Judy (Rupert Goold, 2019)

[domino harvey]

This played to effusively positive audience response for Zellweger’s perf earlier this week— forget comeback nomination, she may now be the front runner to win Best Actress... which is like the craziest thing I could ever say if I was looking at this post a year ago (other than Jennifer Lopez somehow being a front runner for Best Supporting Actress as well)

[Never Cursed]

I'd be surprised if Lopez gets a nomination. I have the sneaking suspicion that Hustlers is this year's Crazy Rich Asians: successful and widely beloved at the time of its late summer release but forgotten by the winter. Just wait for Bombshell and Little Women and even Harriet or perhaps Marriage Story to sneak up on us.

[domino harvey]

Harriet is apparently so mediocre that it likely won’t even get in a nom for Best Actress

[Roscoe]

Utter mediocrity is virtually a guarantee of Oscar glory.

[Nasir007]

Movies of the category of Harriet and Judy and The Wife for that matter are purely vehicles for their actresses to win awards. They aren't really even movies. Like there could be no interest to watch some of these because they offer you nothing apart from an oscar begging performance. If that's your jam, sure. But I could never watch a movie to just watch a performance.

[Robespierre]

It never fails to astound me how much stock people put into useless, arbitrary award shows, as if they mean anything beyond being a excuse for rich celebrities to get attention.

[domino harvey]

You’re right, complaining about award shows is a way fresher take

[Brian C]

It astounds you, huh? Keep up that kind of overwrought overacting and you’ll probably get nominated for an Oscar yourself before long!

[mfunk9786]

But I could never watch a movie to just watch a performance.

Sad!

[aox]

So, did anyone see this?

[alacal2]

Isn't all acting a performance and aren't we getting confused with impersonation? I saw this and thoroughly enjoyed (as opposed to admired) it. It's pretty workmanlike and not a great film by any means but I never felt Renee was saying "look at me, isn't this clever?" It's a bit of a cliche I know but she does inhabit the role in a way that immerses (rather than distracts) you in the narrative of the film. The film itself is very similar to 'Stan and Ollie' in that both are about the last gasps of American film/stage icons trying to make some sort of comeback in the UK. Steve Coogan's 'impersonation' of Stan Laurel is equally effective. Nevertheless I think Saoirse Ronan's 'performance' in Little Women is way more deserving of the Oscar.

[barryconvex]

...But I could never watch a movie to just watch a performance.

Not sure I follow-do you mean you wouldn't go see the newest (for example) DeNiro movie just to watch DeNiro because he's a favorite? Do you mean there are no performances you hear about that pique your interest outside of the film's subject matter? Are you saying that even if you hear actor x is great in X but the movie's not so hot, you'll never watch that film just to see that performance? A perfect example is Frances. As mentioned earlier, the film's not great but is worth seeing for Lange's performance. I'm not judging, just trying to understand what you meant.

[therewillbeblus]

I used to do that a lot more (follow actors despite their films’ reputations/piqued interest) but these days will often go out of my way for Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Kirsten Dunst and maybe one or two others that are escaping me (I used to be more consistent with PSH before he passed...)

[Nasir007]

...But I could never watch a movie to just watch a performance.

Not sure I follow-do you mean you wouldn't go see the newest (for example) DeNiro movie just to watch DeNiro because he's a favorite? Do you mean there are no performances you hear about that pique your interest outside of the film's subject matter? Are you saying that even if you hear actor x is great in X but the movie's not so hot, you'll never watch that film just to see that performance? A perfect example is Frances. As mentioned earlier, the film's not great but is worth seeing for Lange's performance. I'm not judging, just trying to understand what you meant.

My primary interest in cinema is direction. And to a somewhat lesser extent storytelling or narrative - which you could think of as a combination of script-writing and editing and direction. Acting by itself is not something that constitutes my personal major interest in film. For example, with Bresson and Pasolini, I am not bothered by the use of non-professional actors who might seem stiff or what not. I think the film-making makes up for that. So I think there are other things in a movie which can make up for bad acting and still render the film watchable. But if a film only has good acting and other elements are weak, I am not sure it is enough to salvage the film.

I also watch movies to a large degree based on the recommendation of the director's name, subject matter and word of mouth from critics or other sources that I follow. If a film has none of these, I likely will not watch the film. Take Judy for example, I don't know the director, the subject matter isn't particularly interesting to me (I don't really like biopics) and the word of mouth from sources I trust is not great. Now you would think Zelwegger's performance might be enough to recommend it, but not for me. Like I note performance alone does not interest me as I am a bit apathetic towards acting. I need other elements to intrigue me or else I will be bored while watching the film.

[Mr Sausage]

What about a movie whose success is inextricable from its central performance, like The Passion of Joan of Arc?

[Dr Amicus]

Mrs Amicus and I went to see this when it opened and we both rather liked it. It's pretty much what you expect it to be going in from the trailer (especially if you have any familiarity with Garland's life) but passes the time perfectly pleasantly. Obviously the main draw is Zellweger's performance which carries the whole film through both the big musical numbers and the quieter moments - the chief of which for me was the (fictional) meeting with two gay fans which manages to be simultaneously slightly cheesy and quite moving.