|
Post by gersarchitect on Jan 2, 2012 14:05:38 GMT -5
You're right Tartan Spartan. MGP and Coriolanus are turning points for Gerry and you can see that in the reviews. Some critics still hate Gerry but he definitely got way more positive comments than before. His acting stands out in both movies. I hope he choses more dramatic projects but I wouldn't mind if he would do a more commercial project either as long as it is not a romcom. I wish he would do The Bricklayer or the Uncharted movie. It would be a good mix with some more purely dramatic roles.
As for his hair, I would like to see him more natural as well, though I don't mind if he colors it either, esp. If it is a darker color, more what his hair used to be.
|
|
|
Post by gersarchitect on Jan 2, 2012 14:35:45 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by bluebutterfly on Jan 2, 2012 15:05:54 GMT -5
You're right Tartan Spartan. MGP and Coriolanus are turning points for Gerry and you can see that in the reviews. Some critics still hate Gerry but he definitely got way more positive comments than before. His acting stands out in both movies. I hope he choses more dramatic projects but I wouldn't mind if he would do a more commercial project either as long as it is not a romcom. I wish he would do The Bricklayer or the Uncharted movie. It would be a good mix with some more purely dramatic roles. As for his hair, I would like to see him more natural as well, though I don't mind if he colors it either, esp. If it is a darker color, more what his hair used to be. i'm with you ladies on the hair. i don't think he should go completely his natural gray, but letting it go at the temples and then dying the rest closer to his original dark hair color...sigh uncharted is one of very few games i actually play. very story-oriented. would love to see gerry in the role. nathan drake is book smart, a little people dumb (in an endearing way), a total smartass, and very adventurous and athletic. would be awesome to see gerry do it.
|
|
|
Post by lizziebennett on Jan 2, 2012 15:08:57 GMT -5
I agree that TBH was not the best movie, but it's not as bad as some that are out there. I really don't blame Gerry for wanting to do a lighter movie and have a little fun.( Maybe he doesn't want to be like Daniel Day Lewis and only do dramas - critics always want to pidgeon hole actors into just certain genres.)The cast of TBH was great - it just added up to a so-so movie. Most, if not all, actors have movies that were not good or bombed. Or they have movies that the critics hated and the audience liked them. The trouble is, Hollywood and critics have crucified Gerry for TBH and that's all they can talk about. He can't catch a break. That movie with Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper that was mentioned was absolutely horrid and they don't seem to crucify B. Cooper for it. I don't know if they are jealous of Gerry for being very handsome and a chick magnet or what. Hollywood seems like high school all over again - it has it's "popular" players like Leo, George, Brad and Matt Damon and they get all the good roles and all the great press. There aren't that many great movies out there, but those four guys seem to get whatever roles they want. What kills me is that the critics all bash Gerry for the roles he chooses like it's so easy. I'm sure it's been an uphill battle for him and also somewhat of a crapshoot as to which roles to pick. It's too bad that Gerry can't just choose roles that appeal to him at the time and not have to worry if he's going to please the critics and Hollywood. He's had wonderful and life changing experiences on many of his movies - but the critics don't care about any of that!
|
|
|
Post by bluebutterfly on Jan 2, 2012 16:49:00 GMT -5
I agree that TBH was not the best movie, but it's not as bad as some that are out there. I really don't blame Gerry for wanting to do a lighter movie and have a little fun.( Maybe he doesn't want to be like Daniel Day Lewis and only do dramas - critics always want to pidgeon hole actors into just certain genres.)The cast of TBH was great - it just added up to a so-so movie. Most, if not all, actors have movies that were not good or bombed. Or they have movies that the critics hated and the audience liked them. The trouble is, Hollywood and critics have crucified Gerry for TBH and that's all they can talk about. He can't catch a break. That movie with Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper that was mentioned was absolutely horrid and they don't seem to crucify B. Cooper for it. I don't know if they are jealous of Gerry for being very handsome and a chick magnet or what. Hollywood seems like high school all over again - it has it's "popular" players like Leo, George, Brad and Matt Damon and they get all the good roles and all the great press. There aren't that many great movies out there, but those four guys seem to get whatever roles they want. What kills me is that the critics all bash Gerry for the roles he chooses like it's so easy. I'm sure it's been an uphill battle for him and also somewhat of a crapshoot as to which roles to pick. It's too bad that Gerry can't just choose roles that appeal to him at the time and not have to worry if he's going to please the critics and Hollywood. He's had wonderful and life changing experiences on many of his movies - but the critics don't care about any of that! i don't blame gerry for wanting to do other things either. i couldn't do the same kind of thing over and over. i think what i would say is just that he and/or his people need to get better at anticipating the timing aspect of his choices. he doesn't do that many movies at any one time, he has the ability to take his career's temperature more than i feel he does sometimes. something may look fun and awesome, but if it almost costs you your career.... as to the reason why certain actors and actresses are more "bullet-proof" career-wise, while i think it's probably due to a number of factors, i think it's important to point out that to most of the general public, gerry's only been "around" since 2007 and 300. the reality's a little different of course, but i'm talking the general public's perception here. in four years, gerry's managed to make both a big splash (300) and take a big nosedive (TBH). whether we debate their actual talent or not (and we certainly could), the fact remains that sandra bullock, brad pitt, george clooney, and alot of the other people that are at the top of the hollywood heap have had publicly-recognized careers that are hovering at least around the two-decade mark. that gives them more lee-way to make bad choices and recover. as for bradley cooper--he might be making a bit of a splash at the moment, but i'm not seeing people being overwhelmed by him. he probably won't last too much longer honestly. his kind of actor comes and goes just as fast most of the time. hollywood always has its temporary favorites, i wouldn't take them seriously.
