My Favorite Performances of the Decade: The Actresses

Inspired yet again by Jeremy Richey's own list of favorite performances by actresses from this decade, over at his Moon in the Gutter blog, and as a follow-up to the outstanding actors that caught my eye during this decade, here are some of the actresses that really hit it out of the park for me.













Diane Lane in Unfaithful (2002): Lane delivered the best performance of her career as a housewife who has a steamy, adulterous affair with a mysterious book dealer. There’s the much-praised scene of Lane’s character riding the train after having her first romantic tryst with her lover intercut with the actual encounter. The range of emotions that play across her face as she replays it over in her mind is incredible to watch. She smiles to herself and her hand absently runs across her chest. Her mood darkens ever so gradually before lightening again as she smiles and then breaks out into a laugh. Finally, her face takes on a slightly sad expression. In only a few moments, she has run a whole gamut of emotions and pulls it off masterfully.













Anna Faris in Smiley Face (2007): Coming off the intense drama of Mysterious Skin, Gregg Araki did a complete 180 with this hilarious stoner comedy - the best of the genre since The Big Lebowski. Faris turns in a tour de force performance as a whip-smart if not perpetually high actress trying to replace her scary roommate's cupcakes. The scene where Faris goes into audition for a role while stoned out of her mind is funny as hell - as is the rest of the film, carried on the actress' more than capable shoulders. Let's see less of The House Bunny and more of this kind of film from her in the future.













Julie Delpy in Before Sunset (2004): It's the sequel that fans of Before Sunrise had hoped and feared would happen. Fortunately, Linklater and co. created a film that is as good if not better than the original as they explore what has happened to these characters in the intervening years. Delpy crafts a believable, three-dimensional character that is full of contradictions, hopes, and dreams which she conveys so well over the film's running time. It's rare that a sequel is as satisfying as its predecessor and this one is just that thanks in large part to her strong performance.











Jennifer Connelly in Waking the Dead (2000): Before Requiem for a Dream demonstrated what a truly fearless actress Connelly was, she did this little seen film that really showcased her impressive range with a touching, fiercely intelligent performance. Connelly plays Sarah as smart, beautiful and with fierce political convictions – something that is virtually unheard of in American cinema and makes me think of Sigourney Weaver’s equally intelligent and beguiling character in The Year of Living Dangerously.












Nicole Kidman in Birth (2004): Kidman eschewed box office clout for more challenging fare in this decade appearing in some truly interesting films and turning in some great performances, chief among them this film. With more than a whiff of Kubrickian chill, Birth is one of those films open to multiple interpretations and is anchored by Kidman's stunning turn as a woman about to get married only to be revisited by her dead husband supposedly inhabiting the body of a young boy. There's a scene where Kidman attends a concert and the camera stays on her face for an extended period of time so that we see a whole range of conflicted emotions play across her delicate features. Amazing stuff.











Michelle Williams in The Baxter (2005): The always watchable actress is absolutely endearing as Cecil the temp in this quirky romantic comedy. Even though Williams is made to look mousy, her natural beauty and charisma come through. Her character is infinitely more interesting than Elizabeth Banks' more traditional love interest in the film and this is due in large part to Williams. There is something about her, an old fashioned quality in what her character wears, her inhibitions and her naivete that is refreshing in this day and age with actresses like Angelina Jolie that reveal too much so that there is no mystique to them. This makes them less interesting to watch.










Isla Fisher in Definitely, Maybe (2008): There have been many pretenders to the throne of romantic comedies that When Harry Met Sally... has comfortably ruled from for many years but this film is a very strong contender. Among a cast of impressive actresses, Fisher stands out as an absolutely adorable love interest for lead actor Ryan Reynolds. She conveys such an infectious feisty energy and has such a fantastic chemistry with him that you want to see their characters together by the film's conclusion and the filmmakers keep us guessing right up to the end. In a short career that's just starting to take off, Fisher is demonstrating a real knack for these kinds of films.










Natalie Portman in Garden State (2004): Portman finally escaped from Star Wars hell to capitalize on the promise she showed in films like Heat and Beautiful Girls. She is completely engaging as the neurotic and chatty Sam. She seems to be channeling Diane Keaton circa Annie Hall with her performance, displaying excellent comedic timing. Portman has such a radiant presence on camera and the film really comes alive whenever she’s on-screen, which, fortunately, is a lot.












Thora Birch in Ghost World (2001): After the promise she showed in American Beauty and this film, I expected her film career to take off but it has been largely unimpressive with most of her efforts being relegated to direct-to-home-video hell. It's a shame because she is so damn good in this film as a disaffected woman caught between high school graduation and college/real world. She doesn't know what she wants but she does know what she doesn't like - pretty much everything and everyone. But she does find solace in an older man - Steve Buscemi's cranky record collector and it is fascinating to see how their relationship plays out.











Rachel Weisz in The Constant Gardener (2005): Like Kidman, she took on a lot of challenging roles during this decade and turned in a lot of wonderful performances, including this Academy Award-winning turn as a doomed diplomat's wife. She exhibits a sexy intelligence and headstrong attitude as her character stands by her convictions and beliefs. The chemistry between her and Ralph Fiennes, who plays her husband, feels authentic and only enriches her fantastic performance in this film.











