FYC: Samantha Morton as "Olivia Pitterson"
The Messenger, the new war drama about the Army's Casualty Notification division, makes good use of her mysteries and those incongruously warm blue eyes. She plays a newly widowed army wife who fascinates returning soldier Ben Foster. I met the screenwriter Oren Moverman (Jesus's Son, I'm Not There) who makes his directorial debut here, at a screening of the film last month. I had to tell him how much I loved one particular shot of Morton (cinematography by Bobby Bukowski) filmed through a screen door, watching and being watched.
I'm always thankful for movies that make good use of their actors. Late in the film, Moverman even lets Morton and Foster play an entire scene in medium shot with no edits. Heaven! Naturally he got some push back on this -- he didn't tell me from whom -- but that doesn't surprise me. This rarely happens anymore since dramatic conversations are always being shot with ample coverage and constant over the shoulder closeups and back-and-forth cutting. We don't get to see actors acting together often enough in contemporary movies.
More? Another brief note on this movie and some on Fantastic Mr. Fox in my new article at Towleroad
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10 comments:
Nat are we considering them for nods foster,morton,malone and harrelson.
do you mean for my own awards? I consider everyone... that's the only way to do it. Otherwise your own awards are controlled by other people, hype, buzz and consensus and who needs that?
if you mean Oscar, I think the film is probably too small -- Oscilloscope couldn't get much awards traction with Wendy & Lucy last year despite that very fine performance by Michelle Williams. But they did all right by the movie anyway so good for them!
i've also been fascinated by samantha morton as well. she has such a mystique about her presence and her performances are fantastic.
since supporting actress was mentioned. have you seen the brief clip of penelope cruz performing "a call from the vatican" yet, nathaniel? i think she most definitely has a spot in the category. that clip was unbelievable. i'm dying to see the film.
Off topic, but I have to say I love your current page banner. Why must smoking look so sexy? Each time you add new people, it gets even better. First Clift, then Hayworth, then Dietrich - eyes. . . can't . . . take. . . so . . . much. . . beauty. . .
Rose -- and i was totally feeling guilty about this banner! I am always so pleased when my friends quit smoking but i am always so pissed when i hear of more smoking bans in movies.
I mean, could you imagine a Bette Davis picture without the smoking. Or IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE without all that drifting smoke sliding around Tony Leung's dreaminess.
i cannot.
I saw THE MESSENGER again today, and I still think the movie would be significantly better without Morton's character/subplot. Truth be told, I think everything sans the actual notification sequences aren't terribly interesting, and those stunning/wrenching/devastating sequences are what makes the movie worth seeing. Would love to see some recognition for Harrelson though.
I see a nom for Harrelson.
Is she the most mysterious actress working?
That would be Robin Wright Penn. ;-)
@Rob -- really? For me without the Foster/Morton and Foster/Harrelson stuff the movie would be only a stunt, actorly vignettes lined up next to one another.
Totally. With just those sequences, it wouldn't be much of a movie, but it's still not much of a movie narrative-wise, and I was just saying those sequences are the only real can't-take-your-eyes-off-the-screen moments. The other stuff isn't bad -- it's actually pretty good -- but not nearly as compelling.
Do you remember that Bette Davis stamp without the cigarette? Neither do I. No cigarette = no Bette Davis. It's practically sacrilege!
Honestly though, why didn't they just change her had pose if there wasn't going to be a cigarette? It looks so silly!
http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2008stamps/downloads/davis_300dpi.jpg
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