MovieChat Forums > Short Cuts (1993) Discussion > Short Cuts - Andie McDowell's responses

Short Cuts - Andie McDowell's responses


Hi, could someone help out with their opinion here? Of course I understand Altmann wants us, the viewers, to do the work and get to know the characters as they develop. There's no evidence that I noted, but is Andie McDowell's character (like the houseproud mother in American Beauty) zombied out on medication? Or is she mentally subnormal?

I can't believe her lack of response or any emotional depth or intelligence was entirely due to her abysmal acting. Help!!

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I would go with the theory that it's just due to her, uh.... 'unique' acting style.

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Yeah! I noticed that too. Her reactions to her son walking in telling her he'd been hit by a car weren't normal. And she acted strange during the bakery scene near the end. I thought it must have just been her horrible acting, but now I think that maybe she's retarded or on drugs or something. Who knows why she was written that way if that was the case

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[deleted]

Not the brightest bulb? This judgement is based on... what evidence, exactly?

What a weird thread.



"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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[deleted]

That would perhaps make her ignorant, but hardly dim witted.



"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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[deleted]

The f-ck you talking about?



"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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[deleted]

[deleted]

Oh for Gods sake, his point is that McDowell is a lousy actress. The evidence being every one of her films.

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Who´s point? Certainly not the poster´s I talked to last. And although I have no particular opinion of her acting talent in general, she was definitely at least adequate in Short Cuts. Anyone who says she was guilty of "lack of response" as the OP says, didn´t obviously pay even the most rudimentary attention.



"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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Some viewers demand to be spoon-fed the emotional reaction they are supposed to have. What they want is emotions that are as subtle as a sledgehammer.

Sad but true.

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"What they want is emotions that are as subtle as a sledgehammer".

Well, yeah, but then again McDowell gave the most emotional and hysterical performance of the film. For a good reason, of course.



"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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A weird thread??? A thread talking about a perfectly fine performance from a perfectly fine actress as if it were the worst performance of all time? People whining on the internet about even good things is not weird, its normal as hell on this nightmare of a website.

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Andie McDowell gives a great performance in Short Cuts. Everything about her acting fits with the character that has been created by the writers, costume and art directors. Look at the character's home and the clothes she wears, the way she styles her hair. She's a rather conservative old-fashioned "housewife" and rather dependent on her husband, but she takes care that everything is kept neat and tidy, and she worries over getting the details right (she's very concerned about the insect-spray being in the swimming pool when the children come to the birthday party). When something goes wrong, she reacts in the way that person would.

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I think Andie McDowell was great in this. She doesn't overreact when she finds Casey home after being hit by a car. He is coherent, so she puts him to bed. She never allows herself to think that he has been mortally injured. When she comes home from the hospital after Casey has died, she is in shock...she cannot speak to Zoe, only gives her a zombie-like hug. And finally when she and her husband confront the baker, Mr. Bickhauer, she allows herself to accept the reality that, "There ARE no more birthdays! My son is dead! He was hit by a car the day I came in here and we have been waiting with him ever since and now he is DEAD! He's DEAD goddamn you!"

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She's Southern, and her diction reflects that. She's the same in all her roles.

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I don't think Andie MacDowell is that bad an actress, not a great one but not as awful as everyone says, she's just hampered by a very broad southern accent. It's like when she confronts Lyle Lovett she goes "He's dey-add!!" (dead) and it spoils the moment. If she spoke with a more neutral accent this wouldn't happen. It's a wonder how she wasn't persuaded to have elocution lessons when she became an actress.

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I do not think that Andie McDowell is a bad actress. Loved her in 4 Weddings. However, I am about to watch this movie again. It has been a couple of years since the last time. It seems I recall her being somewhat aloof and put it down to the fact that half of LA was/is on Valiums or some other placating med. I will check back in shortly...

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Well, I have only one word. Apathy.

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Someone mentioned her accent. She is from Gaffney, SC. I'm from SC as well, do her accent sounds normal to me. Remember when Glenn Close had to dub all of her dialogue? Granted, she is not that good of an actress, but I've enjoyed everything I've seen her in.

Larry Kozinski, I would love to dance with you.

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