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Comedy drama

Let Them All Talk (2020): Cast, Ratings & Plot

Let Them All Talk (2020) movie poster

Let Them All Talk is a 2020 comedy drama directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring Candice Bergen as Roberta, Dianne Wiest and Meryl Streep. It runs 1 hour 53 minutes. It earned 1 award nomination, including Studio or Independent – Comedy at the Artios Awards 2021. Critics gave it 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and 72 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.1/10.

IMDb rating
6.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes
87%
award nomination
1
Echo Score
73
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Let Them All Talk (2020) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 53m (113 min)
Genres
Drama , Comedy
Original language
English
Studio
HBO Max
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Let Them All Talk About?

The premise of Let Them All Talk without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A renowned author travels to a remote island with longtime friends, Candice Bergen and Dianne Wiest, hoping to reconnect and enjoy their time together. Her nephew, acting as her agent, accompanies them, while a young woman adds intrigue as she tries to understand the author's creative process and the inspiration behind her next book. The journey offers a chance for reflection, companionship, and the exploration of enduring friendships.

Let Them All Talk Themes & Keywords

· 32 tags
  • ocean liner
  • author
  • literary agent
  • cruise
  • writer
  • old friend
  • director also editor
  • aunt nephew relationship
  • new york city
  • seattle washington
  • dallas texas
  • cleveland ohio
+20 more
  • mystery writer
  • swimming pool
  • ocean crossing
  • hotel
  • deep vein thrombosis
  • lingerie store
  • grave
  • wales
  • reference to homer's odyssey
  • reference to agatha christie
  • reference to elon musk
  • reference to the pulitzer prize
  • champagne
  • reference to instagram
  • reference to facebook
  • visiting a grave
  • 21st century
  • 2020s
  • friend
  • happiness
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Cast & crew

Let Them All Talk Cast & Characters

Candice Bergen leads the cast as Roberta, with Dianne Wiest as Susan and Meryl Streep as Alice. Directed by Steven Soderbergh; 7 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Let Them All Talk

· 3 more
From the director

More from Steven Soderbergh

More films directed by Steven Soderbergh, best-rated first: sex, lies, and videotape, Traffic, The Christophers and King of the Hill.

Full filmography
Ratings

Let Them All Talk Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Let Them All Talk 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and 72 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.1/10. Our Echo Score gives it 73/100, strongest in sensory experience (90) and weakest in story & flow (55).

73 /100

Let Them All Talk Echo Score Breakdown

In terms of its overall execution, Let Them All Talk demonstrates a nuanced directorial approach that foregrounds character interactions but occasionally falters in sustaining narrative momentum. The film’s observational framing and natural lighting create an immersive backdrop, while performances provide humanizing detail. However, its deliberate pacing and episodic structure lead to uneven engagement. On balance, the thoughtful craftsmanship and strong aesthetic sensibility outweigh the moments of narrative drift.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 88

    In terms of cinematography and design, the film employs restrained framing and natural lighting throughout the shipboard setting. The minimal camera setup and documentary-style compositions bring an authentic sense of place, while the production details evoke midcentury elegance. This consistent visual approach enhances the immersive quality of each scene.

  • Character & Emotion 72

    When it comes to character depth, Let Them All Talk features nuanced performances that hinge on improvised dialogue and sustained interactions among seasoned actors. The frequent silences allow moments of emotional resonance, yet some characters occasionally feel underexplored or improvised beyond clear motivation. Overall, the interplay yields authentic human moments despite uneven character development in certain segments.

  • Story & Flow 55

    In terms of narrative flow, the film adopts an episodic structure that emphasizes conversational exchanges over conventional plot progression. While this approach yields moments of thoughtful insight and thematic cohesion, it also produces stretches where pacing slows and engagement diminishes. The concluding segment similarly divides opinion, leaving a mixed impression of originality tempered by uneven momentum.

