MovieChat Forums > One Day (2011) Discussion > TRAGIC

TRAGIC

posted 13 years ago by cburncallander
46 replies | jump to latest

A golden opportunity to do a great British film COMPLETELY messed up by dreadful, US-pandering casting. Anyone who's read the book can only be disappointed by the two dimensional characters - all of them are rubbish. Why not Carey Mulligan or - even better - Samantha Morton to play NORTHERNER Emma Morely. And Nicholas Hoult or Ben Whishaw as Dexter?

Shame on David Nicholls for bothering to write the screenplay and then seeing it go to the dogs for the sake of the yankee money shot. The film looks as terrible as the book was brilliant. Shame..

[–] chillbill 13 years ago

Agreed - I will not be watching - I hate Ann Hathaway and can't believe that people are saying she is too attractive to play Emma - she is the gawkiest plainest girl in Hollywood

[–] ninispjc 13 years ago

Thsi thread has been a real education for me. I had no idea British people were so prejudiced against American actors, and against the American movie industry as a whole. Now, I'll be the first one to say that Hollywood hasn't put out a decent romantic comedy since Bridget Jones' Diary, ironically. Most rom coms today really stink. But to call this a rom com is shamefully inaccurate. This is a romantic drama, not a rom com. rule number one of a rom com, NONE OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS DIE!! That alone makes it a drama, not a comedy, even though there are a few funny little bits in it. Even though it's directed by a Danish director and stars Hathaway, it still looks like a British art house movie to most Americans. It's a shame. I really enjoyed it, but it seems this movie didn't have a chance even before it was released because they had the nerve to cast a bloody American. Sheesh.

[–] chillbill 13 years ago

Surely this thread is more about criticism of actors doing bad british accents than criticising americans?!!!! Ann Hathaway was a miscast for many reasons the biggest being her awful accent - not a racist comment merely a fact. One reviewer wrote that she appears to be trying so hard to get the accent right that she forgets to do any other acting - not a racist comment - just an opinion on the acting of Ann Hathaway. I also cringe when Kate Winslet does an American accent - doesn't make me anti UK, just anti Kates crappy accent!

As for it being against the American film industry as a whole, again I disagree - I have criticised the US film industry at times as they do have a tendancy to glossify everything and appear to have a need for happy endings. However sometimes this does work, and it's by no means true for all US films.

So calm down with the Anti-US rant, America isn't so precious that we can't criticise it's offerings once in a while

[–] modelajb 12 years ago

i'm american and have no problem criticizing hollywood or the us, but i will say that "america sucks" seems to be a common theme in threads on imdb. it just gets a bit old after a while.

[–] dillon68 13 years ago

Please don't assume that all British people think like the first poster. I'm English and think Anne Hathaway was a fine choice. Ok, not perfect casting, but she did a good job with it and had tons of chemistry with Jim Sturgess.

For the record, I have no idea why the first poster is making out like this is some Hollywoodized adaptation. Anne Hathaway was the only thing remotely American about this film.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] candyxcoreaple1 13 years ago

I don't know what I just clicked but I hope its under the subject I wanted.
I just want to say two things.
One don't judge a book by it's cover. Or movie. Who cares if there's Americans playing the part, I mean its rude to get mad over it. They are people. Sure if they do the accent terrible and have poor acting-fine by all means dislike it. But when your only reason for disliking the movie is they are American it's not plausible.
Second to everyone who is like I hate this person and so on. Hates a strong word. How can you hate someone you don't know. Criticize the part they play because that's all they are to you. Don't criticize them as people cus' you don't know them.
Anyways, I'm not trying to be rude, you all are entitled to your own opinion I just wanted to say this. Please do go computer raging on me guys. Thanks.

[–] blfsweet16 13 years ago

Why do the Brits bitch and moan about American actors playing Brits and get away with it while Americans who bitch about Brits playing Americans are called ignorant, closed minded people?

If this were a film set in America I wouldn't give two craps if they picked an Englishman/Englishwoman to play an American character.

"Oh, *beep*! I picked a cute one!" --Penguin, "Batman Returns"

[–] aghoranathi 13 years ago

I'm watching it now, none of the characters are likable at all. Anne Hathaway can not act, she has never been believable in any role i've ever seen her in. It always just looks like, "Oh there's Anne Hathaway, she's trying to act again." She must have some friends in Hollywood, seems like that's the only way she would get work. I can see that the story could have been great although it was so cringe with this cast I decided to write this comment, first comment ever.