|
|
|
Post by mymymy on Jan 2, 2012 17:03:32 GMT -5
I agree Lizzie that it's high school all over again. I believe it has something to do with Gerry not being an American. I know some will disagree but Americans get all the good roles if you look. Americans play Brits but Brits can't play Americans? Double standard. And as to his hair, I don't know if he lets his grey grow out this will help him. Once this happens his roles will change. Look at Richard Gere. I think he should keep it a color other than grey until maybe he is 50 because he is prematurely grey. The scruffy looks is better on him for roles too. I felt his look was too clean cut in MGP. He looks so handsome all cleaned up but for roles in movies it's too much to be taken seriously. Leave it for the red carpet. It's sort of like I can't believe you are having a hard time if you look so good. I couldn't get past his perfect look in MGP.
|
|
|
Post by bluebutterfly on Jan 2, 2012 17:31:49 GMT -5
I agree Lizzie that it's high school all over again. I believe it has something to do with Gerry not being an American. I know some will disagree but Americans get all the good roles if you look. Americans play Brits but Brits can't play Americans? Double standard. And as to his hair, I don't know if he lets his grey grow out this will help him. Once this happens his roles will change. Look at Richard Gere. I think he should keep it a color other than grey until maybe he is 50 because he is prematurely grey. The scruffy looks is better on him for roles too. I felt his look was too clean cut in MGP. He looks so handsome all cleaned up but for roles in movies it's too much to be taken seriously. Leave it for the red carpet. It's sort of like I can't believe you are having a hard time if you look so good. I couldn't get past his perfect look in MGP. i agree, from what i saw, despite the fact that he needed to look rough for that role, he often didn't take his look far enough. although that could've easily been both a decision on his part and on the part of the rest of the film-making team as well. respectfully, i do disagree about the whole "non-american" thing. more non-american actors are playing americans than ever before in higher-profile roles, to the point where i've often been surprised the last couple of years when an actor does press and i hear their "natural" accent for the first time. i think the bigger stumbling block is that until MGP (haven't seen it, but have been told his accent is good), gerry couldn't do an american accent very well (sorry to say). and i think there are probably plenty of brits who would tell you that american actors aren't so hot at mimicking their accent either i do think that the comments about hollywood being like high school 2.0 are on the mark though. it certainly seems like i've seen/heard alot of that kind of behavior. it's definitely a clique, that's for sure. gotta play the right way, or you're not "in." also agree that going completely naturally grey would be too soon for gerry. he's only 42, he's gray early. i'm just lobbying for hints of it at the temples. and a return to his more natural darker color overall
|
|
|
Post by canadia on Jan 2, 2012 18:30:40 GMT -5
Gerry's hair will always to some extent be dictated by his roles and the way he and the director see the character. Of course if he is the producer he'll have more say too. LOL.
I think the point about romcoms is that most actors who really want to be taken seriously don't do romcoms if at all, until they've got the critical acceptance so they can then have fun or it is certainly the strategy taken by many up and coming actors I've observed, unless of course you are a comedic actor and/or happy to be pigeonholed into that genre like Hugh Grant or Jason Sudekis to just name two. And I personally find British romcoms a bit more sophisticated, love you Hugh, but I have a British bias when it comes to acting and movies. Matthew McConaughey jumped into the romcoms way too quickly and now he is trying to veer back and he's having a tough time. Even in his recent movie Lincoln Lawyer he was being his same swarmy self as he is in most of his movies. DeNiro did all serious and intense roles until he was A list and then he started to do movies with a bit more comedy in them to the point now where he does romcoms or silly comedies and only a few people slag him for doing it. He paid his dues so to speak.
