Woody Allen frequently seems to take his cues from music in molding a story. This time, in YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER he admixes frustrated relationships with lust and a dollop of 'ppychic readings' and comes up with a fun if uneven little film. As usual he surrounds himself with a fine cast of actors who are able to make the most out of Allen's outline for a microscopic examination of human behavior.
Helena Shebritch (Gemma Jones) is consulting 'clairvoyant' Cristal (Pauline Collins) regarding the request for divorce from her gadabout husband Alfie (Anthony Hopkins) who is courting a hooker named Charmaine (Lucy Punch). Helena and Alfie's daughter Sally (Naomi Watts) is disgusted with both her parents and is in the midst of coping with her MD educated turned writer's block novelist husband Roy (Josh Brolin). Fed up with their static life Sally seeks and gains employment with art gallerist Greg (Antonio Banderas), and in her need for attention falls in lust with him, despite the fact that he is married and seemingly unavailable until she discovers Greg is having an affair with gallery artist Iris (Anna Friel). Roy spends his days gazing at guitarist Dia (Freida Pinto) who lives across the way in the next apartment. Roy serendipitously comes on a novel (by a comatosed friend) he can 'sell' and with his self worth strengthened he courts Dia who is in an arranged marriage contract. Inappropriate Cristal is the one who oversees all of the derring-do with miscalculated predictions - except for Helena who meets widower Jonathan (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) in a séance oriented lifestyle. By story's end it seems that perhaps Helena will be the only one successful in her 'wish upon a star'.
This may not be one of Woody Allen's best films but it does pose many questions about relationships today and as usual, he has a fine cast to entertain us. If you like Woody Allen, you'll likely enjoy this outing.
Grady Harp
Helena Shebritch (Gemma Jones) is consulting 'clairvoyant' Cristal (Pauline Collins) regarding the request for divorce from her gadabout husband Alfie (Anthony Hopkins) who is courting a hooker named Charmaine (Lucy Punch). Helena and Alfie's daughter Sally (Naomi Watts) is disgusted with both her parents and is in the midst of coping with her MD educated turned writer's block novelist husband Roy (Josh Brolin). Fed up with their static life Sally seeks and gains employment with art gallerist Greg (Antonio Banderas), and in her need for attention falls in lust with him, despite the fact that he is married and seemingly unavailable until she discovers Greg is having an affair with gallery artist Iris (Anna Friel). Roy spends his days gazing at guitarist Dia (Freida Pinto) who lives across the way in the next apartment. Roy serendipitously comes on a novel (by a comatosed friend) he can 'sell' and with his self worth strengthened he courts Dia who is in an arranged marriage contract. Inappropriate Cristal is the one who oversees all of the derring-do with miscalculated predictions - except for Helena who meets widower Jonathan (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) in a séance oriented lifestyle. By story's end it seems that perhaps Helena will be the only one successful in her 'wish upon a star'.
This may not be one of Woody Allen's best films but it does pose many questions about relationships today and as usual, he has a fine cast to entertain us. If you like Woody Allen, you'll likely enjoy this outing.
Grady Harp