josh Brolin) because she has fallen in love with Greg (Antonio Banderas).

Meanwhile, Roy . . .

Allen has the clout to surround himself with these fine actors, and his movies--including this one--demonstrate his complete command of the medium. The problem is that he's writing and directing the same romantic comedy over and over.

I saw the movie on DVD and it worked well on the small screen. I think it's worth seeing if you're in the mood for fine actors in a lightweight comedy. If you're in the mood for more than this, find another film.