I love Julia Roberts in this movie. She was very believable in her role as Hilary.
However, Campbell did a terrible acting job I thought. Very robotic. It was cringeworthy. And his character, Victor, and the way he was written did not help. Victor was creepy, always staring at Hilary. He even got in her bed while she was sleeping! The jokes and the things that came out of his mouth were not funny and pretty embarrassing.
I actually think he was very realistically written, and Campbell Scott did an exceptional job with that role. Victor was socially awkward. He's been sick most of his life, which has kept him out of relationships and social circles. He's very self-conscious, and is all thumbs with people beyond his inner circle/comfort zone (his dad and butler). Safe to say...Victor has had a very rough road in life.
His awkwardness around Julie Robert's character fely very realistic, and made for a much more poignant story. He himself admitted...the only girlfriend he ever had...left him the moment she found out he was sick. How do you suppose that makes him feel around women now? Scared....self-conscious....awkward.
And then there's the silver-spoon component. Victor's father is rich...and over-protective. So Victor has lived a very sheltered life...and has no idea how to relate to the common working-class person. It was painfully awkward for him in places like the local bar....where he readily admitted people will chastise him for his appearance. He's not used to swigging beer and talking sports...and it makes him an outcast in many situations.
His love for JR's character felt real, and it was sad. He didn't know how to navigate his feelings, but did his best to stumble through it. If anything...I REALLY felt and believed the love he had for her. It was HER feelings for HIM that just didn't come across very well on-screen. I never bought that she was in love with him.
Victor wasn't creepy. He was a victim of his illness...a victim of a tragic, overly sheltered and lonely life. He wasn't like most people we know....because he didn't have the normal life we all take for granted. He was essentially robbed of his youth.
Hey thats right on point, that was so sad that his life was revolved around him being sick. He did a good job. The actor.
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