I can’t recall the last time David Letterman was so enthusiastic about a movie as he seemed to be about Brothers on Wednesday night’s show. I’ll have to watch this clip again to pull his exact quotes, but I think he says he enjoyed it as much as any other other film in the past 10 years. The kind of movie that studios have forgotten how to make, he says:
I’ve been restraining myself and I love chatting with you, but allI really want to talk about is this movie… This thing — and I don’t know anything about movies — and I got to see this movie last week. Oh my goodness, what a tremendous film, tremendous cast, tremendous performances, yourself at the top of the list…
Oh my God, what a movie. And I see every movie that comes out, and — you’re in the business and you know most of it is junk… [Natalie demurs, and says, "That means a lot from you, so thank you."]
And so we sit down and we watch this thing, and this is a real movie… And it couldn’t be more timely. There’s just not a false note in the entire thing. You must be thrilled to be a part of this… I don’t remember when I saw a movie that I was this impressed with. This is what escapes modern filmmakers, this ability…
What can I say about it? Can I say that it will break your heart, and it’ll kill ya, and then it’ll break your heart again?
[addressing the audience] Don’t go because because of this clip — though I’m sure it’s fine — go because I’m telling you this is the finest film in the last 12, 20 years.
OK, a little hyperbole at the end there. But David Letterman doesn’t do this very often. He doesn’t praise movies to the moon every week, or recommend that 10 different movies are Must See, like Oprah does every year. Letterman is ordinarily fairly restrained and even skeptical with guests who come to plug their movies. So I take this Dave Rave seriously.
(Not to mention, the interesting possibility: Kobe Bryant nominated for Best Supporting Actor?)
33 Responses for "Natalie Portman on The Late Show; Dave raves Brothers"
Letterman said one right thing in this interview. He doesn’t know anything about movies. He just literally could not find the words to say to describe the movie.
That said, I saw the original Danish version recently and thought it was pretty good, so I’ll be checking out this one.
There are so many movies I’m missing and want to see and I hate Hollywood for piling all the goods ones up in December. As if — we have buckets of money to spend watching all of them.
Wow, Dave is really thrilled about this film.
I’m going to see it regardless because it does look good. Maybe, this could be the surprise people are asking for. I love what Jim Sheridan does with stories about family. In America was beautiful and who can forget My Left Foot. There will be people who will see it just because Dave says them too and it’s definitley not a bad thing.
When anyone goes on about a movie like that it means something. He has no reason to be biased and he sees movies all the time. So if it impressed him that much I think it will at least mean that people who watch his show might drag their butts to the theater when they normally would not have. And that’s only going to be good for it.
I don’t get the Kobe Bryant thing. What am I missing? Should I have watched the clip or something?
Watching the clip might help. At one point, naming the cast, Dave momentarily confuses Tobe Maguire with Kobe Bryant.
I think the only nomination for the movie is gonna be the Original Song. Maybe if critics rave the movie, maybe Natalie Portman gets a second Best Supporting Actress Nomination. It’s easy (Only Mo’nique and Anna Kendrick and Penelope are locks).
I will byte my tongue with pleasure if the movie is great, but I have no faith in “Brothers”. For sure it’s because I hate the Susanne Bier’s original. But I like Jim Sheridan. And how can a movie with U2’s Bad on the trailer be disapointing?
Variety’s Brothers review gave it a passing grade but obviously felt the orignal was better.
But it was positive about Portman’s performance.
Re: Supporting Actress: Agree Mo’Nique is a lock, not sure about Kendrick. I didn’t find she or Farmiga did anything amazing in Up in the Air although both are good.
And as I said in another post just today, Julianne Moore gives a showy but brief turn in A Single Man; she could be nominated but this will not be her year for a win.
Judging only by the trailer Maguire looks electric.
Given what we know about Dave’s recent history with his interns, it’s maybe no surprise that he’s going out of his way to praise a movie when the film’s very pretty young star is on his show.
That said, I’m very interested in seeing ‘Brothers.’ I forgot about that new U2 song (besides Bad) on its soundtrack, that could definitely be a Best Song contender.
Can we talk about how good Natalie Portman looked in that dress?!
Hmmm…might see it…I dunno. I usually hate Tobey, Jake, and Natalie’s film choices, save very few one amongst them. If this turns out to be great however, I’ll campion it!
Finally saw Precious and was amazed at how funny it was. Dark, deep and many of the things others said, but truly funny. A spoonful of sugar you know…
What the heck is wrong with this video? It keeps stopping at 4:22.
Natalie Portman looked to die for in that dressed, LOVE her.
The original film is great. Susanne Bier is one of the best filmmakers on the international stage (Brothers, After the Wedding, Open Hearts).
I’m sure this film will be pretty good with solid chances in Ad. Screenplay, Or. Song, S. or L. Actress (wouldn’t Natalie be a lead in the film and we know how wrapped up everyone is about pushing actresses in Lead)
Also I don’t think Letterman pushing a film gives it more or less Oscar cred. Letterman does say he knows so many people in the film so isn’t it just him giving a hyperbolic compliment to his friends.
