I COMEPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU!!! I always rolled my eyes when they did that.
The only reason I could think of them doing that was because they probably just got the idea that a character looking at the audience in the eye makes the movie seem more real.
If that is the case, they should never listen to that person again.
I rather liked it. It made me feel more a part of the discomfort she was trying to portray. It made her emotions (not necessarily the movie in general) seem more real.
shareAre you a people person or a people observer?
shareI tend to be a people observer. Are you self-conscious about others looking at you?
I didn't need it in this movie, but neither did it bother me. As I said, it did bring me more into her world. In general I think breaking the fourth barrier works best in comedy movies.
I really tend not to like people staring at me. You nailed it!
shareWell, two issues. First, I didn't feel like the looks were stares...it was more of a glance. So I don't mind someone glancing at me especially if there is meaning and emotion behind the glance intended to communicate deep feeling which is how I interpreted this. Plus, since I somewhat felt an attachment (literary of course) to Anne in this, like she had become an acquaintance, it didn't bother me that she (an acquaintance) glanced at me. Like I said, it worked for me but obviously not for everyone.
I must admit that I was a little put off when Ann stared straight at me. I endured the long stare at the beginning but felt very uneasy and had to looked down when she did it further through the movie. It was only Ann too. I guess it was someone's silly idea. Probably the director's. It didn't work in my opinion.
That and other shoddy aspects held the film back. Good story though.
6/10 Not bad.
You actually had to look down because Anne was looking at the camera? Wow, I never imagined it'd have that affect on someone.
Maybe it's just me. I don't mind women staring at me...in fact it's kind of nice. I should rather say it WOULD be kind of nice if any women actually did{: But regardless, it didn't bother me at all that Anne looked right at me...I look right back...boldly.
In general, I hate breaking the fourth wall -- on stage and in film. The only film where it really worked with High Fidelity. But truly, very little worked in this adaptation.
I think it worked well with the Ellery Queen TV series starring Jim Hutton.
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Wow, Jim Hutton....I loved him.
shareI had a massive crush on him in high school, and I was very upset when he died.
A few months ago, I rented the entire series from Netflix and then rented other movies he was in.
As an aside, Tim looked just like him when he was younger, but it looked much better on Jim.
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I just watched the other "Persuasion" (from '99, I think), and it does the same "looking at the camera" thing. I don't like it -- it doesn't draw me in, it takes me out.
shareI don't mind breaking the fourth wall on principle, but in this case I found it rather contrived
shareI just watched this movie for the first time, and came here specifically to see if anyone mentioned the creepy staring into the camera. I thought it was very off putting. I don't usually mind characters breaking the 4th wall, but this just didn't sit right with me at all.
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