Thandie Newton was awful. - W. (2008) Discussion

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] HeathRIP 16 years ago

I could not agree more. I came here just to say that, actually.

I really liked her in Crash, but this was just painful to watch. It was an utter mess

4/4/79-1/22/08
R.I.P. Heath

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[–] teeunit84 16 years ago

I also agree. Just saw it last night and all she did was make a face like she was squinting at the sun while smelling a fart.

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[–] rtucker7 16 years ago

Ha, agreed. I too came here to see what her performance was all about. At first I thought it was a joke or a mistake, but every other scene she was in was "acted" in the same way. Just awful. She was doing a cartoon impression of Rice. We've all seen interviews, etc. with Rice, and MY GOD, she doesn't act OR sound like that.

Did the director not notice? I totally agree that everytime she was on screen, it took me right out of the movie. Maybe someone told her the movie was a slapstick comedy, because surely she's not THAT funking retarded.

It's been agreed the whole world stinks, so no one's taking showers anymore.

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[–] dhmason6155 16 years ago

She acted like a cross between Martha Stewart, Ernestine the operator, (Lily Tomlin "is this the party to whom I am speaking?") and Church Lady...

Chaos, Confusion, Insanity. My work here is done.

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[–] aspartame 16 years ago

She acted like a cross between Martha Stewart, Ernestine the operator, (Lily Tomlin "is this the party to whom I am speaking?") and Church Lady...

spot on!

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[–] thepartydjz 12 years ago

I think she fits in perfectly, sort of like Curly of the 3 stooges, fits in perfectly with Larry & Moe.

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[–] SpaceLand 16 years ago

Yes! Agree. Apt description.

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[–] Boricanator 16 years ago

We've all seen interviews, etc. with Rice, and MY GOD, she doesn't act OR sound like that.

You've summarized my thoughts to perfection.

She was so awkward in that role. I thought I would see a calm, cool and smart person who would be raising interesting points, like Condy is in real life. But she seemed more like a clown in this movie.

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[–] Nearvana 15 years ago

@rtucker7
exactly! i kept thinking, by watching HER character (along with several of the others), is this supposed to be a spoof of sorts? the term 'cartoon' entered my mind as well.
i've enjoyed her in other things, but she was not good in this at all. i think she got cast because they could make her look most like c. rice. it seems pretty obvious that they really wanted to find actors that would most resemble the people they were playing. that's the ONLY reason i can think of, them having kept her in this.

serva me, serva bote

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[–] IcySpoon 11 years ago

Agreed-was thinking the same thing as you! Where was Oliver Stone and what was his thinking? I am by no means an expert on Condoleezza Rice, and my personal politics aside, she appears to be an extremely competent strong woman-she appeared weak and the over-the-top pandering to Bush just didn't ring true. I just didn't buy it.. I recently watched her in Crash and thought she gave a good performance and her character wasn't very likeable.

"Gentlemen you can't fight in here!" "This is the war room!" Dr. Strangelove

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[–] the_moolag 16 years ago

HAHAHAAH

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[–] warchild1985 16 years ago

I agree. She overdid it, that whole Condi thing. Shakin her head when talking with that nasal voice. LMAO through parts of the movie

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[–] vinceanity1574 14 years ago

She was awful.

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[–] rasheed_node 12 years ago

Watch her in 'Beseized' by bernardo bertolucci, i loved her in that film and yes, i agree, her real bad performance in this film.

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[–] rolling-stoner 12 years ago

Imagine being in the cast or crew watching her "act". Someone should've had a word with Stone early on and suggested a recast. How she wasn't sacked on day one I do not know.

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[–] bizzniss 11 years ago

She was awful in Crash, She just played a victim. (or maybe you just like seeing blacks play victims molested by police, we get it). She played her best role in "The pursuit of Happiness"

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[–] lilu1026 16 years ago

Agree completely. watched this last night and the most annoying aspect of a film riddled with them was Newton's grimace. In fact, one shot, I swear the director must have shouted "Thandie! Your gimrance!" and she set her face hilariously. It was only a split second thing but it really pulled me out of the film.

_________________________________________

"Aren't you...Maria?"

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[–] jgater1981 16 years ago

Haha, I just finished watching this and came onto IMDB to say that exact same thing. Wow, she was truly something else. By something else, I mean she was awful.

Oh, Indeed!

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[–] tabor-ukhodit-v-nebo 16 years ago

Same! I just finished watching this film and came to seek confirmation on that. Took me out of the film, yes. Precisely. Her performance seemed more like something you would do after someone says something you consider stupid, and you imitate them in a derogatory manner to make a point.

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[–] BobStage 16 years ago

I grinned at the imitation, but I'm not sure if I'd say it was terrible acting. I don't really think about it. When I think of the film, I think of Richard Dreyfuss's chilling Dick Cheney and Josh Brolin's amazing George W. and James Cromwell's disappointed George H.W. and Toby Jones' sinister Karl Rove.

