MovieChat Forums > Don McKay (2009) Discussion > Not exactly a bravura performance, dude.

Not exactly a bravura performance, dude.

posted 15 years ago by crankyerma1984
8 replies | jump to latest

I am a big fan of Thomas Hayden Church and have been since "Wings." I will pretty much rent a movie just because he's in the cast. The fact that he believed in this picture enough to be the EP meant it would at least be interesting. The film was quirky and kinda intriguing but it would have been cool if THC had given his character a second facial expression or at least a glimmer of emotion. Remaining deadpan for two hours and leaving it up to the audience's imagination to give this character an inner life seems kinda lame. If that was sort of the point of the character, I guess it's a job well done but it seems a little self indulgent.

[–] thejslewis 15 years ago

I think it was the point of the character. Knowing the plot and knowing what Don knows, think back... would you expect him to act any differently?

[–] crankyerma1984 15 years ago

At some point, I wanted to see something from Don. He eventually seems less than human. It was like frickin' Buster Keaton after a while. Just too one-note of a performance. The was not even a subtle nuance here or there going on.

[–] imdb-z-dja 14 years ago

"It was like frickin' Buster Keaton after a while. Just too one-note of a performance."

This is a good comment. I agree.

[–] JrnlofEddieDeezenStudies 15 years ago

That was exactly the point of the character. He's basically another Chauncey Gardner (see Being There).

http://www.rateyourmusic.com/~JrnlofEddieDeezenStudies

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] JrnlofEddieDeezenStudies 14 years ago

You're free to not like it, to think the performance wasn't good, to dislike the comparison because you really like one performance and not another. There's not a correct answer for any of that, just our opinions. I was just pointing out that the character was intended to be the way the OP was complaining about.

http://www.rateyourmusic.com/~JrnlofEddieDeezenStudies

[–] o_placid_o 14 years ago

*SPOILERS*

Uhhhm, this is a man who has been alone (seemingly without ANY relationships whatsoever) and has worked as a high school janitor for 25 years SINCE HE BURNED HIS 2 FRIENDS AND HIS GIRLFRIEND TO DEATH. it seems like he`s blocked out all emotions except his strange love for his dead girlfriend, hence the letters. i think his personality and facial expressions (or lack of emotion) EXACTLY suit what that kind of trauma would do to a person. am i wrong??

[–] BobbySimone86 14 years ago

I agree 100%. Somebody who has lived like that for 25 years would probably have little emotion of any kind left not matter what happens when he returns back to his home.