Michelle Pfeiffer in White Oleander (2002): No longer, the box office darling she was in the 1980s and 1990s, Pfeiffer turned in what is arguably one of her greatest performances as the incredibly manipulative mother of Alison Lohman's character. The way Pfeiffer is able to control people she meets through subtle yet manipulative mind games is impressive to watch. There is a foreboding intelligence behind her piercing, intense eyes that is downright scary.













Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004): This is a film about how precious our memories are and how we should savor them while we can because our minds erase them gradually over time on their own anyway. Winslet is wonderful as Clementine, an assertive, sometimes abrasive woman not afraid to speak her mind. The scenes between her and Jim Carrey are sometimes embarrassingly intimate and personal as if we are spying on them. While it was great to see her finally win an Oscar, I always felt that this was film the she should have won it for (neck and neck with her brilliant turn in Revolutionary Road), turning in an incredible performance as Carrey's elusive love interest.










Virginia Madsen in Sideways (2004): God bless Alexander Payne for casting Madsen in this film and reminding us what a fantastic actress she is. She plays Maya, the intellectual equal to Paul Giamatti's Miles. Maya knows her wine and this clearly impresses Paul. She is smart and beautiful, so why is she even wasting her time with a sad sack like Miles? She gets to know him beyond his looks and liquefies the pretension of his character. She pierces his wine-speak armor that he throws up constantly with her easy-going nature and Miles realizes that he does not need to always impress her. Like a fine wine, Maya allows him to breath and he gets better as time goes on. She is a romantic who is able to cut through his cynicism and soften his hard edges. She humanizes him.











Samantha Morton in Control (2007): She is heartbreakingly good as Ian Curtis’ wife in this impressive biopic. Morton conveys the strength of Deborah and the tragedy of her gradually disintegrating relationship with Ian. You can see the pain and frustration on her face. It’s a wonderfully understated performance. Her finest moment is in the scene where Deborah confronts Ian about his affair with Euro journalist Annik. She pleads angrily with him to admit to what he’s done but he says nothing and she leaves in frustration. It’s a devastating scene that is uncomfortable to watch at times.










Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line (2005): Yes, this is a much-lauded performance but for good reason. Witherspoon utilizes her adorable, plucky persona that she’s cultivated for years to maximum effect as June Carter, matching Joaquin Phoenix’s intensity as the legendary Man in Black. She is also willing to immerse herself completely in the role, including doing her own singing! Carter resists the lures of the open road and constant touring – the drugs and alcohol – that Johnny Cash succumbs to and this is part of her attraction to him. It is her purity and loyalty – standing by him even when he hits absolute rock bottom – that is a large part of her appeal for him. Carter is just as stubborn as he is and sticks by him because she loves and believes in him. Phoenix and Witherspoon have great chemistry together as they play out their on again/off again romance. They compliment each other so well. Cash is wild and Carter is wholesome and it is these ying and yang qualities that they love about each other.

The Ref

If you’re tired of the non-stop parade of saccharine Christmas specials or the glut of sappy seasonal programming on the Hallmark and Lifetime Channels, then may I recommend The Ref (1994). Directed by the late Ted Demme and starring his pal, comedian Denis Leary, this film is a wonderfully acerbic comedy with a heart that actually delivers on its zany premise of a small-time cat burglar forced to pose as a marriage counselor to a bitterly dysfunctional couple on Christmas Eve. For once, hilarity does ensue.

We meet Lloyd (Kevin Spacey) and Caroline Chasseur (Judy Davis) discussing their sex life (or lack thereof) to their marriage counselor (B.D. Wong). Caroline complains that they haven’t had sex in a long time and when they did it was a routine, going-through-the-motions act. She even has dreams of her husband castrated and being served up buffet-style. Lloyd is disgusted with her admissions and is clearly not thrilled with discussing the intimate details of their sex life with a stranger. His contempt for her hangs so thick in the air that you could practically cut it with a knife. Lloyd and Caroline have issues that could give the couple from The War of the Roses (1989) a run for their money.

Meanwhile, Gus (Denis Leary) is breaking into an expensive-looking house only to get sprayed with cat urine when he trips an alarm connected to the safe he’s trying to crack. He’s then attacked by a dog and beats a hasty retreat. In a nice touch, Demme shows us just how tough the dog is when Gus whips a pool ball at it which the canine catches in its mouth and then crushes with its teeth. On the run from the police, Gus takes Caroline hostage while she’s in a convenience store and forces her and Lloyd to go back to their house where he plans to hide out until the heat cools off. Gus gets a preview of what he’s in store for when, en route to their house and despite being held at gunpoint, Lloyd and Caroline continue to argue amongst themselves. An exasperated Gus mutters, “Great. I hijacked my fucking parents.”

Lt. Huff (Raymond J. Barry), the town’s police chief, has his hands tied with deputies who are inept and hopelessly inexperienced. The town elders (led by Robert Ridgely as a pompous blowhard) are breathing down his neck because they’re worried about the thief running loose in their nice, affluent small-town. You really feel for the chief who is stuck with incompetent deputies, is bullied by the rich townsfolk and muscled off the case by the state police. Raymond J. Barry wisely doesn’t play him as an idiot but as a guy good at his job but surrounded by idiots and mired in local politics.