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[–] dhmason6155 16 years ago

I'm surprised, because she's usually such an excellent actress. Just an off performance and bad timing.

Chaos, Confusion, Insanity. My work here is done.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] herodreamer79 16 years ago

the problem with this movie was precisely the cast. it was so hit or miss.

you had BRILLIANT oscar worth performaces from Josh Brolin, Toby Jones, and Richard Dreyfuss

and then you had BAD to AWFUL...razzie deserving performances from Thandie Newton and Jeffery Wright.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] WELCOMEtoCANDYLAND 16 years ago

Thandie Newton's performance in this film is the worst and most annoying bit of acting I have ever seen in a major Hollywood film. Even managed to eclipse Cate Blanchett's awfulness in THE AVIATOR, and everything Tara Reid's ever done.

Why So Serious?

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[–] Quinn87 14 years ago

Are you high moron??? Cate Blanchett was INCREDIBLE in The Aviator.... Idiot...

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[–] WELCOMEtoCANDYLAND 14 years ago

You're replying to a message board that no-one's posted on for a year, and I'm the idiot... Speaks volumes when the only great movie Tim Burton's made in the last 20 years, is your most hated movie.
Cate Blanchett overacted in THE AVIATOR, much like Renee Zellweger in COLD MOUNTAIN. The Academy loves to see people ACTING, instead of forgetting that they're watching actors at all - take Heath Ledger's performance in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, for instance. A flawless performance, and one that doesn't scream out "hey, look at me!" like Cate's did. But I'm sure your mum and dad and drama teacher told you how marvellous attention-dragging "acting" is, so it must be true.

"You are waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away..."

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[–] lflores90-1 16 years ago

Thandie Newton is exuisitely beautiful and not to mention a very capable and talented actress, however, in this role she just couldn't grasp the character in any way. I wasn't sure if Stone was trying to make the role of Condi a comedic character piece or a straight up biographical role. Newton just came off awkwerd.

But maybe the point was to make Condi a subservient lap dog for Bush, which indeed was autobiographical.

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[–] nikishoes 16 years ago

I really enjoyed the movie, but I agree that her acting was awful. THe pitch of her voice drove me nuts and she seemed to overact.

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[–] gilbert_gumphrey 16 years ago

wow, i can't believe i'm the only person here who disagrees. i thought hers was the BEST performance in the movie - i didn't even recognize her, she so fully became Condozella.
cheers
KZ

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[–] frankvallon 14 years ago

I agree with you completely. I came on here to say the same thing. I was surprised when I saw that it was her who was playing condi. and I agree with an earlier poster who said that Stone probably portrayed condi so over the top like that to show how much of a "yes-man" she was to bush.

Also thought jeffrey wrights performance was excellent.

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[–] Breast_in_Pieces 14 years ago

i thought hers was the BEST performance in the movie - i didn't even recognize her, she so fully became Condozella.

ah well, that's where you've made the mistake, she was meant to portray Condoleeza.

Lauren Prosnan : Hollywood is God's way of saying America matters.

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[–] peacefulwarrioress 10 years ago

I thought she was great too. I'm so surprised by all of these critical comments. I think to some degree her performance was meant to be slightly comedic. I didn't even recognize her, so she did something right.

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[–] ramsrule2000 16 years ago

Every scene was carefully orchestrated. Stone set out to make anyone in the administration that supported Bush as a clueless boob, while anyone who opposed him to be a person of great wisdom and character.

I saw it for the first time today and it was worse than I thought it would be.

It was downright juvenile.

Makes me wonder, what is the left going to do with all that pent up hate and anger for the next 4 years?

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[–] Ldixon-1 16 years ago

Reply to rams rule...
I thought it was really restrained, politically, and as neutral as it could be.
But viewpoints will differ, in that regard.

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[–] masterbrew-2 16 years ago

I was wondering if Oliver Stone was deliberatly trying to give Condie a worse and weak image in case she runs as pres for the republicans in 2012. It just seemed too unbelievable to accept a performance that poor in a big time movie.

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[–] dhmason6155 16 years ago

Actually, I expected the usual biased, self-righteous Stone agenda and was surprised. The movie was respectful towards Bush and the administration. Cheney looked like the slimy weasel that he was, but Powell looked like a wuss, which was a huge inaccuracy.

Chaos, Confusion, Insanity. My work here is done.

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[–] oneseat 16 years ago

I agree with most posters that the usually good Thandie Newton was bizarrely bad in this role--not like the real Rice or a real anything. I was not impressed with many of the acting performances, actually, except Elizabeth Banks as Laura. James Cromwell and Richard Dreyfuss were okay. Jeffrey Wright looked shifty while trying to say heroic lines. I was never able to see Brolin as the real Bush.

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[–] dhmason6155 16 years ago

I think they decided to let James Cromwell be himself and not attempt to imitate Geo Sr. He would've looked worse than Thandie.

Chaos, Confusion, Insanity. My work here is done.

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