I'm back-and-forth on her performance in this film. Parts of it she seems kinda flat and lacks nuance. Parts seem like she's too childish. But there are a few moments - mostly towards the end - that I loved.
So, first, there's no excuse for her "flat" moments, other than the fact that the character is a bit stoic and that can be hard to do on-screen. Clint Eastwood is really good at being both stoic and dynamic, but it's a rare gift. Zendaya might either not have "it" or not have the experience necessary.
Still, for the record, I think mostly she's "fine," she's just not great.
As to the "childish" moments, this might not be fair. Zendaya looks young. Maybe this is just a miscasting issue, but it's certainly not her fault if her fully adult face still looks like a child's face, and therefore a little pouty, when she's angry or frustrated. Now, this doesn't change the fact that some of those scenes fell flat for me - because she seems a bit immature - but I can't blame Zendaya for that. This isn't an acting problem. This is just a typecasting issue. The worst I can say about that is that she can't (or didn't) rise above her "type," which is extremely hard to do. Not many people can get an audience to forget their physical reality. So, again, while sometimes this made me less than thrilled with her performance, I can't put it as a strike against her ability.
But I'll finish off with a moment that I think was worth whatever else was going on with Zendaya. And there are SPOILERS below.
Towards the end of the film, Paul and Chani are growing farther and farther apart. She's never been angrier with him, and she unleashes some fury his way. Something like that. And Paul goes over to her and says, "I want you to know: I will love you as long as I breathe." And he's saying, "I understand the situation and the rift between us, but this is still true." And she takes that in, recognises it, and fights to keep down the love and sorrow she feels. We see her face spasm a bit, and Zendaya perfectly blends the confusion, conflict, sorrow, and anger that Chani is experiencing. It's truly subtle and a really difficult work is accomplished, showing us about three layers of emotion and thought within that character.
So, ultimately, I think Zendaya did a good job. Imperfect and flawed, yes, but overall she was worth it.
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