You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

R

Released Sep 22, 2010

1h 38m

Comedy

Drama

List

45%

Tomatometer

138 Reviews

34%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Two married couples find only trouble and heartache as their complicated lives unfold. After 40 years of marriage, Alfie leaves his wife to pursue what he thinks is happiness with a call girl. His wife, Helena, reeling from abandonment, decides to follow the advice of a psychic. Sally, the daughter of Alfie and Helena, is unhappy in her marriage and develops a crush on her boss, while her husband, Roy, falls for a woman engaged to be married.

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Critics Consensus

It's sporadically amusing, and typically well-cast, but You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger isn't one of Woody Allen's more inspired late-period efforts.

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Philip French

Guardian

Elaborately plotted, perfunctorily directed, unevenly acted and short on verbal wit.

Mar 22, 2011

Full Review

Anthony Quinn

Independent (UK)

A narrator alerts us at the outset that this tale is (to quote Macbeth) "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing". I suppose we should be thankful for the warning.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 18, 2011

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

It's interesting and worthwhile, with creative vitamins that are absent in so much of what fills the cinemas.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 17, 2011

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

On the whole, the film compares to one of Allen’s works from his ugly downturn in the early 2000s

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 7, 2023

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

The comedy isn't bad, but its doesn't overcome being apathetic or unnecessary. [Full review in Spanish]

Jul 19, 2022

Full Review

Jason Best

Movie Talk

The film's pessimistic view of life and relationships probably won't win the director any new fans, but the intricate, darkly ironic plot should keep the Allen faithful intrigued.

Dec 5, 2020

Full Review

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Jeff M

While nowhere near Woody's true masterpieces, I found this underrated film to be one of his stronger post-2000 achievements and a welcome reminder of his uncanny ability to seamlessly blend comedy and drama. We are presented with a cast of characters who aren't terribly likeable but who face life choices and decisions that are rather fascinating and make us contemplate what we would do if we were in their shoes. The film is almost Altman-esque in its relationships and overlapping storylines, and I found myself enthralled through most of the proceedings. I was least interested in the parts featuring Anthony Hopkins falling for call girl Lucy Punch, in the film's one awkward performance. And I was especially taken by the scenes with Brolin, both in his obsession with the enchanting Freida Pinto and his ruthless need for creative success at any cost. If you are a Woody fan, I would recommend you check this one out.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/18/24

Full Review

Wade W

This is one of Allen's more offbeat projects and to me, it's just alright. The performances are solid, but the story never reeled me in. Lots of cliches. Not much depth.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/16/23

Full Review

Alexsander F

Mais um filme muito bom, com destaque para a atuação de Naomi Watss nesse filme, sensacional.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/30/23

Full Review

Larry S

Poorly executed unfinished storyline.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

Jan C

Great cast which I enjoyed. Story was similar to so many of woodie's movies; after all, he's an expert at betrayal and getting rid of age- appropriate women. Yawn….

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

susan j

Loved it. Nice classic Woody Allen film, amusing, beautifully shot, fabulous cast, well-directed. Light-hearted with an underpinning of wistful recognition of the human condition and tragedy and/or comedy of being mortal (or not...)

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Woody Allen

Director

Antonio Banderas

Greg

Josh Brolin

Roy

Anthony Hopkins

Alfie

Gemma Jones

Helena Shepridge

Freida Pinto

Dia

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Synopsis

Two married couples find only trouble and heartache as their complicated lives unfold. After 40 years of marriage, Alfie leaves his wife to pursue what he thinks is happiness with a call girl. His wife, Helena, reeling from abandonment, decides to follow the advice of a psychic. Sally, the daughter of Alfie and Helena, is unhappy in her marriage and develops a crush on her boss, while her husband, Roy, falls for a woman engaged to be married.

Director: Woody Allen
Producer: Letty Aronson, Jaume Roures, Stephen Tenenbaum
Screenwriter: Woody Allen
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Versatil Cinema, Dippermouth, Gravier Productions, Mediapro Pictures
Rating: R (Some Language)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 22, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 17, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.2M
Runtime: 1h 38m

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