You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Best movie of this year hands down!

A Brilliant Conflict

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Various romances working their way through the proverbial peaks and valleys of love because, as narrator Zak Orth so pithily points out for us, "sometimes the illusions work better than the medicine." Woody Allen drama-lite shot in and around London concerns a young married couple (Josh Brolin and Naomi Watts) finding their bickering-from-room-to-room union on the brink of collapse after her parents announce their split; Brolin, a struggling writer, becomes smitten with the attractive woman in the apartment across the way, while gallery worker Watts flirts with her boss. Watts' father (Anthony Hopkins) takes up with a much younger woman (a former prostitute who may not have changed her ways) while her mother (Gemma Jones) becomes attracted to a book-seller still in love with his deceased wife. This is one of Allen's least-compelling group of characters. It isn't enough that Hopkins is humiliated by having to gulp Viagra and shell out all his money to keep his prostie-wife happy, he's further humiliated by the prospect of raising a child that isn't his (the pair are also misfits in each other's lifestyle, which is straight out of the older man/younger woman manual). Meanwhile, Brolin (looking like Kris Kristofferson in his youth) lurches through his scenes without expression, and seems incapable of reading a book much less writing one. It's a curiously indifferent enterprise, as if Allen's heart wasn't in it and his unamused cast just wanted to get through it. *1/2 from ****

One of Woody Allen's worst movies. Not THE worst, that honour goes to To Rome With Love, but this comes close. At least the stories are coherent, but they're not at all good. There is hardly a likable character in the entire movie. Everyone, in their own way, is plain loathsome. Infidelity (especially), deceit, naivety and insanity abound. Naomi Watts' character might be the only character worth supporting, and even she's not perfect.Many of the relationships don't even make sense, they're just there for relationship sake, or infidelity sake.About the only great moment was Josh Brolin's character's comeuppance. Performances are fine, it is the characters that are irritating, and very much so.

Naomi Watts, Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins are extremely good actors can easily proved by this movie........, " as a matter of fact, some other movies too ", but that is not the actual point.A good Woody Allen movie gets you in the first 15 minutes. This one does not. Maybe he was Moody, rather than Woody when doing this. This one never gets you as strongly as some of his other counterparts.The underlying wit was missing, if not totally. The best wit you get here is Lucy Punch. Rolling eyes. Punch's character was enough for that willy wit otherwise lacking in this movie which we were expecting, to lay in Alfie. The overall reason for 6.One or two life's sad but underlying parts were almost exploited... left us wanting.Freida's character Dia was badly cast. Points lost there. Either her accent should have been original or made-up. Wonder how Woody missed here. She looked not at all what slumdog promised, either looks wise, neither acts wise.The mid section of the movie worked only because of a very good reason. I will share that reason at the end of this review. Some things just cropped out without a reason which never happens in an Allen film. I am talking about the Kher part....In the entire movie Roy was something to look out for. Played almost, remember, only almost, perfectly --- The end commentary said it best, it signifies nothing, and the tale must end.The reason why all of you must watch this film is because of Watts. I wish i can see her in more happy movies. 6 as I said earlier.

Many Fans of the Prolific and Brilliant Writer/Director may use that Line ('You have sipped us dry.") from His late Movie to poke Him in the eye for being redundant or in danger of losing His Flare and Energy with the onset of Old Age.There could be some Truth to that as witnessed by this Film, but also could be a knee-jerk reaction of disappointment because He so often attains Greatness. This one is droll and the Humor is sardonic and His Sharp Insights takes a backseat to Irony and Soap Opera conventions.It does have a Vision from an aging Artist that is reflecting on the New Millennium and His place at the table of Social Criticism and Philosophical musings. After all, here we have a Fortune Teller replacing Psychiatry to find Meaning to all the Madness, Meditation vs Medication. Another central Character is a Degreed Medical Doctor who sees his Destiny as, of all things, a Writer of Novels. Again, Celebrity vs Healer. Welcome to the 2000's.This is somewhat intriguing and with such an accomplished Cast it is forever Watchable, but one keeps flashing Nostalgic about the Good Ol Days when Woody Allen's Curveball had its spin and He hadn't lost a step on His way to the Hoop.