You will meet a tall dark stranger - Movie review

You will meet a tall dark stranger
U/a; comedy
Dir: Woody Allen
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Gemma Jones, Antonio Banderas, Naomi Watts, Freida Pinto, Anupam Kher
''

What it's about: A story of four married couples. Alfie (Hopkins) and Helena (Jones) get divorced and he gets married to an 'actress.' Helena loses her bearings and starts living her life based on the advice of a charlatan. Meanwhile, her daughter Sally (Watts) and husband Roy (Brolin) are going through a crisis of their own fuelled by their financial condition. Sally develops a crush on her handsome art gallery owner boss, Greg (Banderas), while Roy, a struggling novelist falls for the girl across the street Dia (Pinto).

What's hot: There are few laughs from what could've been a very amusing film. The laughs are provided by Charmaine's 'bimbette' character and Helena's obsession with drinking, her relationship with her son-in-law and past lives. What connects, is that the characters are yearning for that something child, happiness, a letter from the publisher and the need to hold on to youth. The powerful cast takes care of that.

What's NOT: There's nothing new or interesting here. The story is weak and underdeveloped. It's not fresh, funny, feel-good, romantic or clever. Yet another blah formulaic film that leaves you feeling blah. You just keep waiting for something to happen that makes you connect with the characters and their sad lives. Like too mnay films you've seen before. And many similarities to Allen's own films the multiple tales, the dysfunctional relationships, the narrator taking the story forward and the twisted humour (friends around the bed of comatose friend, the Viagra scene). That's all there. But it's not enough. And it's been done better in the past.

What to do: Watch only if you are a Woody Allen fan.