Cannes Review Round-Up: Woody Allen's "You Will Meet a Tall, Dark Stranger"

Welcome to the second installment of the hopefully many-part series detailing the "results" of the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Up next is Woody Allen's latest star-studded ensemble piece, You Will Meet a Tall, Dark Stranger. Even though Nicole Kidman left the project, dashing the first possible chance for her to work with BFF Naomi Watts, it is the latest from Woody, which good or bad, usually means interesting. Continuing his European phase after Match Point, and Vicky Cristina Barcelona, now Allen's in London. Judging from the first handful of reviews, the response has been nice, but nothing spectacular. The Hollywood Reporter calls the film "A serviceable Woody Allen comedy that trifles with its characters rather than engaging with them." Vanity Fair has a slightly different take; content-wise, that is. Julian Sancton says the film "is perhaps the most somber screening at Cannes." However, Sancton goes on to say that, like the film's press conference, the film was "the funniest and darkest at Cannes." Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman is less kind right from the get go; his article/post is titled "Mike Leigh scores and Woody Allen bores". The review doesn't let up, with such comments as, "The atrociously titled You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is one of Woody Allen’s “fables” — which is practically code, at this point, for the flavorless, dry- cookie thing that results when he writes and directs a comedy on autopilot," and, "There should, by now, be an award for worst actor forced to impersonate Woody Allen in a Woody Allen film. I would probably give the award to Kenneth Branagh in Celebrity (with Scarlett Johansson as a close runner-up in Scoop). But if Josh Brolin, in You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, doesn’t quite enter the make-it-stop stratosphere of whiny fumbling stuttering embarrassment, he’s still got to be the least likely actor yet to play a faux-Woody neurotic intellectual." Ouch.

[current] Cannes Verdict: A routine Woody Allen comedy/drama that is by no means essential viewing.

First official still from Woody Allen's "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger"

For other pictures of the cast, including Anthony Hopkins, go here.

This is the case year by year with Woody Allen films, details are generally scant at first. But really, as much as we love the guy, the general stories of his films are never a big surprise by this point and such is the case with the newly revealed synopsis for "You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger." You can read the barebones studio-supplied description below:

"A little romance, some sex, some treachery and apart from that, a few laughs. The lives of a group of people whose passions, ambitions and anxieties force them all into assorted troubles that run the gamut from ludicrous to dangerous."

The vague synopsis of course also applies to more than a handful of Allen's films throughout his career and you could add some marital infidelity and neuroticism to the list. The title reportedly refers to a visit to a scene from early in the movie in which Naomi Watts' character visits a gypsy fortune teller who tells of her future romantic acquaintances. Perhaps we'll get some of the same light-hearted goofy mysticism that Allen presented in "Scoop" and "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion"?

As previously reported, the film also features Josh Brolin (playing the Allen character type) as a writer who enters an extra-marital affair. Allen described the film as "being amusing and also serious," so you can expect the sort of mixed moods that Allen often employs. In addition to Watts and Brolin, the London-set film features Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto, Lucy Punch, and Anna Friel. 'Stranger' is slated for a September 23rd release date with a rumored Cannes premiere.

Woody Allen's 2010 Project finally gets a title

Source: The Hollywood Reporter/Spill.com


The Hollywood Reporter says that the title of Woody Allen's new film is You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger.

The film stars Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Gemma Jones, Freida Pinto and Lucy Punch as different members of a family struggling with their tangled love lives and their attempts to try to solve their problems.

You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger is slated for release in fall 2010.

First picture of Josh Brolin and Frieda Pinto on set for Untitled Woody Allen Project (2010)

Woody Allen's 2010 London project finds a replacement for Nicole Kidman: Lucy Punch

Source: SlashFilm

Woody Allen is working on his new movie to be filmed in London this Summer, and the cast he’s planned includes Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Naomi Watts and, until recently, also featured Nicole Kidman. She recently bowed out, however, when the schedule for Rabbit Hole was set and clashed with Woody’s plan.Rabbit Hole took precedence as Kidman is not just acting in it, she’s also producing. As a result, Woody Allen has now replaced Ms. Kidman and his choice is a fascinating one. Against all of my intuition, he’s gone for the British actress Lucy Punch, who you probably know best from CBS sitcom The Class or Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz.

I don’t think Kidman can be blamed for her choice - but what an enviable decision. Each of the two films offered a great writer (Allen or David Lindsay Abaire) and great co-star (see above for the Allen, or Aaron Eckhart).

Nicole Kidman drops out of Woody Allen's new film

Source: Variety

Nicole Kidman has ankled her role in Woody Allen's latest, untitled project.

Pic, which co-stars Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Naomi Watts and Freida Pinto, is set to start shooting in London in the summer.

There is no word yet on who Kidman's replacement will be.

Steve Tenenbaum, Gravier Prods.' Letty Aronson and Mediapro's Jaume Roures are producing, with Mediapro also financing.

Gravier and Mediapro previously teamed to make Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

Allen's London-set project will be the first of a three-picture deal between Allen and Mediapro.

Spain's Imagina Intl. is handling international sales.

Woody Allen lines up yet another 5-star ensemble...

And considering the frequency with which actors in his movies score Oscar nominations (and wins), who wouldn't want to jump on Allen's next project? This is one good looking and phenomenally talented cast: