Dianne Weist celebrated her 58th birthday today. Her movie time seems to have passed but in the 80s and 90s --oh the joy she brought. Think Patricia Clarkson right. now. and you begin to approach the level of brilliance Weist managed for two decades consistently. Hannah and Her Sisters, Bullets Over Broadway, The Lost Boys, Edward Scissorhands, Parenthood --there was just no touching this woman for elevating a film with humor, genuine warmth, and inspired acting choices. Won't some major director give her one last superb showcase so she can win a third Oscar?
Another squinty-eyed actress won an Oscar not so long ago. If we never mention her name again maybe she'll go away?
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I LOVED Wiest in Parenthood. I actually think it's her best performance... even better than her two oscar-winning roles. She was just so funny, warm, tender and believeable as the put-upon single mother. Maybe that role was just more endearing to me than her two Woody showcases. But Edward Scissorhands and even Lost Boys, like you said, featured unexpectedly brilliant turns from Wiest. I really really love her.
Actually, la Z's screen persona seemed so very much like Weist's until she went all gonzo circa 2003. It's really too bad... she seemed so ready to carry on the legacy...
I used to love La Z...but I think Nat has had some influence on me...and maybe she just hasn't been around...whatever the reason, I'm not really interested anymore.
And Diane in Edward Scissorhands is brilliant...so warm and real (in a very un-real film).
Yeah, she really anchored Ed Sciss... but I love her less stylized performances even more... I don't know why I'm so smitten by Parenthood... I give Wiest extra points for not allowing Howard to fuck her up.
Not an entirely satisfying movie, the obscure Cookie however had quite a few pleasures to offer, among them the brightest was Wiest brilliant performance as the hilariously manipulative yet sweet aging gangster’s moll. Even better than her other, indeed very good, turn in Parenthood the same year.
Yeah, I used to love Z (even in Chicago) but now...
Dianne Weist however is truly special. Love her heaps!
(I'm back btw)
Happy Birthday Dianne Wiest!!
I adore her in everything. She kills me in Parenthood.
I was feeling bad for passing over this birthday, but secretly knew I could count on you. Luh-huv Dianne. "I hate April; she's pushy" would be enough, almost by itself.
More good Wiest-watching in Allen's September.
What about "Footloose," "Little Man Tate" and "The Birdcage"? Three more of her good perfs.
Happy Birthday to you, Dianne Wiest! Love you for having sex with something that requires batteries. Lady's got needs -- you go, girl!
M
I adore Wiest (and how could I not, she's even a Woody regular).
I'm terribly mixed on Ms. Zellweger. I still maintain that Renee's best performances were in Nurse Betty and Bridget Jones -- and from there, the quality of her performances dropped drastically. She was absolutely horrendous in Cinderella Man.
Nick D.: I don't care how fantastic Wiest always is -- Allen's September is downright unwatchable.
i think she's great in September too but it is a bit of a slog.
I also LOVED her short turn in Purple Rose of Cairo --so funny -- but forgot to list it in the post.
Z's line reading of "I'm ALWAYS behind you" in the CInderella Man trailer literally made me crack up while watching it... it looks like intentional self-parody.
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