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In Reply to: Williams has tried to re-invent himself as a serious actor posted by tinear on August 6, 2005 at 06:10:56:
..what was the other?
Insomnia?
He was quite good, laid back in that.
I prefer these roles to his chummy, oozy, sickly sweet roles...but I don't think he's a very good 'actor'.
Follow Ups:
cutesy, and repulsively, self-ingratiatingly "Love me, PLEASE!" as an actor.
Nothing worse than a grown man trying hard to be liked or loved. You wanna slap him around. I can see his pixie-ish little grin now and I want to smash my monitor...
Exactly that...
Shit, I almost feel sorry for the guy and he must be earning a LOT more than me at the moment...
tinear,Yours is the best summary of Williams I've read in a long while.
I might extend your "repulsive" remark. I agree he has an amazing, imaginitvely and playfully fun, cognitively jarring stand up style, but I just can't look at him for very long- his physical presence is actively annoying: mincing, fawning, dancing around and he's so sweaty and hairy and cylindrical. No one else has permanent five o' clock shadow on their eyelids other than Robin Williams!
Jim Carrey produces this effect too- not the hairy eyelids, but the gradually fatiguing physical presence. I have a similar physical dislike- I can like the general comedy enough to ride along awhile, the mannered, self-conscious style is tiring and distracting. With Carrey, it's that rubber face style and kind of oily smooth, studied movement. Like Williams, even in his serious roles like "The Majestic", that oddly forced over-expression comes througha and I have togo and listen to some Bach to wash off the oily film.
I think Williams best movie role was probably "Fisher King", because it's a rollicking, madcap comedy where an insane character can get away with slapstick- but it's still tough to watch.
I ramble.
Cheers,Bambi B
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Robin Williams is a vastly superior Shakespearean trained actor while Carey is a comic (and not a funny one) who trots out a series of absurd facial expressions and talks out his ass kind of idotic humour. He did not manage to get away from himself in The Truman Show - probably the best film he's been in (at least of the one's I've seen) and mimicking Andy Kaufman is hardly a testimonial to acting ability though I grant his mimmickry was good.Robin Williams interestingly enough is far better as a dramatic actor than in any comedic thing he's done. His Personae may get in his way a little bit but big deal the same can be said for any major actor like say Jack Nicholson. Fame is a double edge sword. Williams is a household name and face and one does not escape that when on film. Nevertheless, Williams has managed to shut his mannerisms down in films like:
Moscow on the Hudson
The World According to Garp
Awakenings
Good Will Hunting
The Fisher King
One Hour Photo
Good Morning Vietman (which is part over the top rightly so)Unfortunately he always manages to shmaltz it up in crapfests like Patch Adams which will make any viewer a diabetic.
Most films that are bad are rarely the result of the actor - even Keanu Reeves has been in some movies that were pretty decent despite him being in them.
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car went off the cliff.
Owen Wilson is approaching the cutesy max, too, and Adam Waterboy has reached it long ago. Even a genius like Woody Allen only can be taken in measured doses...
Bambi - You may be right about Fisher King - but I would credit Jeff Bridges and the other members of this outstanding cast as a palatable counterpoint to William's usual antics.
I know Carrey can irritate too - but I *love* his Ace Ventura character !
Jim Campilongo,Yes, Jeff Bridges for me, never goes astray and he takes roles that suit him so that even when there are other weaknesses, he pulls it along with his presence. "Fabulous Baker Boys too". He's a low-key actor and his style and career reminds me of Robert Duvall and Gene Hackman- quiet and confident acting, and good role choices. But their professional integrity and lack of self-aggrandizing carrer building makes their career rise more slowly and steadily- no Paris Hilton sudden renown for doing absolutely nothing except run around shallowly arrogant to those poor losers without hotel fortunes- yet still imply oral sex is avaiable at popular prices. I digress.
You're quite right, Amanda Plummer, the object of William's romantic apsirations, and Bridges long-suffering, big hair, shirt skirted girlfriend do a lot, and William's on screen time is usually brief enough not to reach tolerance levels. Gilliam's direction and photography can have film school and cartoon qualities, but those are usually acceptable, affectionate movie homages.
"The Fisher King" has a suprising depth and only goes over the top when it pushes the story.
Cheers,
Bambi B
...Th Big Lebowski is Jeff Bridges to the power of whatever he wanted it to be!
Grins
theater played it every weekend as a midnight special. Lots of "regulars" came dozens of times, kind of like Rocky Horror, updated.
..I got the video on dvx not too long ago for a second viewng and decided it was one of my very favorite movies...so very funny, sharp, moving etc.
I can't stop thinking about the enormous performance of John Turturro as Jesus Quintana.
That guy is a gigantic actor, IMHO
Bambi -
Good writing and I agree ! Thanks for making my Saturday even more enjoyable.
I was impressed by Bridges performance in "The Contender" His take on a Clinton - like President was superb . -Jim
In 1973 or '74, when "The Last American Hero" came out, Kael said something along the lines of "There is the great showy stuff DeNiro does in 'Mean Streets' and then there is the quiet naturalistic stuff Bridges does in 'Last Picture Show' and 'Last American Hero' where you can't even see him act and it's just as great."I too especially love his work in "Baker Boys." And remember his performance in "The Iceman Cometh"?
"Cutter's Way." John Savage was powerful, too. I kind of wonder what happened to him? He was fantastic in "Deer Hunter" but seems to have disappeared after that from majors.
"Cutter's Way." John Savage was powerful, too. I kind of wonder what happened to him? He was fantastic in "Deer Hunter" but seems to have disappeared after that from majors. "I became a big fan of his after seeing 'The Onion Field' and 'Inside Moves' in the early 80s. He has a real grasp of characters on the edge, his speciality it almost seems. He also played another character 'on the edge' as recent as 'The Thin Red line'.
I never read Kael's comments on Bridges. He's great in "Fearless" too. What a powerful film !
I felt "Robin Williams Overdosed" years ago (minutes after Mork). His routine stream of consciousness diatribes are tedious and UN - funny. As an actor his talents are minimal at best. I always am aware that it is Robin Williams playing a psycho ... Robin Williams playing a therapist ...Robin Williams playing a Russian musician ... He's never a convincing character . Maybe he should play a needy, desperate to get attention comedian.
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