Once home, Lloyd and Caroline’s teenage son Jesse (Robert J. Steinmiller, Jr.) shows up. He is a burgeoning blackmailer currently framing one of his teachers (J.K. Simmons) at the military academy he’s attending with incriminating photographs. Things get interesting when Lloyd’s mother (Glynis Johns), a real piece of work/battle axe, and her bossy daughter-in-law (Christine Baranski) with her family show up for dinner. Gus poses as a marriage counselor. Naturally, much of the film’s humor is derived from the thief’s blue collar attitude colliding with this snobby family.

The real villain of the film isn’t Gus but Lloyd’s shrew of a mother. She’s always complaining or telling others what to do and the real fireworks occur when Gus puts the woman in her place. The Chasseur family dinner is one of the film’s major comic set pieces as everyone wears these ridiculous headpieces consisting of a crown with several lit candles on them. Lloyd, Caroline and Gus try to maintain a facade of normalcy while the thief attempts to bluff his way past Lloyd’s mother’s nagging questions. Kevin Spacey has a blast feigning happiness in an obvious way and Judy Davis is a lot of fun to watch as her character gets progressively drunker, almost as if she’s auditioning for a lead role in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Denis Leary plays ... well, himself, or at least the angry guy persona from his stand-up comic routine at the time. Nobody plays pissed off quite like or as well as Leary, like when he chews out his sad sack accomplice Murray (Richard Bright) over the phone, slamming the receiver repeatedly on a countertop for effect. Leary also gets some of the film’s choice lines, like when he breaks up the incessant bickering between the Chasseurs by telling them, “You know what this family needs? A mute!” Leary’s bitter thief speaks his mind which inspires Lloyd and Caroline to open up and finally get down to the root of their problems. Leary is gracious with sharing screen time with the other actors and Demme knows when to let Spacey and Davis take front stage while Leary observes. Despite the marketing that placed an emphasis on Leary, The Ref is really about Lloyd and Caroline as they learn to finally listen to each other.

Spacey and Davis don’t play Lloyd and Caroline as just superficial, materialistic WASPs but two people who, at one time, had real dreams and aspirations (like running a restaurant) but over the years life hasn’t worked out as they would have liked. Occasionally, you can see this regret play across their faces and it takes Gus to finally confront them for the Chasseurs to deal with their issues. Only a year away from acclaimed turns in Seven (1995) and The Usual Suspects (1995), Spacey turns a solid performance as a frustrated man dominated by the women in his life. Matching him at every turn is Davis, who had a great run in the 1990s, as his disappointed wife.

The Ref was written by Richard LaGravenese and his sister-in-law Marie Weiss, inspired in large part by their own families. The dinner scene, in particular, came from their own experiences. LaGravenese said, “Both Marie and I are Italian Catholics who married into Jewish families, so we do have those big holiday dinners.” Furthermore, he said, “Families always have these unspoken dramas, and at holidays everyone is supposed to sit down and pretend that none of that is going on. Part of the fun in writing the dialogue was completely breaking down the veneer and finally having everybody say what they wanted to say.” Weiss actually began writing the script in 1989 after she and her husband moved from New York to California. Inspiration came from an argument she had with him and she thought, “wouldn’t it be great if there were a third party to step in and referee?”

Weiss wrote several drafts and consulted with LaGravenese in 1991. They took the script to Disney. The studio approved the project within 20 minutes. Made for less than $12 million, the film was produced by the most unusual candidates: Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, known for making some of the most popular Hollywood blockbusters of the 1980s. Simpson described the film’s tone as “biting and sarcastic. Just my nature.” LaGravenese spent a year rewriting the script until he finally got “tired of doing rewrites for executives.” Nine months later, Demme and Leary, fresh from working together on No Cure for Cancer, a stand-up comedy special for Showtime, expressed an interest in the project. This prompted LaGravenese to re-enter the fold. He worked throughout the production and even beyond when test audiences responded poorly to the film’s original ending – where Gus turns himself in – and a new one was written and shot in January 1994.

The Ref did not perform as well at the box office as Leary would’ve liked and he blamed how the studio marketed it. He said, “They did me like the MTV guy. And they shortchanged what the movie was all about.” The film received mixed notices from critics. Roger Ebert gave it three out of four stars and wrote, “material like this is only as good as the acting and writing. The Ref is skillful in both areas.” Rolling Stone magazine’s Peter Travers praised the performances of Spacey and Davis: “They are combustibly funny, finding nuance even in nonsense. The script is crass; the actors never.” In her review for The New York Times, Caryn James praised Leary: “For the first time he displays his appeal and potential as an actor instead of a comic with a sneering persona.” However, the Washington Post’s Hal Hinson was not so taken with the comedian: “A stand-up comic trying to translate his impatient, hipster editorializing to the big screen, he doesn’t have the modulation of a trained actor, only one speed (fast) and one mode of attack (loud).” Entertainment Weekly gave the film a “C-“ rating and Owen Gleiberman felt that the film was “crushingly blunt-witted and monotonous in its celebration of domestic sadism.”

