James In the rather play-like "You Will Meet a Tall, Dark Stranger", writer-director Woody Allen transfers to the for-him rather unusual territory of London, though American accents are not entirely absent as Josh Brolin takes a central role, alongside Brits and Europeans Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto, Naomi Watts and Gemma Jones. With such a cast, we have an expectation of more-than-adequate acting, but - while this aspect is certainly good enough - the thespian skills do not manifest themselves too overtly, and even the settings - though pleasant-ish - are far from touristy, and certainly not the best London can offer. Equally, cast and locations alike are somehow familiar, even comfortable-looking in their way, and thus serve as the perfect background for a storyline that sees these well-known famous faces made to jump through hoops by Allen, in the interests of his pithy and at-times profound storyline. Ultimately, the characters portrayed here, more or less connected with each other as they are, all seem willing to risk a very great deal (exposing themselves to chaos and discomfiture and deeper unhappiness), by taking drastic action in response to the actually-minor and/or inevitable-with-age troubles they find themselves landed with. Ironically, and perhaps annoyingly, the film ends before we fully witness our anti-heroes getting their just desserts for having taken a sledgehammer to crack a nut; but in the meantime, a large amount of wit and wickedness is seen to have gone into crafting the ideas that the cast members pursue in the naive view that they will find themselves in a better place, lifewise. Since all would probably have fared better had they been more accepting of what life chose to dish out to them, the somewhat downbeat message would seem to be that, in our lives most likely lived out with somebody or other we are bound to come across a number of problems, including relative incompatibility, lack of the resources we longed for and mostly expected to get our hands on one day, and simple ennui.And that's just how it is...And maybe we should just accept that...Inevitably, given the above scenario, none of the characters are ones we can actually warm to - somehow they are just too self-centred and selfish, and would-be Machiavellian. That really leaves us with a kind of morality play laced with a certain number of delicious ironies, and this is (even somewhat tangibly to the more-attunded viewer) a hyper-traditional scenario pretty much as old as public entertainment itself. Interesting in that respect that several themes are returned to by Allen in later films, not least (the far-more visually attractive) "Cafe Society" of 2016. It might thus be argued that the latter film outdoes this one. However, the apparent blandness of setting of "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger" can be a virtue, while the mostly-British accents are important in reminding us that Woody Allen's take on human reality holds good away from New York or other US locales - a message worth taking on board, perhaps.

Kirpianuscus maybe, not the best. but nice. and good opportunity to meet a soft Allen, using a spring mixture of flavors and cinnamon and honey. great cat. and a story like a large puzzle. more important than compare it with the other pieces from the filmography it is to enjoy it. only enjoy. because, without be great, it is a honest film. and this is not a small virtue. it represents the occasion to see great actors making a fine job. and, not the last, an ironic view about the contemporary sins is always an useful choice. so, a Woody Allen. special. refreshing. and seductive but not using the classic recipes.

tomsview I must admit, I found this Woody Allen comedy a surprisingly depressing film. Whereas in things like "Match Point" and "Blue Jasmine" his observations on human frailty were tempered by empathy for his characters, here he is less forgiving.Set in London, the story begins as Alfie (Anthony Hopkins) and Helena (Gemma Jones), split up. He attempts to recapture his lost youth with exercise, new clothes and a woman less than half his age while Helena is left adrift to seek counsel with a fortune-teller. The breakup affects their daughter, Sally (Naomi Watts), whose marriage to struggling writer Roy (Josh Brolin) is also going through a rough patch. Their lives seem in a fluid state and before the end, all the relationships fall apart and new ones form, although nearly all are thwarted in some way or other.There is angst all the way through this story. Woody Allen has a great ear for angst, but it's usually balanced with tremendous wit. However, I don't think the muse settled all that well on "I See a Tall Dark Stranger", and the stress he applies to his characters reveals merely self-obsession all round.Naomi Watts is someone who can breath life into any script, but I think Allen leaves her a bit stranded on this one. Usually we can sense when he is leading up to a punch line, we are used to the rhythm of his best works, but opportunities are lost here – the humour has a harder edge and the real zingers are missing.Part of the reason could be the narration. It has worked well in some of Woody Allen's films, however, in this one it actually takes the place of what probably should have been sharper exchanges between the characters.The tale is told in a wry manner, or maybe that should be a cynical one. The choice of music is light, which emphasises the irony that comes thick and fast especially at the end. If there are insights in the script, it is that people can be spiteful, and turn nasty when they don't get their own way.Over the decades, Woody Allen's films have run the gamut from brilliant to blah and not everyone will agree on which ones are which. For me, although it holds your attention, "I See a Tall Dark Stranger" is just too negative to be called a really enjoyable experience.

A_Different_Drummer I realize that his many fans feel Allen can do no wrong but this film stands as a mute rebuttal to that point of view.The low rating reflects not necessarily the production values (which are almost perfect even though the film is horrid) but the blow to "media ecology" that the planet must endure when an artiste WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER wastes talent like it grew on trees.The "magic" here is that somehow Allen coaxed some of the best actors on the planet to give one of the worst performances of their lives.Don't know where to start. Brolin, he of the broad facial testosterone markers, plays a simpering wimp. Watts, who almost never looks lost in a role, acts like she would rather be somewhere else. Hopkins and Bandiaras are playing variants of role they have played many times before, which suggests that, if nothing else, you are better off watching those performances, not these.And the trademark Allen voice-over, an egoistic affectation if ever there was, serves the same role as the Surgeon General's warning on a pack of cigarettes.