Hail Jodie in 'Nell', one of her best performances ever!!

Having seen this film, it compels me to say that Jodie Foster's performance in this slightly neglected film is absolutely amazing!! Her portrayal of this innocent and charming girl has got to be one of the most difficult parts she has ever done (that and the child prostitute in 'Taxi Driver', and the multiple roles in 'Freaky Friday' are, in my opinion, the three hardest roles Jodie Foster has had to play so far), and she has done it magnificently. She fully expresses the beauty of innocence, yet she remains 'uncivilised' enough so as to seem socially incompatible and isolated. Furthermore, Jodie has managed to capture the change of the character from start to end- at the beginning of the film, she is a completely isolated character who is accidentally discovered by the local people. She is very much like a 'closed' book who is unwilling to open her heart and communicate with others. However, she gradually learns to interact with others through her acquiantance with Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson, and at the end her reunion with them is evidence of her having fully learnt how to merge into human society, despite her poor social background. Jodie Foster has given us a wonderful performance, and I am only too disappointed that she did win her third Oscar with this performance.