  • Sensory Experience 90

    When it comes to sensory experience, the film unifies its soundscape and visual style through natural ambient audio and an understated jazz-inflected score. The ship’s authentic atmosphere emerges in each scene, supported by restrained sound design and a cohesive color palette. This alignment of auditory and visual elements sustains an immersive tonal consistency.

  • Rewatch Factor 60

    In terms of replay value, the dialogue-driven format and deliberate pacing create a specialized appeal that may reward viewers who appreciate subtle interactions. However, the extended silences and episodic structure could diminish enjoyment on subsequent viewings for those seeking more dynamic progression. Overall, the film’s contemplative nature offers limited but meaningful rewatch potential for select audiences.

Plot

Let Them All Talk Plot Summary

What happens in Let Them All Talk from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Alice Hughes, portrayed by Meryl Streep, is a celebrated Pulitzer Prize-winning author currently engaged in crafting her latest manuscript, which her publisher hopes will be a follow-up to her renowned book, You Always/You Never. As Alice prepares to accept a literary award in the UK, she faces an obstacle: her health prevents her from flying. In a bid to resolve this predicament, her agent Karen suggests that Alice embark on a transatlantic journey aboard the Queen Mary 2. To assist her during this voyage, Alice invites her nephew Tyler, along with two old university friends, Roberta and Susan, whom she has not connected with in years.

Full summary

The whole story of Let Them All Talk, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Awards

Let Them All Talk Awards & Nominations

Let Them All Talk earned 1 award nomination, including Studio or Independent – Comedy at the Artios Awards 2021.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Videos

Let Them All Talk Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Let Them All Talk.

Let Them All Talk Trailer #1 (2020) | Movieclips Trailers
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Let Them All Talk?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author in the film?

Cars

Cars in Let Them All Talk

12 cars on screen, including the 2006 Ford Crown Victoria and the 2019 Lincoln Navigator L.

All 12 cars
  • 2006 Ford Crown Victoria in Let Them All Talk 2006 Ford Crown Victoria Minor role
  • 2019 Lincoln Navigator L in Let Them All Talk 2019 Lincoln Navigator L Minor role
  • 2014 Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse W447 in Let Them All Talk 2014 Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse W447 Minor role
  • 2015 Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer W447 in Let Them All Talk 2015 Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer W447 Minor role
Details

Let Them All Talk Also Known As

21 alternative titles, including “La grande traversée” and “Deixe Que Todos Falem”.

Also known as
  • La grande traversée
  • Deixe Que Todos Falem
  • Laissons-les parler
  • 让他们说吧
  • Lasciali parlare
  • Nechte je všechny mluvit
  • Ļaujiet visiem izteikties
  • Niech gadają
  • Пусть говорят
  • 렛 댐 올 토크
  • Szabad szavak
  • Nechajte ich všetkých rozprávať
+9 more
  • Déjales hablar
  • بگذار همه حرف بزنند
  • שידברו
  • Нехай говорять
  • Bırak Konuşsunlar
  • Lasă-i să vorbească, დაე, ისაუბრონ
  • レット・ゼム・オール・トーク
  • 讓他們說吧
  • สนทนาภาษาชีวิต

Seen Let Them All Talk?

FAQ

Let Them All Talk FAQ: Cast, Awards & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Let Them All Talk, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Let Them All Talk?

Let Them All Talk runs 1 hour 53 minutes (113 minutes).

When was Let Them All Talk released?

Let Them All Talk was released on December 10, 2020.

Who directed Let Them All Talk?

Let Them All Talk was directed by Steven Soderbergh.

More films by Steven Soderbergh

Who is in the cast of Let Them All Talk?

Let Them All Talk stars Candice Bergen as Roberta, Dianne Wiest as Susan and Meryl Streep as Alice, among 7 credited actors.

How is Let Them All Talk rated?

Let Them All Talk has 6.1/10 on IMDb, 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, 72 on Metacritic and 56% on TMDB.

Was Let Them All Talk nominated for any awards?

Let Them All Talk received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

Does Let Them All Talk have a post-credit scene?

No. Let Them All Talk has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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