# Wow they really can't act! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2007, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551 "2007-12-19T04:19:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/161 "2008-01-04T03:36:00Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > 3 pages and no Meg Ryan? She plays “Sally” in every role she’s in. Or she plays… Meg Ryan. I got sick of her. She was quite good (and did not play Sally) in [Restoration](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/). ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/162 "2008-01-04T03:36:27Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > most recently in the sadly overlooked Margot At The Wedding Oooo! I missed that one in the theaters and then proceeded to totally forget about it. Thanks for reminding me! ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/163 "2008-01-04T03:44:31Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Where was she great? She was horrible in Golden Compass, one of the worst parts of a bad movie. I will concede she was good in the bad movie, “Bewitched”. But that was hardly great acting. She was terrible in The Interpreter, The Stepford Wives, The Human Stain, Birthday Girl, Moulin Rouge!, Eyes Wide Shut & Batman Forever. She was Okay in The Others & Practical Magic. Did I somehow miss all of her good acting roles despite the many bad one I have seen? [/QUOTE] You missed a lot, watching with your eyes closed like that. She was perfect in Moulin Rouge, The Others, Dogville, Birth and The Hours. She was great in The Golden Compass, The Human Stain, Birthday Girl, Fur, Cold Mountain, and Portrait of a Lady. She was decent in Flirting, Eyes Wide Shut, The Interpreter, Far and Away, Bewitched, The Peacemaker and The Stepford Wives. I haven’t seen Practical Magic, Batman Forever, Days of Thunder, Malice, Billy Bathgate, Dead Calm or My Life (or any of her other early Aussie roles). ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/164 "2008-01-04T03:50:18Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] Oooo! I missed that one in the theaters and then proceeded to totally forget about it. Thanks for reminding me! [/QUOTE] I actually meant that Nicole was overlooked. IMO, the movie itself wasn’t great, but Kidman gives one of her finest performances, as does Jennifer Jason Leigh. They both should be nominated for Oscars, but neither will be. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/165 "2008-01-04T03:52:38Z")
[QUOTE=Equipoise] You missed a lot, watching with your eyes closed like that. She was perfect in Moulin Rouge, The Others, Dogville, Birth and The Hours. She was great in The Golden Compass, The Human Stain, Birthday Girl, Fur, Cold Mountain, and Portrait of a Lady. She was decent in Flirting, Eyes Wide Shut, The Interpreter, Far and Away, Bewitched, The Peacemaker and The Stepford Wives. I haven’t seen Practical Magic, Batman Forever, Days of Thunder, Malice, Billy Bathgate, Dead Calm or My Life (or any of her other early Aussie roles). [/QUOTE] Well obviously, we have very different ideas about good acting. Might I inquire, who else you consider a good actress? I will volunteer Jody Foster and Susan Sarandan as great actresses of the modern day. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/166 "2008-01-04T04:10:08Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Well obviously, we have very different ideas about good acting. Might I inquire, who else you consider a good actress? I will volunteer Jody Foster and Susan Sarandan as great actresses of the modern day. [/QUOTE] I agree with Jodie Foster and Susan Sarandon. I also admire Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Laura Linney, Meryl Streep, Joan Allen, Emma Thompson, Helen Mirren, Judi Dench, Patricia Clarkson, Frances McDormand, Juliette Binoche, Emily Watson, Toni Colette, Tilda Swinton, Samantha Morton, Miranda Richardson and Catherine Keener (I know there are others, especially if we go back in time, but those come to mind right now). I’m an actress person though. Even when I was a kid, I’d “collect” actresses because they fascinated me. Kidman, Winslet and Blanchett happen to be my favorite actresses, partially because I just love to watch them work (even in iffy movies), partially because they take lots of chances, partially because of their looks, and partially because each has been in movies that I dearly dearly love (Nicole in **Moulin Rouge** , Kate in **Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind** , and Cate in **Lord of the Rings** ) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/167 "2008-01-04T04:22:05Z")
[QUOTE=Equipoise] I agree with Jodie Foster and Susan Sarandon. I also admire Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Laura Linney, Meryl Streep, Joan Allen, Emma Thompson, Helen Mirren, Judi Dench, Patricia Clarkson, Frances McDormand, Juliette Binoche, Emily Watson, Toni Colette, Tilda Swinton, Samantha Morton, Miranda Richardson and Catherine Keener (I know there are others, especially if we go back in time, but those come to mind right now). I’m an actress person though. Even when I was a kid, I’d “collect” actresses because they fascinated me. Kidman, Winslet and Blanchett happen to be my favorite actresses, partially because I just love to watch them work (even in iffy movies), partially because they take lots of chances, partially because of their looks, and partially because each has been in movies that I dearly dearly love (Nicole in **Moulin Rouge** , Kate in **Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind** , and Cate in **Lord of the Rings** ) [/QUOTE] Interesting, I strongly disagree on Streep and Kidman. I don’t know Clarkson and had to look her up. I think a lot of Cate Blanchett, Joan Allen, Emily Watson, Toni & Tilda. I am find with the rest you listed. I actually think Streep overacts likes a 1929 actress straight out of the silents. She is one of my least favorite actresses ever. I realize I am in a minority on that one. Kidman just strikes me as very bland and boring. Maybe a modern day Grace Kelly. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/168 "2008-01-04T20:49:34Z")
