Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27251 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-02-17
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 92 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The first feature to be directed by comedian Mel Smith, The Tall Guy is a blithely ramshackle comedy, essentially a vehicle for the gangling, geeky charms of Jeff Goldblum. He plays an American actor in London, living in a scruffy flat in Camden Town and stuck in a wretched job as sidekick to an obnoxious, egomaniac comedian (Rowan Atkinson). To compound his misery, he doesn't have a girlfriend--until, that is, he encounters a brisk, pretty nurse (Emma Thompson) with a refreshingly no-nonsense attitude to sex. Then, fired from his job, he lands the title role in a big-budget musical version of The Elephant Man (entitled Elephant!)--only to have his leading lady make a play for him.

The Tall Guy, as you might gather, isn't long on originality and Smith's direction is serviceable at best. But it boasts an intelligent and intermittently witty script from Richard Curtis (his first for a feature film), and coasts through on the charm of the two leads, a ripely self-mocking performance from Atkinson and some diverting set-pieces--not least a spoof sex-scene where Goldblum and Thompson, in the urgency of their rampant lust, demolish the contents of an entire room. (This scene was replayed in deadly earnest in Chen Kaige's calamitous excursion into English-language thrillers, Killing Me Softly.) Smith and Curtis also have fun sending up various types of theatre: there's an audition for a Steven Berkoff production where the actors are required to scream "Fuck off" at each for minutes on end, and the musical (hit song "I'm Packing My Trunk") wickedly spoofs the Andrew Lloyd Webber school of composition.

On the DVD: The Tall Guy offers no extras except the theatrical trailer. The transfer is full-width, and both sound and visual come up cleanly. --Philip Kemp

Customer Reviews

Richard Curtis' greatest film!
This is a very underrated movie! It is very different to Richard Curtis' other movies becuase it was not written for an American audience, as his other (more famous) movies were. The humour is more in line with that of his TV work such as Blackadder, and in my view that makes it much funnier!

The script is absolutely hilarious! This is not just Richard Curtis' funniest film, but also one of the funniest films I have ever seen. It will have you laughing out loud from start to finish!

The cast is also superb: Rowan Atkinson, Jeff Goldblum, Emma Thompson. Need I say more?

Highly recommended!

Stands the Test of Time
The Tall Guy was a favourite with my family when we were younger so it was with some trepidation that I bought it recently. However I can honestly say that I enjoyed it just as much watching it in my 30's as I did back then.

Emma Thomson - although not among my favourite actors - is great in this role. Her way-too-honest and abrupt manner is somehow refreshing and you genuinely like her. Jeff Goldblum is an american actor lacking in confidence who plays an unnoticed side-kick in Rowan Atkinson's character's stage show.

A lot of this movie is focussed on the production of a musical based on the Elephant Man - which frankly is reason enough to watch it. It's just so offensive - it's wonderful!

A very good movie. Very British and maybe slightly dated but still very good fun.

Hilariously funny - Jeff Goldblum is FANTASTIC!
When i was seven, my brother introduced me to my favourite movie of all time bar 'aliens' and 'the fly'. 'The Tall Guy' has an outstanding pair of co stars, never have i seen a movie in which a pair of actors have ever worked so well together. Jeff Goldblum is cast as a struggling actor in need of inspiration and a big break. It just so happens that he meets Emma Thompson who manages to make his life everything it is not. This movie gave Goldblum his amazing reputation of being one of the best actors this world has produced. With the terrific love song 'It Must Be Love' by Madness, and the squishing of an unsuspecting orange carton -you have to watch to find out- this is a heart rendering romantic comedy. With smashing scenes from 'The Elephant Man' in which Jeff Goldblum's character stars, this is the best movie for a night in with a loving partner. This movie makes me feel all warm and squishy inside - it must be love.