[–] cburncallander 13 years ago

I started this post and can't believe that people are interpreting it as 'anti-American'. Just to clarify - to avoid yet more misunderstandings - my comment was for those who'd read the book and had a strong idea of Emma and who could play her based on not just her Englishness but her NORTHERN-NESS. To give her authenticity (for people that read and loved the book!), she needed to be played by a Brit, cos no one else could do a northern accent properly BUT A BRIT.

Imagine a Brit actress trying to play Anne HAthaway's character, with her Texan drawl, in Brokeback mountain???
That's all I'm saying!!! You'd all be outraged and be like, 'doh, why did they give that part to Carey mulligan when anne Hathaway would've been so much better.'

Of course she was cast as Emma for commercial reasons to fine the film international appeal and sell to other markets than just the UK. I accept that. I just don't believe it worked. And my argument was for choosing an actor like Carey M who can straddle that divide WHILE doing justice to the original character. Keep us book lovers happy!

So please you crazy people. THINK before you go tarnishing posters as racist. Don't be so THICK !

[–] modelajb 12 years ago

i'm just curious, but why do people keep calling this a racial debate when the complaints aren't about the race? does racist hold some different meaning in britain or what?

[–] Nik-Ola 12 years ago

"Imagine a Brit actress trying to play Anne HAthaway's character, with her Texan drawl, in Brokeback mountain??? "

What a blanket statement to make. Not saying Anne Hathaway fared well with a northern accent (haven't read the book so didn't even know that's what she was going for), but that's not to say only a Brit can pull off a regional accent or like you said only an American can do a convincing southern accent. Case in point, Kelly Macdonald did the Texan drawl just fine in No Country for Old Men.

[–] shadenelewis 12 years ago

Honestly, I do not understand the problem some people have with this film. It was perfectly adequate. As good as any adaptation of a wonderful book can be.

Firstly, Carey would not have worked. Emma is nerdy but attractive, Carey is plain looking under all Emma's bad style choice's you wouldn't bat an eyelid.

Secondly...whoever made the Disney comment. There's nothing wrong with Disney, everyone enjoys a good happy film every now and then. Also Hathaway is a really good actress, she's awesome in Devil wears Prada, and the latest Batman movie. And I happen to think she's rather convincing in this. Sure at times the accent is awful but most of the time it's fine, believable actually. I happen to think she was actually a really good Emma, she executed the comedy and sensitivity of the character perfectly.

Sure they could have gave it to an up and coming British actress but they didn't. They wanted to bring in an audience, and what's saying a British actress would have done it any better.

As for Sturgess in my eyes he is faultless. A brilliant actor, superb in everything i've seen him in.

Please Ben could not do it, whilst a brilliant actor he just doesn't fit the role. Nick Holt is Laughable. Dex is supposed to be "Handsome" Not oddly good looking, not lean and angular, not quirky looking. Sturgess in my eyes is handsome, not hot, not quirky he's the perfect inbetween. Recognisably good looking, nice build...a great choice for the part.

[–] Aswinning_11 12 years ago

It would have been find for me if they had added 15-20 more minutes to portray the emotions felt while reading the book. It goes too fast in the movie (ofc it's a movie...). Could have been better indeed.

[–] littlekaren 12 years ago

Love Samantha Morton but I think Hathaway/Sturgess worked wonderfully!! I didn't adore the book and at first, didn't adore the movie. Yet the more I watched it on tv, I reconsidered again and again. Now I never miss it when it's on TV and I think the casting, and the performances, were great -- woefully underappreciated, in fact!

[–] ltsMin 11 years ago

loved the movie, loved emma and dexter, loved the love story but i dislike the ending!!!!!!!

[–] ninispjc 11 years ago

I loved this movie. I'm so sorry so many british people hated the casting of Anne Hathaway. I thought she did a lovely job fleshing out Emma, and Jim Sutrgess, just wow. I actually loved the ending. How it goes back to the beginning, and these two young people who have no idea what they are in store for in the next 20 years, but now we do, and to see hwo it all started. They have the most amazing kiss, the street lights come on (in the beginning of the movie they go off, bringing everything full circle) and the question, was it all worth it, is answered - of course it was. Chokes me up every time.

[–] RonnieHR 11 years ago

Cburncallander; I agree with you 100%. I'm a big fan of Hathaway, but she should not have been cast in this role. Although, any one chosen could not have made this a better movie. This just stinks from beginning to the end!