The Tall Guy is a 1989 romantic comedy and the feature film debut of screenwriter Richard Curtis and director Mel Smith. It was produced by London Weekend Television for theatrical release and stars Jeff Goldblum, Emma Thompson, and Rowan Atkinson. Curtis's script draws from his experiences as straight man to long-time collaborator Rowan Atkinson.
The cast includes (among others):
The film includes cameo appearances from John Inman, Melvyn Bragg, Suggs, Jonathan Ross and director Mel Smith.
The protagonist and narrator is Dexter King (Goldblum), an American actor working in London and living platonically in Camden Town with his "educated, charming...nymphomaniac" landlady (played by Geraldine James). He's just finished his sixth year playing "The Tall Guy", a straight man in a two-man, long-running comedy revue starring (and dominated by) Ron Anderson (Rowan Atkinson, playing a role based on himself).
Chronic hay fever prompts him to see a doctor, where he meets and falls quickly in love with Kate (played by Emma Thompson), who works there as a nurse.
Plot
"Performance Anxiety" is the story of a man, Randy, that goes home with a beautiful sexy women, Jenny, only to be haunted by "phantoms" of her ex-lovers. In the spirit of "American Pie" and "There's Something About Mary", It's a comedy that pushes the envelope of good taste.
They say "When you sleep with someone, you are sleeping with everyone else they have ever slept with" - But what would happen if they all actually showed up?
Feathers of beauty twirl down from the sky
And all that is past turns black in front of his eyes
On the day after the story faded
He searched for what he loved and hated
Dry white skin covers aching bitter marks.
Marks left unspoken during his first sore life
What’s gone for now isn’t that bad somehow
The crowd stays silent, their lips are paralyzed.
The evidence of my existence is my own lie
Truth doesn’t hide in the words of the deceiver
False scene’s set up by his dissembling fire
Burning denial, Burning denial,
Burning denial has led this puppet's life.
Am I, Am I
the guy who lost his mind
Am I, Am I
the guy who lost his mind
Drifting between the old forgotten desires
Shadows burn all the walls he passes
Now time exposes his raving shifting hours
and he prays for God to change what faith decided
Burning denial, Burning denial,
Burning denial has led this puppet's life.
Am I, Am I
the guy who lost his mind
Am I, Am I