MovieChat Forums > Friends with Kids (2012) Discussion > Jennifer/Julie

Jennifer/Julie

posted 12 years ago by tjloverdog
7 replies | jump to latest

First of all, I love that Jennifer’s inspiration to create these roles come from her own life and real life situations and wanting to answer questions like, ‘What if?’ It’s always empowering to see another women take charge of their own work and still remain boldly creative.

Julie was a great character of substance, one that all woman can relate to. She’s strong but emotional. She has good values but is unconventional. Jennifer’s skills as an actress really shine in her performance as Julie! There are moments were she carries the story without much dialogue and must portray conflicted feelings. You can hear her thoughts and feel her heartache and angst. What makes a good character is the values they live by and the risk they go up against and Jennifer's delivery of the role was spectacular. I really got into it.

[–] veronicawindle 12 years ago

I loved her as Julie! It was very different from her previous roles like Abby in 'Ira & Abby' which was more eccentric, outgoing, and cute. Julie was more serious, independent, and introverted. It's not the easiest role to play either. There are a number of emotional scenes and of her depicting inner conflict. I was surprised at how well Jennifer embraces vulnerability for the part. Jennifer did a great job of portraying a mother/friend torn between a promise and being in love. Her interactions with her friends were very genuine and her reactions to conflict were heartfelt. As her character goes through several transformations: falling in love and then letting go of love, you are understanding of her journey and every choice she makes. Julie was a well written character for a well-rounded actress!

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] carlagarciarina 12 years ago

I adored the character Julie. She is easily relatable. She is personable, a great friend who is loving, romantic, and sacrificing, but strong. It’s a great female role and Jennifer Westfeldt portrays her perfectly! It’s a different personality from her other characters thus showing off her versatility as an actress. What I love about all the characters in her stories is that although they are uniquely different, they all posses the characteristic of being ‘unconventional.’ The strength and tenderness she shows in her emotional scenes are beautiful to watch. All of her roles show great transformation as the story progresses, a sign of well-written stories and characters.

[–] joeyrosenburger 12 years ago

I thought Jennifer did a beautiful portrayal of the character Julie. Julie is a very challenging character. She is complex in all the ways you guys mentioned. Jennifer brings charm and tenderness. She also knows when to bring intensity. She is down to earth and a classic beauty.

[–] mommymiller82 12 years ago

Jennifer is a marvelous human being and creates wonderful stories and characters for women. Her characters explore life, love, values, and she delivers entertaining performances in very original stories. Her stories are very funny and can be poignant at the same time. I adore the character Julie! She’s a modern woman and I always feel like we need more stories about these types of women. She's a devoted mother, an amazing friend, she's independent, and real. She’s a great character and Jennifer as Julie delivers a beautiful performance. She has a way of pulling you into the story and the life of her character. I really felt Julie's conflict and I sympathized with her. I think she possesses great intensity for a romantic lead. As she goes through the motions of love and heartbreak she is real and vulnerable. That along with her character's transformation makes a powerful performance.

[–] sherber2013 12 years ago

Pulling inspirations from real life to create her characters make the experience of her movies more real. She's answering the questions and exploring situations women think about. Films (comedies) these days are rarely about the female point of view. We are fortunate to have a voice such as Jennifer's that women AND men can relate to. The character Julie is a lot of women. She is your friend, girlfriend, mom, and sister. Jennifer is beautiful in her portrayal of Julie. She's so likeable that you care for her and are understanding of her situation. Her choices are understandable and you feel her emotions.

[–] sophiaacts 11 years ago

I've taken notes from Jennifer and started writing my stories which include characters for me to relate to and perform. It's been really exhilarating as well as challenging. What I love about presenting these writings/scenes & monologues separately in class is that they intertwine, there's somewhat of a continuation, almost as if forming a series. I am learning more from the process and I see how it affects my acting and perception of acting and filmmaking. I so wish I could sit down and have a one on one with Jennifer and pick her brain. I'll be the first to sign up if she ever gives a lecture!