|
|
Post by swansong on Dec 12, 2012 0:16:49 GMT -5
I posted this in a different thread but thought this discussion deserved its own topic.
From what I have been reading on some Gerry facebook groups, Gerry is losing fans more because of the direction of his career than because of his personal life. Many fans have not been thrilled with his most recent film work and are frustrated that he continues to do films with lousy scripts. I put myself in that category. After Phantom and Dear Frankie-then 300, I thought Gerry would be offered he best roles and I hoped to see him in smart, well written important movies. It has been very discouraging to watch so many of his films flop, because we all know he is a talented actor. I hated TBH. I could not believe he would ever agree to take part in that trashy film, and I know many fans were shocked that he even agreed to work with JA. I also strongly disliked the very juvenile LAC, which to me was comic book over the top, when it could have been a top notch thriller. I thought the basic premise of the movie was totally ruined with the cheap gimmicks they threw in.
I had high hopes for MGP, and Gerry was very good in the film, but again, the script was all over the place and it was badly edited. CM was a decent film and I enjoyed it, but it too had problems with a so-so script. I have not yet seen PFK due to my busy schedule, but I am very discouraged by comments from fans who have seen it. Gerry needs to re evaluate his career and perhaps he shouldn't spread himself so thin in production and script re writes. I'd like to see him concentrate on growing as an actor.
However, with these criticisms said, Gerry is a survivor and I believe he will pull through this slump, make some some tough decisions and move on with his career. I also believe that we have not seen his best work, and I'm sticking around the fandom see what he does next!
|
|
|
|
Post by christy on Dec 12, 2012 1:28:37 GMT -5
That is a very good question. What is next for Gerry? I think he losing fans because of her.
|
|
|
|
Post by jhawk on Dec 12, 2012 1:54:55 GMT -5
I think Gerry has been making poor choices in movies. Poor scripts &/or directors. He shines as an actor he always shows his talent despite this but its disappointing he is not in better films. I believe that he has team letting him down as well. Why is it that haven't they got better scripts & get him into them? They need to face up to the situation & do a better job. I know Gerry loves Alan as a brother or father figure why isn't Alan doing more to get G on track. I think poor decisions are going to ruin his career.
But all aside I will watch everything Gerry is in. I love his perfotmance I will ignore everything else that is not so good in the movie like the plot. I don't think I will ever tire of him. He's a loveable rogue & I will be a fan for eternity. I will watch you from heaven.
|
|
|
|
Post by kissthegirl on Dec 12, 2012 8:17:53 GMT -5
Well, to be exact, Olympus Has Fallen is next.
I keep hearing our sweet Mr B's disappointed comments about giving people what they want. NOT drama, or comedy, or anything meaningful. Just ACTION. So that is what he's done.
Will action flicks satisfy us, his loyal fans? Probably not. I know personally, I had really high hopes for MGP and I absolutely LOVED his performance. He worked his ass off there, but the film itself was pretty messy. It hurts my heart that both MGP and Coriolanus didn't break out into the mainstream consciousness until they hit DVD. His performances in both were too good to have been buried beneath cheap advertising budgets.
I think the biggest problem facing him is really poor script writing. Most of the writers on most of his recent fims haven't done much in years...and what they did previously wasn't all that great to begin with. His production company really needs to find good writers for whatever they produce next, and must DEMAND quality scripts if they are working with a studio.
Second biggest problem is directors. We have read that high-quality directors like Ridley Scott have expressed interest in working with him. Why hasn't that worked out? Really a shame that Curtis Hanson wasn't well while filming Mavericks. LA Confidential was fantastic! Michael Mann, another that I would love to see him work with. Eastwood, Ang Lee, Aronovsky, gosh so many great directors. He needs one of them to elevate him into total respectability as a good quality actor.
On the PLUS SIDE, he has a production company. IF IF IF he could find a great story that could be made on a small budget, say $10-$15 million, I think he could easily get financing for that.
I think he needs to get away from the high-pressure big budget films and focus on finding some really good indie films to sink his teeth into.