Natalie Portman looking beautiful, YES. Dave going overboard like he did not relevant.
Wow, we know Letterman is tough to blackmail, so the filmmakers must be holding some seriously sordid pictures to get that review.
Letterman raving about it will help create good word of mouth. People will go to see it because they “heard it was pretty good.” It could help with box office. Except DeNiro and Drew Barrymore are opening the same day and there are two good actionmovies with lots of “explosions,” that same weekend. It will be interesting. I saw the original. It was good. I think this one will be better. I have confidence in Sheridan and I think he assembled a very good cast. Sam Shepherd is in the movie, too.
Ryan, I’m soooo glad you got this posted. It was a VERY unusual and out of character moment for Letterman.
Jim Sheridan almost never misses especially with the Academy. Who would’ve thought that “In America” was going to wrack up as many nominations as it did?
Natalie did look astounding in that blue outer space outfit.
However, she seemed GENUINELY SHOCKED at his response.
Can’t hurt a serious Afghanistan-themed movie. Not an easy sell.
This could be the surprise. I can’t wait to see it.
Again, thankx to Ryan for putting this up and so fast!
#9
“Re: Supporting Actress: Agree Mo’Nique is a lock, not sure about Kendrick. I didn’t find she or Farmiga did anything amazing in Up in the Air although both are good.”
Anna Kendrick is a lock. She and Mo`nique and probably Cruz. Moore has very good chance too. Sarandon and Weisz are dead in the water because their major scenes and Weisz`s story arc are not in the movie and they have nothing to do. All critics pointed that out. So Nat has an open spot to fill in. Unless category frauds or sudden love for Basterds ladies prevent her from getting in.
That said, she`s a gorgeous girl.
damn she looks good.
Natalie is a great actress, i am amazed there is not much love for her in the US. Underated and underemployed actress.
I have heard Robin Wright is also very good in “the private lives of Pippa Lee”, and Maggie Gyllenhall is said to be also very good in “Crazy Hearts”.
You should try to push these two ones if you want to sink Marion Cotillard down. How can you think you will be able to stop her with Gabby Sidibe, Carey Mulligan or Meryl Streep ??
This will remain a mistery to me.
And it is a pity Anne Hathaway is not in the race this year, she will be the next female american movie star with a worldwide fanbase, when they is none at the moment.
#22 “Natalie is a great actress, i am amazed there is not much love for her in the US.”
Star Wars Prequels. It`s hard to hate them without hating everyone involved since they were all terrible (except the villain and I don`t mean that brat who somehow morphed into Vader).
But that aside, I love Nat. She`s great.
I am quite sure that Ms. Portman is fine in this movie. I have seen the original BUT I am keeping an open mind before I see this one. A sophomore supporting nomination for Ms. Portman is NOT an impossibility. She has always been capable of delivering terrific performances under sensitive direction.
My Prediction: one of best movies in 2009.
Gyllenhaal, Maguire, Portman by sheridan
An explosion!
I was leaning toward not seeing this because the trailer seems to tell the whole story, but Dave’s praise has me more interested. Unlike other hosts (especially Leno) Dave, thankfully, does not feel the need to heap praise on all of his guests just because they are on his show. He won’t say he liked a movie if he didn’t. He might not trash it, but he isn’t going to praise it unless he believes what he is saying.
The only other time I can remember him going out of his way to praise a film was The Dark Knight. It was during the opening, he is sitting at his desk and just talks about how great a movie it is and how great Heath Ledger is. What’s even better is that no one from The Dark Knight was on that night (if I remember right), Dave just brought it up because he loved it.
Because he doesn’t blow smoke up people’s a** I respect Dave’s thoughts on films, and might just go see Brothers because he liked it.
I thought she looked too skinny. A lot of actresses are looking too skinny lately. I mean skinnier than normal.
But I totally can’t wait to see this now. Only problem is, NOW I have expectations. I just had a hunch before. Now I’m expecting to see something. Jake is never a waste of time though.
I remember Dave talking about The Dark Knight out of nowhere and you could tell how he just couldn’t stop thinking about it. Like he was supposed to be hosting and he just had to go off script and talk about it.
There was another movie he went beserk for not that long ago. I think it was a comedy but I can’t remember which.
A few years ago, Dave was wild about One Night at McCool’s
I never had the guts to take his dare and see if he was right.
He also liked Extract and Observe and Report
Dave’s sense of what’s funny is a little scarred because of some of the stuff his writers have put in his monologues over the past 20 years. But I trust him more about action and drama.
Wait, why the talk about Portman in Supporting? Looks like a lead role to me, and given how people like to talk about what a weak year it is for Best Actress you’d think she would be in with a shot there.
It was Extract I was thinking of although I do remember the McCool’s thing too. Extract I really enjoyed actually. Just Kristin Wiig was off for some reason. I think she’s usually great but apart from that the rest of the movie was hilarious especially Affleck and Bateman together.
@Antoinette not sure if I’d define Extract as hilarious. I’d go with clunker, anyone say one-hit wonder as a filmmaker. It’s on a short list of movies that I saw this year that after the film I wished I had my time back from the movie.
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