Gus is sick and tired of rich people that think they’re entitled to everything and isn’t afraid to call them on it. He can’t understand why these people are pissing and moaning about their trivial problems when they have so many things going for them but The Ref goes to great lengths to humanize Lloyd and Caroline. In this respect, the film does something that few Hollywood films have the balls to do: draw attention to the differences between the upper and working class. Demme’s film also shows that not everyone is happy during Christmas. Being with family, especially those you don’t like very much, can be a trying experience and test anyone’s patience as old grudges and bad memories surface.

My Favorite Performances of the Decade: The Actors

Inspired by Jeremy Richey's countdown of his favorite performances of the decade over at his wonderful Moon In The Gutter blog, I've decided to join the fray and start posting some of my picks. Following Jeremy's lead, I'm starting off with some of my fave performances by actors from this decade. They are in no real order but just were ones that really stood out in my mind.














Adam Beach in Flags of Our Fathers (2006): Clint Eastwood depicted the famous battle of Iwo Jima from both the American and Japanese perspectives. He had so much material and wanted to give equal time to both sides that he decided to make two films. The first one, entitled Flags of Our Fathers, is from the American point-of-view with the focus on three of the six men captured in the famous photograph raising the American flag in the battlefield. The performances of the three lead actors are all superb, especially Beach as the tormented and tragic Ira Hayes who develops a drinking problem as a way to cope with hypocrisy of what he is doing and as a way to deal with the fact that his fallen comrades, including the other three who helped raise the flag, aren’t there to enjoy this with them. His drinking begins to affect the PR tour and cause a rift between him and the other two men. He is unable to escape his memories of the brutality he witnessed at Iwo Jima. The things he saw and did would make anybody traumatized for life.














Philip Seymour Hoffman in Almost Famous (2000): Any time I have doubts about writing or feel uninspired I just watch Hoffman's performance as the legendary Lester Bangs in Cameron Crowe's nostalgic ode to his days writing for Rolling Stone magazine and it instantly makes me feel better. He not only steals every scene he's in but conveys a passion for writing that gets me every time. There's a scene where he talks about writing a record review, not for the money, but just for the love of writing that never fails to inspire me.















Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Brick (2006): Rian Johnson's film re-imagines high school life through a 1940s film noir lens as he populates it with terse, fast-talking characters and all kinds of plot twists reminiscent of a Dashiell Hammett novel. Levitt had several memorable performances during this decade and this one if my fave (just edging out The Lookout) as he hits it out of the park playing a student moving through a shadowy, noir-ish world trying to solve the murder of his ex-girlfriend. He handles Johnson's stylized dialogue expertly, somehow making it sound natural coming out of his mouth.















Javier Bardem in The Dancer Upstairs (2003): While Bardem won a much-deserved Oscar for his work in No Country for Old Men, my fave performance of his (and it was hard to narrow down) is his quietly understated turn in John Malkovich's directorial debut. Bardem plays a thoughtful police detective trying to track down an enigmatic guerrilla leader in an unnamed Latin American country. The actor conveys a piercing intelligence behind his eyes that is really something to watch in this film.















Andy Serkis as Martin Hannett in 24 Hr Party People (2002): Serkis was absolutely brilliant in Michael Winterbottom's fast 'n' loose look at the Manchester, England music scene in the late 1970s and 1980s. He played mercurial genius music producer Martin Hannett with absolute disdain for those around him, culminating in a hilarious kiss-off with Tony Wilson where he tells the talk show personality, "Well, this is goodbye. I mean, we obviously have nothing in common. I'm a genius, you're all fucking wankers. You'll never see me again. You don't deserve to see me again."














Aaron Eckhart in Erin Brockovich (2000): While Julia Roberts received the lion's share of praise for her admittedly excellent performance in this film, for me Eckhart is quietly impressive as the genial biker who lives next door to Brockovich and ends up getting involved romantically with her. The actor instills a low-key dignity to his character who stands by his woman until he feels like a glorified nanny. Their conflict over her obsession with a righteous cause versus their relationship adds a nice layer to the film and fleshes out his character.














Paul Giamatti in American Splendor (2003): This veteran character actor really came into his own during the decade, turning in several impressive performances but he finally got to carry a film in a big way with this funny yet also poignant look at the life and times of comic book creator Harvey Pekar. He perfectly captures Pekar’s curmudgeonly attitude and distinctive physical mannerisms right down to his raspy voice. He wisely doesn’t try to do an imitation; instead he shows the different sides of the man. Pekar is not just a cynic but someone who has dreams and aspirations just like anyone else. Giamatti also humanizes Pekar by showing his vulnerable side: his love for his wife and his fear of death when he is forced to confront his cancer.












Donal Logue in The Tao of Steve (2000): Like Paul Giamatti, Logue has been bouncing around Hollywood playing scene-stealing supporting characters but it was thanks to an independent film that he landed the role of a lifetime playing a very Dude-esque slacker who lives his life according to actor Steve McQueen. I've always been a fan of Logue's work and it was great to see him carry a film and pull it off with ease. Sadly, this film didn't take off as it should have and despite headlining a pretty decent sitcom, Logue has been relegated to supporting roles again.