And really, he needs to keep his clothes on. I was so sad for him that the press for this film focused so much on how hot he is, how much we want him, and how firm his abs are. My sweet lord, our amazing Mr B is SOOOOOO much more than just a hot bod.
I think he is going to be OK, but it's gonna take a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice. I really hope he finds something like The Town, or The Departed to develop.
I will still be here, still go to see the films, still buy the DVDs. But I still would rather watch Dear Frankie for the ten-thousandth time than watch Bounty Hunter even once more. I sure hope he finds a great balance between box office biggies and great stories.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dianne on Dec 12, 2012 9:08:54 GMT -5
I posted this in a different thread but thought this discussion deserved its own topic. From what I have been reading on some Gerry facebook groups, Gerry is losing fans more because of the direction of his career than because of his personal life. Many fans have not been thrilled with his most recent film work and are frustrated that he continues to do films with lousy scripts. I put myself in that category. After Phantom and Dear Frankie-then 300, I thought Gerry would be offered he best roles and I hoped to see him in smart, well written important movies. It has been very discouraging to watch so many of his films flop, because we all know he is a talented actor. I hated TBH. I could not believe he would ever agree to take part in that trashy film, and I know many fans were shocked that he even agreed to work with JA. I also strongly disliked the very juvenile LAC, which to me was comic book over the top, when it could have been a top notch thriller. I thought the basic premise of the movie was totally ruined with the cheap gimmicks they threw in. I had high hopes for MGP, and Gerry was very good in the film, but again, the script was all over the place and it was badly edited. CM was a decent film and I enjoyed it, but it too had problems with a so-so script. I have not yet seen PFK due to my busy schedule, but I am very discouraged by comments from fans who have seen it. Gerry needs to re evaluate his career and perhaps he shouldn't spread himself so thin in production and script re writes. I'd like to see him concentrate on growing as an actor. However, with these criticisms said, Gerry is a survivor and I believe he will pull through this slump, make some some tough decisions and move on with his career. I also believe that we have not seen his best work, and I'm sticking around the fandom see what he does next! Great thread. I kinda think that Gerry is finally getting the message. Diana Gabaldon writes that Scotsmen are as stubborn as rocks and I believe Gerry falls into that category. I remember reading in an article that after MGP failed (and that was his pet project) he is going to do some movies the public want to see him in. He was referring to OHF. He's wasn't happy about doing this movie but wouldn't be something if this movie started his climb upward again. I think after 300 Gerry thought he was in a position where he could do some films that excited him rather than what his career needed and since he was so new to the business (with the general public) he overplayed his hand. |
|
|
|
Post by swansong on Dec 12, 2012 9:33:43 GMT -5
I posted this in a different thread but thought this discussion deserved its own topic. From what I have been reading on some Gerry facebook groups, Gerry is losing fans more because of the direction of his career than because of his personal life. Many fans have not been thrilled with his most recent film work and are frustrated that he continues to do films with lousy scripts. I put myself in that category. After Phantom and Dear Frankie-then 300, I thought Gerry would be offered he best roles and I hoped to see him in smart, well written important movies. It has been very discouraging to watch so many of his films flop, because we all know he is a talented actor. I hated TBH. I could not believe he would ever agree to take part in that trashy film, and I know many fans were shocked that he even agreed to work with JA. I also strongly disliked the very juvenile LAC, which to me was comic book over the top, when it could have been a top notch thriller. I thought the basic premise of the movie was totally ruined with the cheap gimmicks they threw in. I had high hopes for MGP, and Gerry was very good in the film, but again, the script was all over the place and it was badly edited. CM was a decent film and I enjoyed it, but it too had problems with a so-so script. I have not yet seen PFK due to my busy schedule, but I am very discouraged by comments from fans who have seen it. Gerry needs to re evaluate his career and perhaps he shouldn't spread himself so thin in production and script re writes. I'd like to