By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Anthony Hopkins | Antonio Banderas | Gemma Jones | Josh Brolin | Naomi Watts | Pauline Collins
Country: spain, united_states
Year: 2010
Running time: 98
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1182350/
Diane says: “Woody Allen’s latest, starring Anthony Hopkins and Naomi Watts among others in a fab-o cast. Fast and clever, but my companions were right when they said that Allen usually has respect, if not sympathy, for his characters, and here he has neither. That deflated my enthusiasm, even though I was already disappointed by the denouement. Go for the laughs. 3 cats”
Marilyn responds: “Oh, I was so underwhelmed by this…..slow….so the usual Woody stuff. I actually left—thought I might as well sleep at home.”
Hilary says: “Nothing special, but a few fun characters, such as the delightfully-named Lucy Punch as Charmaine and Gemma Jones as the dotty Helena, and always fun to see the random actors Allen includes in his ensembles. Here, Antonio Banderas in a suit; never a bad thing.
“I was impressed-slash-horrified with how schlubby (Woody-esque) Josh Brolin was. I know it’s one of Allen’s hallmarks to have a crazy hot young woman fall for the schlub, but seriously Frieda Pinto’s Dia must’ve had cataracts.”
Jason says: “I posted about TALLK DARK STRANGER on my blog a few weeks ago (http://www.jaysmovieblog.com/2010/11/this-week-in-tickets-25-october-2010-to.html), though I didn’t copy it here because it’s not a full review and not totally about the movie itself, but the upshot is that Woody Allen has really become a miserable old man. I think that every movie he’s made in the last ten years has been about not dreaming of or striving for a better life than you have, because attempting to improve your situation will just get you and those around you punished for your presumption. This one adds the idea that the only way to be happy is to completely and utterly delude yourself.
“Shame, because he’s assembled, as per usual, an impressive cast. Pity he’s become such a predictable (and, in this case, boring) downer.”