MovieChat Forums > Vera Drake (2005) Discussion > Eddie Marsan

Eddie Marsan

posted 19 years ago by marobertson
10 replies | jump to latest

I finally saw this film and was very impressed with the cast. I can see why Imelda Staunton got the Oscar nomination. However, the performance that really stood out for me was Eddie Marsan's. The character of Reg could easily have disappeared into the wallpaper, but in basically a handful of lines Marsan transforms him into one of the most insightful and sympathetic people in the film.

I'm always impressed when an actor can take a character that could easily be a simple archetype (in this case a somewhat dull, working-class schlub) and break out beyond those constraints.

I was surprised to discover that I had already seen Eddie in several other excellent support roles in movies like 21 Grams and V for Vendetta.

[–] rockycairns 18 years ago

yeah Eddie Marsan is a good actor and he was great in this im seeing him everywhere at the moment

Vera Drake
21 Grams
V for Vendetta
Miami Vice
The Last Hangman
The Illusionist
Mission Impossible III

They had so much *beep* money you could build a house out of stacks of hundred dollar bills!!

[–] champagne-truffles 16 years ago

For me he gave one of the best performances in the film. He seemed to see what Vera was doing from a similar perspective to hers. Two of the most poignant lines were delivered by Reg - "If you can't feed them you can't love them" and "This is the best Christmas I've ever had", which for me was the most moving line in the film.

[–] TooSlim 16 years ago

I agree, he was an understated gem. I think he was supportive of Vera because of her kindness to him, as no one else had ever reached out to him to give him a family. Marsan is also wonderful in "Little Dorrit".

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] perorewen 16 years ago

Yeah, I was going to mention Happy-go-lucky. He did a great job in that film.

**********
They blew up Congress, hahaha!!!

[–] Noir-It-All 15 years ago

It'a amazing how many of Eddie Marsan's films I've seen.

I saw the DVD a while ago and found myself thinking about his character a lot. I'm watching it on YouTube now. Still impressed.

"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." Roseanne

[–] manon-14 15 years ago

Such different roles and in both an excellent performance. It's great!

[–] liberalmedia 15 years ago

Yes, it was a lovely performance. Marsan suggested the quiet strength and decency of an ordinary man. I recall his character had tremendous empathy for his own mother and for Vera.

Please, IMDB, no more of those brainless threads about how so-and-so looks like so-and-so.

[–] Pequod88 14 years ago

Mr. Marsan is exceptionally good. He made The Disappearance of Alice Creed a riveting film when it easily could have been a worthless genre piece. He was excellent in Little Dorrit, and seems incapable of giving a bad performance.

[–] cheryl-framing 9 years ago

What a great actor he is. I also never realised that i've seen him before. he is brilliant in Ray Donovan too