see him concentrate on growing as an actor. However, with these criticisms said, Gerry is a survivor and I believe he will pull through this slump, make some some tough decisions and move on with his career. I also believe that we have not seen his best work, and I'm sticking around the fandom see what he does next! Great thread. I kinda think that Gerry is finally getting the message. Diana Gabaldon writes that Scotsmen are as stubborn as rocks and I believe Gerry falls into that category. I remember reading in an article that after MGP failed (and that was his pet project) he is going to do some movies the public want to see him in. He was referring to OHF. He's wasn't happy about doing this movie but wouldn't be something if this movie started his climb upward again. I think after 300 Gerry thought he was in a position where he could do some films that excited him rather than what his career needed and since he was so new to the business (with the general public) he overplayed his hand. I agree, Dianne. He should have kept his career in the same basic wheelhouse of action type dramas for a while longer until he was solidly bankable-then he would have been offered better roles as he proved himself. I understand not wanting to be pigeon holed as an actor star, but if he had been patient, he could have broken out of that genre with much better films. I just hope he can find his footing again. He needs to look at hiring a new team as well, and he needs to consider his own role in these failed projects. JMO, of course. |
|
|
|
Post by TeePat on Dec 12, 2012 13:05:27 GMT -5
I think Gerry has been his own worst enemy. He's the one who chooses these roles because 'they speak to him'. Well, it hasn't worked out well recently. I think most of the problem has been distribution, especially MGP. I thought Gerry was brilliant in that...he did so much hype himself and it crashed and burned. I think the title turned off a lot of people. I love Chasing Mavericks, thought it was a much better film than PFK. Almost all the reviews from fans about PFK have been solidly in the plus column...I only saw one negative review from a fan. I have to say I am worried about Gerry's career...OHF is already in the can and there's nothing much on the horizon after that, unless Thunder Run actually films in March. I'm not counting Movie 43 at all, in fact, I don't plan on seeing it. It's a shame that MC was cancelled especially after all the publicity on it in Cannes. There seems to be only the possibility of a Broadway play in May and we don't know anything about that yet. CAA are his talent reps...it seems they're not doing their jobs, unless Gerry is overriding them. I don't believe that Alan does the actual advising on his choices, he's his personal manager, except when they are producing together. I just hope Gerry has some private time to do some soul searching. His personal life is taking away from him as an actor right now. I agree, Gerry has so much more in him to give...I have so much confidence in his acting ability than what he has shown recently. I hope the next best thing is still to come!   |
|
|
|
Post by Arawen on Dec 12, 2012 18:02:28 GMT -5
This is a great thread. Like I wrote in the PFK-thread I´m worried about him and his career. The scripts he has chosen lately doesn´t seem to be good (haven´t seen any of them though, but from what I´ve heard they are not good). Probably that´s why he´s loosing fans, and like Christy I also think he´s loosing fans because of HER. It´s sad but probably true. We have been used to him trying to hide his dates and now suddenly he´s going public (alot) with MG. I don´t know but something seems fishy here. But if it is true love then good for them both.
Olympus has fallen seems like a good project though. All I´m saying is: NO MORE ROM COMS PLEASE GERRY! I want to see him in a new period drama or at least a movie with a decent script. My biggest dream as a phan is that they make Love never dies into a movie but it will probably never happen.
Please Gerry, I know you are a great actor. I saw it in POTO and you can do it again. Just choose your scripts carefully and think over your personal life and the people around you.
|
|
|
|
Post by TeePat on Dec 12, 2012 18:46:00 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by kissthegirl on Dec 12, 2012 19:07:37 GMT -5
Perhaps we think, in exchange for our financial and moral support, he owes us his best possible work, an image of respectability and decency, and not to embarass us with bad behavior.
For a lot of us out there, it is hard/impossible to support someone whose values and morals fall far below that which we can accept.
I'm not saying that our sweet Mr B is there, but there have been some very questionable situations that have come up that give us pause. Dating a woman young enough to be his child doesn't bother me, but it justifiably bothers many others.
