Julie & Julia Reviewed.
source: http://blogs.current.com/movies/2009/08/06/julie-julia-reviewed/
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[Julie & Julia opens nationwide today. Want to leave a webcam review for next week's [8/13] Rotten Tomatoes Show? Click here.]
First things first: Julie, a restless New York blogger (Amy Adams) decides to cook every recipe in Julia Child’s (Meryl Streep) cookbook. The film, written and directed by Nora Ephron, flips back in forth in time between Julie’s efforts in 2002 and Julia’s effervescence in post-World-War-II Paris. You should go see it.
Still, and I’m sure I won’t be the first person to say this, I wish it had been Julia & More Julia. Let me break it down for you:
On Julie?
I can’t let Amy Adams off the hook for turning in an unceasingly whiny performance in what could have been an overall splendid picture. Sure, no one’s expecting Adams to compete with the powerhouse that is Meryl-as-Julia. But for Chrissakes, Adams is 34-years old and still working that wide eyed, child-like shtick. It hasn’t just worn out its welcome, it’s getting creepy!
There are only two excuses for a grown woman to act like an 11-year old on screen. The first is if she’s playing a Disney princess, as Adams did, in Enchanted. The second is if she’s Marilyn Monroe. But wait, you say, isn’t Julia Child rather wide-eyed and silly voiced and childlike as well? Yes, she is; the difference is Meryl’s Julia, as the acting teachers say, fights.
We do not want to see characters in movies whine. We want to see them rise and fight whatever life or the screenwriter throws them. Good acting also contains specificity, be it the characters’ or your own little Method-induced tricks; I only wish that she had been able to pop in on Julia to borrow a cup.
It’s impossible to stay mad at Adams. After all, her ass was the only redeeming feature in this spring’s Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. I’m just disappointed and hope for better from her.
But, on Julia? Yowza!
[Check out the Current_Movies blog to see Ellen's full review.]
First things first: Julie, a restless New York blogger (Amy Adams) decides to cook every recipe in Julia Child’s (Meryl Streep) cookbook. The film, written and directed by Nora Ephron, flips back in forth in time between Julie’s efforts in 2002 and Julia’s effervescence in post-World-War-II Paris. You should go see it.
Still, and I’m sure I won’t be the first person to say this, I wish it had been Julia & More Julia. Let me break it down for you:
On Julie?
I can’t let Amy Adams off the hook for turning in an unceasingly whiny performance in what could have been an overall splendid picture. Sure, no one’s expecting Adams to compete with the powerhouse that is Meryl-as-Julia. But for Chrissakes, Adams is 34-years old and still working that wide eyed, child-like shtick. It hasn’t just worn out its welcome, it’s getting creepy!
There are only two excuses for a grown woman to act like an 11-year old on screen. The first is if she’s playing a Disney princess, as Adams did, in Enchanted. The second is if she’s Marilyn Monroe. But wait, you say, isn’t Julia Child rather wide-eyed and silly voiced and childlike as well? Yes, she is; the difference is Meryl’s Julia, as the acting teachers say, fights.
We do not want to see characters in movies whine. We want to see them rise and fight whatever life or the screenwriter throws them. Good acting also contains specificity, be it the characters’ or your own little Method-induced tricks; I only wish that she had been able to pop in on Julia to borrow a cup.
It’s impossible to stay mad at Adams. After all, her ass was the only redeeming feature in this spring’s Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. I’m just disappointed and hope for better from her.
But, on Julia? Yowza!
[Check out the Current_Movies blog to see Ellen's full review.]
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