I have to confess something to you, my friends. After two decades of life doing this “stuff” I almost hate reading film reviews. In fact, I can say with 100% certainty that by now I do hate reading them. I hate experiencing a film and then reading what other people think about it. It’s one thing if it’s on Facebook (bad enough) or Twitter (oh god help us) but when they hit as some kind of authority on what is primarily a subjective experience it can be a real drag. It can also sometimes be an enhancing experience. But usually not. Usually you must discover and endure someone’s own personality as it interfaces with art. Art you love. Art you know that exists to be loved. That said, I know that it doesn’t really matter what I think about this. It’s just that it took me a long time to figure out that my opinion mattered to me more than theirs did. In that, I’m the one who watches the movies so it should matter most to me, right? As it would to you.
The only reason I bring this up is that there are movies – most movies, really, that should be seen and not judged. Can You Ever Forgive Me, currently riding an astonishing 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, is one of those movies. I’m glad that it’s getting great reviews but as I was reading through them I once again had that moment of thinking, “there isn’t one of these with excerpts that I want to pull out and present to you.” I’d rather just say, see the movie then read the reviews (which are good, btw).
Melissa McCarthy was on Fresh Air yesterday. Since I’m currently driving across the country (am in El Paso, Texas. Can you guess the movie with this quote: “Do you know how many people I know in El Paso, Texas? That’s how many!”) so naturally I’m listening rather than reading news. McCarthy talks to Terry Gross about her early years on a farm – where her mother took in cats. Seriously, they had like 30 cats there. She said it embarrassed her a bit when her friends would drop her off and all of the cats would trot up to the car. Her telling of it is funnier than my rephrasing could ever be, so you should listen just for that. But also she talks about her work in standup, her work doing “serious” off Broadway plays, and her thoughts on the kind of roles she’s always offered in Hollywood films.
In listening to the clips of McCarthy’s work, and thinking about how good she is in Can You Ever Forgive Me, and even The Gilmore Girls, it occurred to me what a shapeshifter she is. There are so many different, authentic, endearing characters she has given us over the years. This is a career highpoint, no doubt, but hopefully it is a beginning of what will be a long career in film.
Do I think she can win Best Actress? I think she gave one of the two best performances I’ve seen all year, along with Glenn Close. But it’s hard at this moment to see anyone else other than Lady Gaga winning. Best Actress isn’t now, nor has it ever been, nor will it ever be just about the performance. It’s really about falling in love.
Sasha, as much as I loved Lady Gaga in A Star is Born I do not think she is winning Best Actress. She’ll win Best Song for Shallow. Two Oscars in one night seems like overkill.
Have to say that after the hype, McCarthy’s performance was ‘merely’ good. There is a tendency for some folks to over-react when a….eeeek!!!…..comedian gives a solid dramatic performance (haven’t people seen ST. VINCENT? It was only 4 years ago. McCarthy ‘proved’ there that she play it straight).
It’s doubly too bad, because the true best perfromance in CAN YOU….ME? – Richard E. Grant’s – has gotten lost in all the hullabaloo about McCarthy.
I think Gaga fatigue will set in fairly quickly, although I’m certain McCarthy won’t be the beneficiary of this (if I had a guess Close or even the sleeper Aparicio). That being said, McCarthy arguably saved her career long term by pulling this off.
She gives the best performance of the year EASILY (that I have seen so far). Both she AND Richard E. Grant not only deserve nominations, they deserve to win.
I only read reviews after I watch a movie. Then I get flabbergasted at how wrong they always are. I think a lot of people just can’t pay attention for very long so they blame the movie. Haven’t seen this one yet.
i haven’t seen the movie, but after reading people’s reaction to it, I believe it’s a matter of time before she becomes the front runner. Her narrative is compelling. A comedic actress, with a previous oscar nom, goes dramatic and blows it away. She is very charismatic. The movie is well received. Close’s chances are hurt because the movie is not very audience friendly and her 6 nominations occured a long time ago (except for Albert Noobs). Re Lady Gaga: the movie is a hit but people are more impressed by Cooper’s merits (directing, acting, writing) so I think he’ll be the one getting an award. Lady Gaga is being compared to Cher but she had already been nominated for Silkwood before getting her award. She is also being compared to Jennifer Lawrence but she was an established movie star, the Internet’s darling and had a critical acclaimed performance in Winter’s Bone. I think the academy is going to reward Gaga in the song category and see what else she can do before rewarding her first performance in film
Didn’t like the film and I find her performance just OK. One note only, not very interesting. She is an amazing actress in my opinion but not as good as other times in this.
What a great performance she gives in that movie. As I said somewhere else, I did not even think about her silly roles from the past when i was watching her in this movie. She makes that character very vulnerable yet likeable even though there are some many reasons not to like her. She really did a great job, and deserves all the praise.