Her role in Hitchcock is a metaphor for her own career

You may have something there.

Have you seen every film in her filmography? If not, I don't see how this post holds any merit. Just because you are not familiar with her career doesn't mean she only plays "useless" roles. Watch "The Tall Man" "Easy Virtue" or "The Illusionist" before you judge.

As someone who HAS seen nearly all the movies she's been I'd say the OP is on to something. Yes, Biel was the lead in Tall Man and Easy Virtue, but in every other movie she's been in she's just the 1 dimensional "hot girl" or thankless love interest role.

Now although I didn't care for Easy Virtue I thought she was pretty good in Tall Man and made me see her in a different light, so it's either she only gets offered the crappy roles and has to take them or else she won't work, or she isn't making an effort to seek out truly good roles.

I think of another actress like Vera Farmiga who usually gets the same thankless roles in big movies, but excels in smaller movies where she is given more to do.

Although I know it will sound stupid, but I think Biel needs to pull a "Charlize Theron in Monster" and play a truly ugly role where the only focus is on her acting ability and not her looks because I do think she has talent, but the roles she takes/is-given don't allow her to show it.

Don't try to cash in love, that check will always bounce.

But Vera wasn't given "hot girl roles?" Vera left Hollywood to become a mother, Jessica isn't doing that?

The only thing the OP has right is that she does sometimes play the useless female role, but if that is the kind of role available, what is she supposed to do? There are only a handful of great female roles every year and she's been fighting to get those.

Unlike Vera who was given all the right roles and was being groomed to be a huge star, Jessica has had to work and prove herself over and over, but she still isn't given the chance for that one role that will help her get that recognition.

I agree with your "Monster" comment, and it's funny you mention that because she's actually talked about wanting to do that.

Jessica has had to work and prove herself over and over, but she still isn't given the chance for that one role that will help her get that recognition.

Maybe she hasn't been given the role because she's awful.

The only thing she's proven over and over is how mediocre she is.

I'm not here to try and force people to like Jessica, if she hasn't been in a movie you liked I can't argue why you think she's "terrible" or "mediocre," but I do find that statement unfair. She has been in several good, award winning films but people choose to ignore those roles and gravitate straight towards "she's terrible" without really giving her a fair chance. I have never seen anyone receive so much irrational hate.

“She has been in several good, award winning films”.

Not according to Rotten Tomatoes. On that website only three of the film she’s been in have been rated fresh (to be fair though they don’t list Hitchcock under her resume and that only got okay to decent reviews). Additionally one of those film was a documentary and the other two feature her in small roles (she plays a pivotial role in the Illusionist, but she doesn’t have much screentime in the film).

So in other words, NO!



How much longer do I have to wait?