Patricia Clarkson is _gooood_. She stole the show amidst teams of talented actors in _Pieces of April_ and _Lars and the Real Girl_, and plenty of others, I’m sure. She didn’t necessarily have the best-scripted part in _Lars_, but she stood toe-to-toe with Ryan Gosling at his best and didn’t flinch. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/169 "2008-01-04T22:39:25Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I actually think Streep overacts likes a 1929 actress straight out of the silents. She is one of my least favorite actresses ever. I realize I am in a minority on that one. [/QUOTE] I must say, I’ve never ever heard of anyone who disliked Meryl Streep. I can understand someone not appreciating Nicole but Meryl? Wow. She’s probably THE greatest living actress, if only for **Sophie’s Choice** , IMO the most amazingly-acted role ever. I suppose others have tried to talk her up to you, so I won’t, but I am curious what particular roles you’re talking about. I think she’s had tons of roles that are very subtle, such as in **Adaptation**. I’m off soon to see **There Will Be Blood** so I don’t have time to look up her IMDB page, but I know there are many many more. In any case, I really like her as a person too. She’s very grounded and down-to-earth and quite funny too. I’ll bet she’s a blast to hang around. [QUOTE=What Exit?] Kidman just strikes me as very bland and boring. Maybe a modern day Grace Kelly. [/QUOTE] I’ve never thought of Nicole as bland and boring, especially since **To Die For**. I loved Grace Kelly in **Rear Window** , but Grace at her most adventurous would never have even considered doing movies like **To Die For** (perhaps Nicole’s greatest performance, which I forgot to mention earlier), or **Birth** or **Margot** or **Dogville**. Not that they were making movies like that back then, but still…one of the things I love about Nicole is that she takes chances. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It usually doesn’t work when she takes high-paying commercial roles for the money, so she can have the freedom to do smaller indie films for a fraction of her normal fee. But, I’ll forgive her for a bomb like **Bewitched** just so I can have a **Margot At The Wedding**. She’s continuing the Big/Small/Big/Small pattern. Up next: one big project ( **Australia** , which I hope won’t be a bomb) and one small, ( **The Reader** , another Stephen Daldry film). [QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] Patricia Clarkson is _gooood_. She stole the show amidst teams of talented actors in _Pieces of April_ and _Lars and the Real Girl_, and plenty of others, I’m sure. She didn’t necessarily have the best-scripted part in _Lars_, but she stood toe-to-toe with Ryan Gosling at his best and didn’t flinch. [/QUOTE] Yep. She’s been around for ages (she played Elliot Ness/Kevin Costner’s wife in **The Untouchables** , and Tom Hank’s wife in **The Green Mile** ) but has kept a very low profile, appearing mainly in indies. My favorites are **Pieces of April** (she was nominated for an Oscar for that one), **Dogville** , **Good Night and Good Luck** and **Lars**. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/170 "2008-01-04T23:00:28Z")
[QUOTE=Equipoise] I must say, I’ve never ever heard of anyone who disliked Meryl Streep. [/QUOTE] I’ve noticed quite a lot of Meryl backlash since she’s aged out of fuckability. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/171 "2008-01-05T00:31:49Z")
[QUOTE=lisacurl] I’ve noticed quite a lot of Meryl backlash since she’s aged out of fuckability. [/QUOTE] Bull, she was never ever a Hollywood Hottie. She overacts and always has all the way back to Kramer vs. Kramer. Of all the leading actresses in Hollywood, she was one of the least attractive. I have dated or worked with many woman that looked better than she did in her prime. Thank you for playing the shallow card. I just think she overacts and is the most overrated actress in modern times. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/172 "2008-01-05T02:17:26Z")
[QUOTE=Lust4Life] Costner of course,his portrayal of an outlaw in the English Middle ages in Robin Hood with an American accent is notable for his apparent total lack of embarassment for doing so. … [/QUOTE] He has been forgiven for this role because it gave us Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham. In fact they should have just called the movie “The Sheriff of Nottingham”. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/173 "2008-01-06T12:35:47Z")
[QUOTE=Saint Cad] Sadly he is not the worst Anakin. Jake Lloyd instead of Hayley Joel Osment? :smack: [/QUOTE] Haley wouldn’t have been right either, though. I love him to bits, but his acting style requires time to play out. Not much he could have brought to the table while zipping around in a podracer. Anyway, if he’d been cast as Anakin, he would have been unavailable for Sixth Sense. And quite honestly, I don’t even think Lloyd was terrible as Anakin. The role did call for a certain amount of cockiness, and he brought that off well. It looks bad in retrospect because a) TPM Anakin should have been in his early teens and b) Lloyd may very well have been cast because he fit that **one** role perfectly, and later proved to have no range otherwise. But overall, I don’t think Lloyd ruined TPM. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551/174 "2008-01-06T13:09:19Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] He has been forgiven for this role because it gave us Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham. In fact they should have just called the movie “The Sheriff of Nottingham”. [/QUOTE] Its said that Costner heavily edited out Rickman in the movie because he so overshadowed Costners dismal acting ability with his own consumate erformance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-they-really-cant-act/430551.md?page=8)