Jessica Biel out-acting Edward Norton.
Tags: Jessica Biel, Edward Norton,The Illusionist, films, movies
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
A Sure Sign of the Apocalypse
I fear typing this. I have held my tongue for days. The fabric of the cinematic universe may tear at such a blasphemic utterance. And yet... I feel compelled to share my confusion. For I saw the dread event occur with mine own two eyes:
Jessica Biel out-acting Edward Norton.
Tags: Jessica Biel, Edward Norton,The Illusionist, films, movies
Jessica Biel out-acting Edward Norton.
Tags: Jessica Biel, Edward Norton,The Illusionist, films, movies
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18 comments:
Meaning Biel is mediocre and Norton is bad. Right.
OR
[gulp]
Is Norton OK and Biel...
[gulp]
good?
Rob
the second.
[gulp] is correct
This movie was horrible. Does anyone know Edward Norton's address so I can go demand my money back.
I must see this tonight.
You think so, Nat? I thought she was okay, but nothing special.
And I pretty much liked the movie overall.
One critic described Biel in the film as "bovine." I thought this was mean, but I also had to laugh.
maybe it was the low expectations but I thought she was good. Norton just bored me though. I thought the movie was decent but no great shakes.
what happened to Norton? he came on with all this fire and seems to just be half there lately.
I think he is in the same mode that Sean Penn was in before Dead Man Walking. He is taking the acting thing just too seriously and is looking for all these intereting quirky projects that just end up being dull.
I'm not surprised Bial was good. She was never BAD per se on 7th Heaven, she just never had the opportunity to be good. But she's always seemed like a decent actress. Rather like Michelle Williams in Dawson's Creek. Except I guess Williams is better.
I second that. I thought Biel had talent, just hat she never was given the opportunity to show off. Or maybe she's Madonna-esque and needs a good director to focus her energies.
Either way, I don't see this as a sign of the apocalypse. Now, if Pauly Shore does serious dramatic work and rocks it, I'll start to worry.
yikes!
The surprising thing about Biel (for me) is not that she gave a good performance, but that she didn't seem at all out of place in 'The Illusionist,' a decidedly un-modern period piece. Plus, is it just me, or was her accent quite competent (much better than the others) as well? Go her, I guess.
anonymous --that's just it. She was more convincingly in period than Giamatti or Norton for me. And the voice was better too.
I dunno... I thought Norton did fairly well in THE ILLUSIONIST. I appreciated that he resisted the temptation to go over the top in the kind of role that's usually played outsize. I also dug him in the uneven DOWN IN THE VALLEY, which was hardly a perfect film but very well-acted.
And don't be hating on Penn pre-DEAD MAN WALKING. How soon we forget how awesome he was in CARLITO'S WAY.
Sean Penn + Carlito's Way = No Oscar nom. Huh? It is in my top three Penn perfs.
I've always liked Jessica Biel for some reason. I appreciated that she got down and dirty and gave one of the best horror performances in a while in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (a film i am guilty of loving in excess, sorry) and liked her brief bits in the excessive The Rules of Attraction. But, yeah, something about her just appeals to me. She's likable.
But, even I thought to myself "Oh Jess, what are you doing in a period film", but hearing this makes me actually want to see the film (I didn't before.) Maybe my Biel love can balance out the Giamatti hatred.
I read that Jessica Biel lobbied very hard for this role, so I'm glad she acquitted herself nicely. She definitely seemed "on" (more so than some of her co-stars...zzzz) and deserves her good notices for this film.
I saw this movie last Saturday and I thought that Norton was good, but then Biel was great. She proved everything wrong and she seemed more fit for a period movie than Giamatti or Norton. Giamiatti wasn't that bad, nor was he Sideways great, but he gave some life into that character. Also, I think Biel has the potential to [gulp] become the next Michelle Williams. It's unfair that everyone knows her name and since she has done maybe more or two bad movies (Stealth? Anyone?) she is going to be put into those action type movies. I didn't mind Biel being in the movie and I thought it was a very good movie, but I also see why some can think it was bad.
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