It is very true that there is nothing wrong with Brits playing Americans and they have been doing it for quite some time and brilliantly from Hugh Laurie as House to Kenneth Branaugh and his ex Emma Thompson to Tom Wilkinson, Christian Bale and on and on and on. And the reality is there are very few American actors who can play British well enough not to make Brits cringe.
I mentioned The Conspirator earlier because of all the Brits and one Irishmen in that movie where not only an American accent was required but Civil War period accent though Justin Long just spoke like he always does but Robert Redford cast a Scottish actor as his lead character Mr. McAvoy.
I do wonder mymymy if foreign actors and actresses have to work harder to get "in" the club or get the nominations, unless maybe you are Kate Winslet or Cate Blanchett. Christian Bale hasn't done too shabbily either. A lot of foreign born actors are getting good juicy roles and have been for some time because it just seems that the US does not seem to be producing ENOUGH interesting actors or actresses including the more masculine males as has been discussed before, which is where Gerry comes in or Daniel Craig or Eric Bana. I think the Brits produce better actors overall because of the drama school system, even Australia to a certain extent, and it is unfortunate that Gerry did not get more training at one of them, it may have made a difference in the long run, because I think it makes a big difference. All my favourite actors except Gerry came through that system in the UK. I think it makes you more versatile and British actors are taught to be character actors first not lead actors which is why they make more interesting lead actors. A lot of American actors just basically play a slightly modified version of themselves. Bruce Willis is basically the same guy in every movie. Lucky for him he's highly likable. I like watching Willis in most of his movies. So yes it works but you also don't see Bruce awash with Oscars either. The only movie he really stretched himself was Pulp Fiction. Then again what is Jason Statham and he's likely not going to be awash in Oscars either. And I like watching him too.
The other thing is more foreign born directors are working in Hollywood though admittedly the big guns in Hollywood are American directors, Spielberg, Cameron [well Canadian American] Ron Howard etc. The question is does the foreign talent get the roles, get the award nominations as easily or do they just have to be twice as brilliant to be recognized in the US and often they are so the Academy can't ignore them. Be interesting to see if anyone has examined that.
I do agree however with all the comments that MGP and Coriolanus were absolutely the right moves even if MGP was not the success hoped for. Coriolanus is being better received than I thought possible for a Shakespearean adaptation and kudos to Ralph for pushing it to the limit. Of Men and Mavericks was also a good choice and PTF if it is something that can be on par with Dear Frankie or Bend it Like Beckham, esp if it is geared for family viewing despite the subplot about Dad being distracted by soccer moms, could make it another good stepping stone. And that all you can do. Pick up the pieces and keep pushing to do better, strive to be better, because eventually Hollywood also loves people who don't quit.
I also agree mymymy that Gerry can't be afraid to get really ugly for a role if that is what the role calls for or not be afraid to take a role, if that is what is called for.......a la Charlize Theron for one example. I mean Phantom doesn't count - hottest guy with a partially deformed face ever. It worked for the context though.
|
|
|
Post by bluebutterfly on Jan 2, 2012 18:36:11 GMT -5
"hottest guy with a partially deformed face ever." don't know why, but this one made me must've caught me just right. i remember that being mentioned by critics at the time too, said gerry was too pretty to be scary ;D
|
|
|
Post by irishrockchick on Jan 2, 2012 18:50:46 GMT -5
Ack what about the Irish actors? Gerry is part Irish :pJk But anyway I have a great respect for actors and actresses who work hard and love their craft no matter where they are from. And Gerry always looks sexy but now he looks more natural I like him more. Who wants a pretty boy Ken doll when you get alot more fun from an action man (UK version of G.I Joe) look Gerry's a great guy and looks to be a gentleman he doesn't need any awards really to know that he is loved and adored by his fans. If he's still getting work who cares as long as we get to see our guy get to do what he loves. I'm glad he's in playing the field cos after something as heavy as MGP he needs to have some fun and we all know he loves his footie.
|
|
|
Post by canadia on Jan 2, 2012 18:51:50 GMT -5
Bluebutterfly good points about Clooney et al. He really struggled with his TV career for a decade or two, trying to make the jump to movies because this is dating me but back then, TV actors rarely if ever made the transition and certainly not an actor like Clooney who only worked in silly comedies. Bruce Willis is the only actor I can think of from that era who made a spectacular transition to movies and he was successful out of the gate with Die Hard whilst Clooney was still struggling to make the transition. Probably because Willis was on a hit TV show and he left it before it fizzled along with the perfect movie to follow up on that. Clooney hit big with ER and then his movie career really started to roll.