Steve Carell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004): Before his career really took off with The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Carell played the lovable, yet dumb-as-dirt weatherman Brick Tamland in this great comedic ode to local news in the 1970s. It's the little things he does in this film, like feeding mayonnaise into a toaster or professing his love for a lamp that makes me laugh every time. He manages to steal every scene he's in and that's no mean feat considering some of the comedians he shares screen time with in this film.














Steve Zahn in Riding in Cars with Boys (2001): Zahn is another character actor known for playing lovable goofballs and he finally got a chance to show some range in this criminally underappreciated film. He starts off in lovable goofball mode as Drew Barrymore's love interest but after her character becomes pregnant and his character becomes a drug addict, Zahn gradually shows an uglier side to his character. He is not afraid to look and act and unpleasant, especially when his character tries to kick drugs. Ultimately, one is left with a melancholic feeling about his character as we (and Barrymore) realize that he can never be trusted or relied upon.














Ray Liotta in Narc (2003): After a lull in quality projects, Liotta exploded on the screen by playing Henry Oak, a dedicated cop with a reputation for delivering brutal beatings to crooks who cross his path. He brings a ferocious intensity to the role that is mesmerizing. There is a scene where Liotta interrogates two murder suspects that is scary because his anger and frustration levels build by the minute, threatening to boil over. And then Liotta gets that crazed look in his eyes that he’s showcased in so many of his films but this time he’s entering unpredictable territory.














William Forsythe in The Devil's Rejects (2005): After starring in numerous forgettable direct-to-video efforts, William Forsythe finally got a substantial role playing a sheriff hell-bent on vengeance by any means necessary. He harkens back to a bygone era of tough guys, like Lee Marvin or Robert Shaw who naturally exuded a ferocious intensity that is exciting to watch. With his deep, gravelly voice Forsythe plays an unstoppable force of nature that is just as ruthless in his methods as the Firefly clan in theirs. He brings an air of unpredictability in this film that is really something else.















George Clooney in Syriana (2005): It was really tough narrowing down a performance of Clooney's to pick for this list as he turned so many good ones. His performance in this film just narrowly edged out the one he delivered in Michael Clayton. The actor has improved and refined himself with every subsequent role and relies more and more on what is going on behind his eyes than falling back on his good looks. His performance in Syriana goes beyond the obvious Method trappings – the weight gain and the thick beard – to his expressive eyes and how he uses them to convey his character’s world-weariness.














Mark Ruffalo in Zodiac (2007): This actor really immerses himself in the role of Dave Toschi, the man who inspired Steve McQueen’s character in Bullitt and Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry Callahan. The actor adopts a specific voice and a distinctive look that sets him apart from the other characters but not enough to be distracting. It doesn’t hurt that he’s got great material to work with and rises to the challenge of playing a man frustrated by bureaucracy. Ruffalo has only gotten better with every performance and this may be his best one to date.














Peter Sarsgaard in Shattered Glass (2003): I've been a big fan of this actor's work for some time and he really turned in some memorable performances during this decade, chief among them his turn as beleaguered editor New Republic magazine editor Chuck Lane. Sarsgaard doesn’t deliver any blustery, histrionic speeches and instead keeps things grounded in realism by applying restraint whenever possible. He doesn’t try to make his character inherently sympathetic. In fact, Lane comes off as a bit distant and humorless but he has an integrity that is admirable.

Author! Author!

Sometimes, not often, but sometimes I wonder why Al Pacino hasn’t done more comedies. After all, he played straight man to George Clooney et al in the fun, colorful romp that was Ocean’s Thirteen (2007) and was quite funny as a quirky hobo opposite Gene Hackman in Scarecrow (1973). Interestingly, these films bookend a career chock full of critically-acclaimed, award-winning performances in dramatic fare like Serpico (1973), The Godfather films, The Insider (1999), and so on. So, where are the comedies? And then I’m reminded of Author! Author! (1982), the unwanted step-child in Pacino’s filmography. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like if Pacino was a single father in charge of five kids then this is the film for you. Sadly, it wasn’t the film for many and tanked at the box office while also getting mauled by critics at the time. This film is the cinematic equivalent of the scrawny little tree that Charlie Brown rescues in A Charlie Brown Christmas and like it; this film deserves a little love and someone to realize its true value. I love Author! Author! for all of its flaws (of which there are several) and consider it something of a comfort movie.

Right off the bat, the filmmakers assault our senses with an awful early 1980s ballad, “Coming Home to You,” complete with those annoying synth drums that were so fashionable with New Wave bands back then. The first image of the film is of an actor pretending (badly) to die on stage, which is apt metaphor for what happened to Author! Author! when it was released in theaters. Famous experimental theater director Andre Gregory (one of the stars of My Dinner with Andre) has an amusing cameo in the beginning as a director who gets fired. Ivan Travalian (Al Pacino) is a New York City playwright trying to rewrite his latest play, English with Tears, while trying to raise five children after his wife Gloria (Tuesday Weld) has left him for another man.

