MovieChat Forums > Bright Star (2009) Discussion > awful acting

awful acting

posted 15 years ago by Felix333
80 replies | jump to latest

I just saw the movie and could not believe how bad the acting was.

The characters in "bright star" were simply not believable as actual human beings. The dialouge seemed fake, not one second did the actors make me believe to actually BE the characters. I was so disappointed and I honestely tried to like the movie (the story was not that bad by the way) but the way the actors struggled to remember their just memorized lines was too much. The lack of flow within the conversations reminded me of school plays, where everybody tries to get their lines out with hollow voices.

I sat through it, others left the theatre.

However, I have to give credit to Antonia Campbell-Hughes as the maid Abigail, I liked her performance.

[–] wdawson-1 15 years ago

as a fan of jane campion's movies, i sat through to the end of this and now i wonder why? i couldn't invest in any of the actors. i've seen abbie cornish do much better than this. i found it vapid and it felt overlong, even though i'm sure the story was told with as much haste as 'seeming'. all in all, a bit of a bore.

life is short, but wide.

[–] aGuiltySoul 15 years ago

You seem an odd "fan of Jane Campion" movies. I found her touch in every scene and every word spoken. This film was Jane's lyrical poem, an Ode to Fanny Brawne and John Keats, written and experienced in film...a multi sensational rhythm and rhyme from the lighting and sets, to the performances and script.

"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."

[–] tigerbos 15 years ago

Are you kidding me? Which of her films are you a 'fan' of? I wonder!

I think she's the saddest girl ever to hold a martini.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] two-roses 15 years ago

I thought the cat acted quite well.

Unfortunately, much as my wife and I wanted to walk out, we couldn't as we were at a fundraiser.

[–] rachelforney 15 years ago

I agree some of the acting was bad but two characters stood out to me as doing a fantastic job. I thought Abbie Cornish did a great job. It was the first time I took notice of her in a movie. I also really liked her little sister. The little girl barely sad a word but every seen with her reminded me of an awkward girl trying to impress those that are older in the house particularly Fanny. A slow film can take a way from great acting. I felt the director liked a lot more of the quiet moments to express emotion so dialouge could seem stretched if you had been not paying attention the whole time. I paid attention the whole time as I have a hard time with a good or bad movie to fall asleep and I felt that I could follow the movie just fine. The only complaint I would have for the movie as a whole is I could never get into the chemistry between the two main characters.

[–] aGuiltySoul 15 years ago

racelforney, as much as I agree with your praise for the level of acting of Abbie Cornish and Jane Campion's remarkable ability to draw such natural performances from children such as Edie Martin provided as Toots, I find your lack of recognition for one of the greatest actors living and working today, Ben Whishaw, shows a sad lack of perception.

If you get the opportunity I invite you to see just one scene again from Bright Star. It is as John Keats boards the carriage that will take him away to Italy. Ben Whishaw has no dialogue and he is merely sitting, but all the emotions Keats must have felt chase across his still face. Ben is just so achingly excellent. And I must mention Paul Schneider as Charles Brawne. He takes a dispicable character and follows his character's arc to one that draws our bitter sympathy by the end.

"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."

[–] RRuin 15 years ago

Bad acting in Bright Star???
I don't think so.

"I fought fire with oil"

Dalton Trumbo

[–] astralxromance 15 years ago

Why would you watch a film when you have no respect for poetry? It was poetic-like. If you didn't like poetry, you shouldn't have watched it. The acting was superb.

[–] speechfork 14 years ago

Only the maid's performance felt hollow to me and made me cringe. So poorly acted I was embarrassed for her. Interesting how you felt the opposite.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] Howlin Wolf 14 years ago

Couldn't disagree with you more (apart from the last bit, about "Abigail"!)

"I've been turned down more times than the beds at the Holiday Inn; I still try"