We have dealt with his drug dependency/addiction, his "manwhoring", an arrest, and now a girlfriend whose morals are not above reproach and whose age makes many of us uncomfortable.
That doesn't mean we expect him to stop living his life and looking for his happiness. He is a big boy and can do as he pleases.
What is DOES mean however, is that we are giving him advance notice that we are reaching our maximum level of tolerance as fans. Between the poorly-made films and his lapses in good judgement, many of us are hanging on to our hope that he is just going through a rough spell and will sort himself out. But he should know that there are a lot of us out there, not just us here but people out in the general public, whose view of him is less than kind, and which makes it difficult for us to accept his characterizations on-screen without being reminded of his off-screen foibles.
Russell Crowe once said that he had a "social contract" with the movie-going public, that our perception of him as an actor should not be tainted by commercial advertising. An actor's behavior OUTSIDE his or her screen time really does have an impact on how the public sees them when they are ON the screen.
So, we are out here voicing our concern that our dear Mr B is close to breaking that "social contract" he has with us, the movie-going public. And let's face it, people are not exactly beating down the doors to get into the theaters to see his films.
HE SHOULD KNOW that he is putting it all at risk. Whatever he does with that information is up to him.
|
|
|
|
Post by kaly11 on Dec 12, 2012 19:46:34 GMT -5
 Thanks, TeePat, I enjoyed that article.
|
|
|
|
Post by kissthegirl on Dec 12, 2012 20:33:58 GMT -5
Not at all Milo. We are being honest here, so I gave my honest response to your comment. Isn't that why you made it? So someone would respond to it?
Personally, I like him. But I don't like everything he does. Does that make me a BAD FAN??
Simple truth is, I am here because I once witnessed something that made me have a great deal of respect for Mr Butler. I am not here to PERVE, to revel in his sexiness, to fantasize or to imagine I am his friend.
I have had the opportunity to meet him, and have chosen not to. I have had occasion to ask for an autograph or take a photo with him, but I didn't choose to do so. I have NO NEED to have any sort of contact with him. I don't expect a damned thing other than that which I spoke of in my previous post.
I'm actually a very good fan. I go to the theater multiple times in support of his films. I even purchase extra tickets that will go unused to help boost the box office. I buy ALL the DVDs, then I buy them again in BluRay. I spent over $2000 going to TIFF just to support the two incredible films he showed there. I also spent about 5 HOURS FILLING OUT FORMS IN SUPPORT OF MGP FOR BEST FILM AT TIFF.
But I certainly am not going to sit here reading all this nonsense about how some of us are just jealous, or BAD FANS, etc. We are not. We are just reacting differently than you are to some of the difficult problems and surprising behavior Mr B has shown us this year. That's how God made us, and wouldn't it be a dreary and boring world if we all were to think alike?
I am interested in the MAN as well as the actor. And the man has made some serious mistakes in judgement of late. I hope he is able to regain some sort of balance again, because I think he is ONE F'ing FANTASTIC HUMAN BEING.
And a pretty damned fine actor too.
So please stop sniping at members of this board. Please stop the veiled insults and passive/aggressive behavior. Please DO say how you feel about Mr B's films. public behavior and even his girlfriend if you like. But please stop psychoanalyzing his fans. You obviously have NO IDEA what you are talking about.
PS: To our boardmistress Dianne....
My sincere apologies for this post, but damn, it gets so annoying when people defend Mr B by criticizing members who admire, respect, and care deeply for him.
End of rant, I hope.
|
|
|
|
Post by TeePat on Dec 12, 2012 22:24:11 GMT -5
Gerry doesn't owe his fans anything but a great performance! I want the world to be his oyster!  |
|
|
|
Post by kaly11 on Dec 12, 2012 22:51:50 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by gersarchitect on Dec 12, 2012 22:55:10 GMT -5
That's a great article. I find especially that point about associating himself with a great director interesting. I always wondered why Gerry didn't try to work more with Zack Snyder or Guy Richie.... Both directors loved to work with Gerry.... |
|