We are introduced to his unruly brood when Ivan comes home and they give him a surprise birthday party that he forgot all about. Ivan rattles off all the things he did that day with the last one being to beat his kids. In mock surprise he says, “I forgot to beat my kids!” and proceeds to chase them around the house. Ah, how times have changed. A joke like that would never fly in today’s ultra-sensitive, politically correct environment. We actually get to see Pacino have a cushion fight with his kids which I have a feeling is not something we’ll see in a montage of his career when he receives a lifetime achievement award.

Pacino does a good job of playing a man barely keeping it together. He’s depressed, unable to sleep and focus on his work. His wife has left him and he can’t figure out how to improve his play even as opening night rapidly approaches. Ivan does manage to convince Alice Detroit (Dyan Cannon) to be in his play and they start an affair of their own. Amidst all of his doubts and depression, Alice provides a chance for Ivan to take a time out and enjoy himself. It’s nice to see Pacino loosen up and his character opens up to Alice. Dyan Cannon provides Alice with a bubbly, playful personality but her character is no ditz and is quite good for Ivan. She and Pacino have decent chemistry together and we want to see their characters as a couple. Cannon was originally asked to play the role of Gloria but turned it down because she found the character “bitchy” and had already played that kind of role. She was then asked to play Alice and agreed because she loved the character. Cannon enjoyed the experience of making the film and compared it to “being on a cruise.”

Author! Author! comes to life in the scenes between Ivan and his kids. Geraldo (Benjamin Carlin) is the youngest of the bunch and is adorable quirk is being unable to pee in front of Ivan and one of his brothers (“Because I’m Spanish!” he says in exasperation). Spike (B.J. Barie) is the middle son from another one of Gloria’s marriages but Ivan makes him feel like he is part of the family. There’s a nice moment when Ivan picks up his eldest son Iggy (Eric Gurry) from school and they talk while walking the streets of New York. The boy has already anticipated Ivan and Gloria’s divorce. Ivan confides in Iggy and the boy has a wise beyond his years thing going on. He is also quite funny as evident in the scene where Alice leaves a sexy message on Ivan’s answering machine, proposing an affair at a hotel in 51 minutes and 12 seconds. Iggy tells his father, “If I were you, I’d spend 50 minutes dressing and a minute and 12 seconds sprinting to the corner of Seventh Avenue and West Fourth Street.” Pacino’s bemused expression as he listens to her message says it all.

It is refreshing to see a father talking honestly and openly with his kids. Ivan doesn’t talk down to them. He lets them say their peace. He is also sympathetic to their plight and really does love them, like when he consoles one of his daughters, listening to her pouring out her fears and frustrations. Pacino is very generous with the kids and allows them to steal the scenes they’re in together. In particular, Benjamin Carlin and Eric Gurry demonstrate excellent comic timing and play well off each other and Pacino.

The film’s dramatic moments are between Ivan and Gloria. She is portrayed in an extremely unsympathetic light as she coldly and casually breaks things off with him. Their scenes are filled with uncomfortable intensity and are fortunately few and far between. Author! Author! spins its wheels when Ivan is working on the play. Comedian Alan King plays Pacino’s incredibly neurotic Jewish manager Kreplich who always seems to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He plays a broad stereotype and his scenes feel forced and tired. King has said that his character was a cross between Hal Prince and Zero Mostel, which may explain the lack of originality.

Israel Horovitz, the film’s screenwriter, first worked with Pacino in the mid-1960s developing the play The Indian Wants the Bronx. The play was produced in 1968 and both men won Obie awards for their work. They remained friends over the years. The origins of Author! Author! came from conversations Horovitz had with his three children and how he dealt with raising two of them on his own. He said, “I felt there was a lot of room to explore the ease with which people get married in this country, the way kids come along in huge bunches and the irresponsibility of parents in taking care of those children.” Instead of going the dramatic route a la Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Horovitz decide to make a comedy because, as he said in an interview with The New York Times, "The film had to be written in a comic mode, because otherwise it's too painful to deal with." Director Arthur Hiller was drawn to the project because it was about an extended family and it showed “that love is what makes a family strong, not necessarily who’s the natural parent.”

Horovitz worked closely with the cast and Hiller, rewriting scenes and characters (much like Ivan does in the film) based on what individual actors brought to their respective roles. However, Pacino did not get along with Hiller. Years later Pacino said, “Sometimes people who are not really meant to be together get together in this business for a short time. It’s very unfortunate for all parties concerned.” Pacino agreed to do Author! Author! because he was interested in making a film “about a guy with his kids, dealing with New York and show business. I thought it would be fun.” He did not have a good time working on the film but did enjoy acting with the child actors who played his kids.

When Author! Author! was released it bombed at the box office and drew scorn from critics. The Globe and Mail’s Jay Scott criticized the child actors: “The brood is composed of the most appalling set of exhibitionistic child actors this side of Eight is Enough.” Ouch. Furthermore, he wrote, “That this comedy is not funny is bad enough; that is resolutely and maliciously anti-female is unforgivable.” The film didn’t fair much better with the Washington Post’s Gary Arnold. He felt that “Pacino’s maddening articulation would seem to argue against further flings at comedy. Line after line is obscured by his whispery mumble, and this mangled speech seems particularly inappropriate in a character who’s supposed to be a playwright.” In his review for Newsweek, Jack Kroll wrote, “There’s nothing sadder than a movie that tries to be adorable and isn’t. Author! Author! tries so hard that the screen seems to sweat.” Finally, The New York Times’ Janet Maslin felt that Pacino handled his role, “appealingly and comfortably,” but that “the movie is virtually over before the audience is given a chance to figure out where it is going, which is toward a one-happy-family resolution, 1980's style.”