Now the rules are all out the window. Movie actors are dominating both network and cable TV. TV actors are making it big in the movies. Go figure. Still not as easy for TV actors to make it in movies but more and more TV actors or people who started on TV are making movies and doing well. Steve Carrell for one.
|
|
|
Post by canadia on Jan 2, 2012 19:01:34 GMT -5
Ack what about the Irish actors? Gerry is part Irish :pJk But anyway I have a great respect for actors and actresses who work hard and love their craft no matter where they are from. And Gerry always looks sexy but now he looks more natural I like him more. Who wants a pretty boy Ken doll when you get alot more fun from an action man (UK version of G.I Joe) look Gerry's a great guy and looks to be a gentleman he doesn't need any awards really to know that he is loved and adored by his fans. If he's still getting work who cares as long as we get to see our guy get to do what he loves. I'm glad he's in playing the field cos after something as heavy as MGP he needs to have some fun and we all know he loves his footie. Well you are right Ireland is well represented as well in Hollywood and I hestitate to use the word British sometimes. Daniel Day Lewis, Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Farrell I guess but he's made some weird choices himself. We only talk about this because we do think Gerry does want recognition for his acting talent and it would only be natural. The recognition from fans is fabulous and I know he appreciates that but I think he now wants more because he feels he is working harder and harder and anyone wants to be acknowledge for their hard work not just from fans but from the industry and from their peers and from critics. We think Gerry wants to move to that next level and we want him to get there because we believe he has the talent. That most people haven't seen a fraction of it because most of us Gerry fans have seen all his early work or most of it and we know how good he is. Most American audiences have not seen him or noticed him before 300 but he had whole career in movies and TV before then. Though the reviews were mixed for MGP, Gerry got a lot of more positive comments about his performance and kudos for taking on such a complex role and he has received good to great critical review for his performance in Coriolanus pretty much all around even from the British critics who can be rather tough on anyone. So Gerry will be all huge smiles this week I am sure with the premiere of Coriolanus in the UK.
|
|
|
Post by fifiserafino on Jan 2, 2012 19:19:23 GMT -5
I'm really enjoying this discussion - especially getting the North American perspectives. I don't know a lot about it but I think Hollywood has always been very political and there seems to be a few people who have control over what happens to many. And so many factors affecting box office success that "will it make money" I'm sure is the first question that is asked and impacts most on decision making - as in most businesses. One of the really big challenges must be the timing of releasing a movie because it is so affected by the context - what else is being/has been released. With MGP not being seen by many and Coriolanus possibly being seen by the more 'arthouse' audience, will the public perspective be that PTF is following directly on from BH? I have to say it is great that people have been able to express their honest opinion of BH - I watched it on DVD only because Gerry was in it (I find JA so limited in her range that I may as well just watch re-runs of Friends) and I found myself squirming with embarrassment - however hard G worked it was all just wrong, including his performance. I don't think he suits mainstream romantic comedies. And I'm also wondering if he is better suited to European productions such as Dear Frankie and RocknRolla - PTF having an Italian director will be an interesting test case. Canadia I thought of John Travolta being an example of cross over from TV to film (although his career is very up and down) but that was a huge move from Welcome Back Cotter to Saturday Night Fever.
|
|
|
Post by bluebutterfly on Jan 2, 2012 20:32:50 GMT -5
"I'm also wondering if he is better suited to European productions such as Dear Frankie and RocknRolla" you know, that's a great point fifi. i often like him much better in what i would call "ensemble" pieces where he's not necessarily the lead, yet is. RNR is still one of my absolute favorites by him, am seriously excited to see if the sequel Ritchie has said he's finished writing actually comes to be. as to mainstream hollywood rom-coms....i agree i don't think gerry's suited to them overall. i think TUT was a special case, and that's why (imo) it worked. the character was a bit different, you had an equal partner in heigl, they weren't all whiny and emo about it. it was good. i think TBH failed for a whole lotta reasons, but one of the big ones for me as far as gerry was concerned was that they tried to make him a typical rom-com slob. it was just that extra step down from the mike chadway lovable rogue, and it wasn't believable. i just didn't buy that he could be that bounty hunter screw-up jerk. whatever his faults (different discussion ), gerry just doesn't project that much a-hole. oh & i agree about JA---can't watch her do "Rachel" over and over. would've avoided TBH just like all her other movies if it weren't for gerry. as it was, it was so hard to watch. i felt like he was trying so hard, and i couldn't help but think of that comment by him in some interview or other where he said that he'd shown up for work on past movies and known they were gonna be crap from day one, and how disappointing it was knowing you were gonna waste months of your life on it.
|
|
|
Post by gersarchitect on Jan 2, 2012 20:47:08 GMT -5
Oh Fifi, you bring up a great point. BH was Gerry's last wide release in the US with the exception of HTTYD. That means PTF has to be extra good and should not be promoted as a romcom. Gerry obviously didn't know that MGP wouldn't get a wide release and he would have PTF following BH. Let's hope Coriolanus will be seen by more than just the art house crowd but I have some doubts about that.
|
|