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been much better.
It's Gwyneth Paltrow's film. She elevates it to a very high plane and establishes herself as the best American dramatic actress of her generation, with every indication that she will match the skills of a Kidman soon.
Hopkins disappoints and seems to have phoned in his role: the tortured, demented mathematician figure, perhaps, was exhausted for some time by "A Beautiful Mind" and the dynamic portrayal of Russell Crowe. At any rate, it's a Hopkins we've seen before and the director let him get away with it. He's an excellent actor and one expects more effort in this kind of film than he gives to his latest Hannibal caricature.
This film also reminds a bit of the Sean Connery vehicle wherein he played the "forgotten," driedup Nobel prize winning writer.
At any rate, Paltrow makes the film more than worthwhile: she convincingly projects that hardest of all traits: intelligence. She also shows a troubled character w/out resorting to the clichés of the genre.
The ubiquitous Jake Gyllendahl is okay and provides a nice low-watt foil for Gwyneth.
The always pleasant to behold Hope Davis is fine as the bitchy older sister though, for all the screen time she has, one expects more depth: she is just one-dimensionally bitchy, isn't she?
It is unfortunate the film deteriorates near the two-thirds point SPOILER TO FOLLOW!!!!when Paltrow affirms she is the author of the proof. That is the key part of the story but the director placed it so far into the film that he had to rush to finish it out, almost resorting to a Hollywood-style happy ending.
In the hands of a better director, this film could have been a serious Oscar contender. As it is, it's a fine film that is maddening because it could have been so much more.
Still, a wonderful performance by Paltrow makes me long to see it again.
In my eyes, a mega-star was born. I never was a "fan" of hers but now I place her above all her American peers and can think of but one, quite older, superior.
Follow Ups:
Flesh and Bone, ('93) on DVD, with Denis Quaid.
She really does exude that rare combination of sensuality & intelligence.
A great actress.Kay: "You got a pretty face, you should let the boys see it."
Ginnie: "It ain't my face the boys want to see."
Heart breaking turn in the Royal Tennenbaums. Thats when her dramatic talents really started clicking for me, although they were evident long ago in her chilling, amoral cold hearted turn in Flesh and Bone.
"I'd like to own a squadron of tanks"
consistently very good performances through-out her career most recently in Angels in America, Adaptation, and One True Thing. Paltrow is headed that way to be sure...she at the very least comes from GREAT stock...Blythe Danner has been far-overlooked through-out her career. I think of Danner and Jane Alexander in the same way both superb actresses!!!
Marlene Dietrich in a soon to be filmed bio....not sure about that...Dietrich EXUDED sexuality both in person and on-screen. I don't think Paltrow is up to the task....
a few others. Then... she became an accent of the month actress.
She hasn't done shit in years so I left her out.
Didn't Streep become infamous for always using the same accent?
I seem to remember any number of reviews that commented on that probably around the time of Out Of Africa (I think).
What are "the skills of a Kidman"?
Not marrying a closeted gay guy I presume.
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