After these scathing reviews is it any wonder that Pacino retreated from doing comedies and dramatically switched gears, making Scarface (1983) soon afterwards? Even though Author! Author! is a comedy about divorce, it doesn’t make light of it. The film shows the damage caused by two parents splitting up and how it affects their kids on an emotional level. Ivan and his kids use humor to cope with their situation. The film never loses sight of how much he cares for and is willing to support them.

SLIFR's Thanksgiving/Christmas Movie Quiz

It's always fun to participate in and read other people's responses for Dennis Cozzalio semi-regular cinematic quizzes over at Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule. He presents so many questions that demand so much thought and input I feel like I'm taking on The New York Times crossword puzzle! It's all in good fun and this time around he's got a Thanksgiving/Christmas-themed quiz. If you haven't already, take the quiz yourself. Here are my responses:

1) Second-favorite Coen Brothers movie.

Tough one as so many of them are my faves but if I had to narrow it down, I'd say Miller's Crossing. The visual palette - all of the greens and chocolate-y browns are incredible as is the snappy gangster speak: "Now take you flunky and dangle!"
2) Movie seen only on home format that you would pay to see on the biggest movie screen possible? (Question submitted by Peter Nellhaus)

That's an easy one, my fave film of all-time: Blue Velvet. I'm ashamed to say that I've never had a chance to see this on the big screen. Something I hope to rectify some day. To see Frederick Elmes' masterful widescreen compositions on the big screen has been a dream of mine ever since I first saw it on laser disc.

3) Japan or France? (Question submitted by Bob Westal)

Japan. If only for Sonny Chiba and Kinji Fukasaku's blood-soaked Yakuza films.

4) Favorite moment/line from a western.

This is a hard one to narrow down as I could pick so many from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly alone. I would say the bit where Tuco guns down a hapless desperado trying to catch him unawares in the tub and offers the pithy retort, "When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk."

5) Of all the arts the movies draw upon to become what they are, which is the most important, or the one you value most?

I would say music. The way a song or a musical cue can make you feel during a giving scene or married with a specific image is undeniable.

6) Most misunderstood movie of the 2000s (The Naughties?).

The Way of the Gun. People were either repulsed by this film or simply ignored it but I thought it was a masterful attempt to recapture the gritty, bloody Peckinpah crime film from the 1970s. You could debate how successful it was but I like how it flew in the face of a lot of Quentin Tarantino wannabes.
7) Name a filmmaker/actor/actress/film you once unashamedly loved who has fallen furthest in your esteem.

Nicolas Cage. What happened to this guy? He used to be pretty reliable for turning in outrageous, unpredictable performances but ever since he won an Academy Award, it's been a slippery slope towards Hacksville. That being said, his new Bad Lieutenant film does look promising and a return of the wild man of yore.

8) Herbert Lom or Patrick Magee?

Patrick Magee.

9) Which is your least favorite David Lynch film (Submitted by Tony Dayoub)

Oh man, tough call as I like most of his films but if push came to shove I would say The Elephant Man. I respect its craft but it puts me to sleep and I would actually watch Dune over it.

10) Gordon Willis or Conrad Hall? (Submitted by Peet Gelderblom)

Gotta go with the Prince of Darkness on this one: Gordon Willis, for his work with Alan J. Pakula alone!

11) Second favorite Don Siegel movie.

Charley Varrick. Great film with a rock solid, no-nonsense performance by Walter Matthau.
12) Last movie you saw on DVD/Blu-ray? In theaters?

On DVD: True Believer. In theaters: Public Enemies.

13) Which DVD in your private collection screams hardest to be replaced by a Blu-ray? (Submitted by Peet Gelderblom)

Tough one. I would have to say The Godfather. I would love to see that on Blu-ray.

14) Eddie Deezen or Christopher Mintz-Plasse?

Eddie Deezen. If only for his small but insanely memorable bit part in WarGames.

15) Actor/actress who you feel automatically elevates whatever project they are in, or whom you would watch in virtually anything.

Actor: Jeff Bridges. The man has appeared in countless incredible films, from Cutter's Way and The Fabulous Baker Boys, to American Heart and The Big Lebowski. I find him to always be watchable no matter what he's in.

Actress: Jennifer Jason Leigh. I've been a fan of hers since Fast Times at Ridgemont High. No matter the film, I will give it a chance if she's in it. From small roles in films like The Hitcher, to ones like Georgia and Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, where she dominates the screen like no other.

16) Fight Club -- yes or no?
Yes!

17) Teresa Wright or Olivia De Havilland?

Olivia De Havilland.

18) Favorite moment/line from a film noir.

Double Indemnity and the first meeting between Walter Neff and Phyllis Dietrichson. There opening exchange crackles with noirish intensity and heat quite unlike any other film in the genre.

19) Best (or worst) death scene involving an obvious dummy substituting for a human or any other unsuccessful special effect(s)—see the wonderful blog Destructible Man for inspiration.

The deer o' death from The Long Kiss Goodnight.

21) Van Johnson or Van Heflin?

Van Heflin for 3:10 to Yuma.

22) Favorite Alan Rudolph film.

Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle. Quite possibly Jennifer Jason Leigh's finest performance in a very distinguished and varied career. Also, the film most worthy of Rudolph's tutelage under Altman. Love this film.
23) Name a documentary that you believe more people should see.

Comic Book Confidential. Ron Mann's highly original look at the history of comic books with some of the legends from the field (Will Eisner, Jack Kirby, Frank Miller) reading from their own work with the artwork animated (sort of). It is a great primer and wonderful to watch as several of the older creators are no longer with us. Great stuff.

24) In deference to this quiz’s professor, name a favorite film which revolves around someone becoming stranded.

Ripley and the Colonial Marines being stranded on a desolate planet infested with nasty xenomorphs in Aliens is probably my fave.

26) Ann Sheridan or Geraldine Fitzgerald? (Submitted by Larry Aydlette)

Ann Sheridan.

27) Do you or any of your family members physically resemble movie actors or other notable figures in the film world? If so, who?

When I was younger I kinda sorta resembled Henry Spencer (Jack Nance) in Eraserhead.

28) Is there a movie you have purposely avoided seeing? If so, why?

Salo - Probably for its notorious reputation and repellent imagery.

29) Movie with the most palpable or otherwise effective wintry atmosphere or ambience.

Beautiful Girls really nails that bitterly cold, chill-to-your-bones feeling that always reminds me of winters in Canada. And the small-town vibe reminds me a bit of the places where I grew up.

30) Gerrit Graham or Jeffrey Jones?

Jeffrey Jones, if only for his performances in Beetlejuice (love it) and The Hunt for Red October (he has a small amount of screen time in this one but makes the most of it).

31) The best cinematic antidote to a cultural stereotype (sexual, political, regional, whatever).

How Asians and their culture are portrayed in Big Trouble in Little China. The film dispenses with the stereotypical Chinese music and also has the Chinese sidekick turn out to be the hero who does most of the heroic stuff!
32) Second favorite John Wayne movie.

The Searchers.

33) Favorite movie car chase.

To Live and Die in L.A. The car chase that starts of at an underpass and ends up with our (anti)heroes speeding through oncoming traffic on a freeway is the most insane car chase I've seen in a film. Friedkin somehow manages to top the one he pulled off in The French Connection.

34) In the spirit of His Girl Friday, propose a gender-switched remake of a classic or not-so-classic film. (Submitted by Patrick Robbins)

I always thought that it would be great to remake Reservoir Dogs and keep the dialogue exactly the same but cast all women in the various roles.

35) Barbara Rhoades or Barbara Feldon?

Barbara Rhoades.

36) Favorite Andre De Toth movie.

House of Wax, my fave 3-D movie of all time!

37) If you could take one filmmaker's entire body of work and erase it from all time and memory, as if it had never happened, whose oeuvre would it be? (Submitted by Tom Sutpen)

Brett Ratner. Man, I really can't stand any of his films, esp. Red Dragon. And don't even get me started on the Rush Hour films!!

38) Name a film you actively hated when you first encountered it, only to see it again later in life and fall in love with it.

The Family Stone. When I first saw it, I thought it was an awful, mean-spirited film but gave it another chance and the film has grown on me over the years and now I really like it. Go figure.

39) Max Ophuls or Marcel Ophuls? (Submitted by Tom Sutpen)

Max Ophuls.

40) In which club would you most want an active membership, the Delta Tau Chi fraternity, the Cutters or the Warriors? And which member would you most resemble, either physically or in personality?

Oh, that's an easy one. The Delta Tau Chi frat if only for the wild parties and a chance to hang out with Otter and the boys.
41) Your favorite movie cliché.

The veteran cop he always says at one point, "I'm getting too old for this shit."

42) Vincente Minnelli or Stanley Donen? (Submitted by Bob Westal)

Vincente Minnelli for the incredibly vibrant colors on display in so many of his amazing films.

43) Favorite Christmas-themed horror movie or sequence.

Wind Chill is good one from recent memory as two college students take a short-cut down a back-road during the dead of winter and get stuck.

44) Favorite moment of self- or selfless sacrifice in a movie.

Spock taking one for the team in Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan ranks right up there.

45) If you were the cinematic Spanish Inquisition, which movie cult (or cult movie) would you decimate? (Submitted by Bob Westal)

The one that supposedly supports Showgirls.

46) Caroline Munro or Veronica Carlson?

Caroline Munro! Loved her in Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter.

48) Favorite ambiguous movie ending. (Original somewhat ambiguous submission---“Something about ambiguous movie endings!”-- by Jim Emerson, who may have some inspiration of his own to offer you.)

Almost anything by David Lynch but if I had to narrow it down I'd say Lost Highway.

49) In giving thanks for the movies this year, what are you most thankful for?

I'm thankful for Hollywood managing to not screw up the Star Trek reboot. Amazing!

50) George Kennedy or Alan North? (Submitted by Peet Gelderblom) George Kennedy. Loved him in Cool Hand Luke!