one thing i hated about the movie

[Dances_in_Underwear]

I just watched Dolores Claiborne a few days ago, and I liked it. It wasn't up there on my favorites list of SK movies, but it was pretty good. I guess the one thing that kept it from being one of my favorites was the acting from Dolores' daughter Jennifer Jason Leigh.

That was one of the WORST acting I've ever seen in my life! I'm trying really hard not to curse in this thread, she she was just awful! Kathy Bates is one of the finest actors in the country and everyone else did a good job too, but Jennifer Jason Leigh was terrible.

It's hard to put down exactly what it is that makes bad acting, at least it's hard for me to describe it. But the only way I can put it is that she just looked out of place, as far as her performance was. Do you ever see that? Like there's one actor that just seems...out of place with their performance? I don't know. Also, Kathy Bates is traditionally more subtle with her acting, she one of the only actors I can think of that is both subtle and yet extreme. But Jennifer's was not subtle at all. And she..just...I don't know.

Am I way out of line thinking this? Did anyone else feel the same way?

[nate_watkins]

Jennifer was kind of annoying in the beginning (due mainly due her bitchiness) But I thought she got a little better as the movie went on.

[GNTLGNT]

Thumbs up to the movie in general...but I didn't care for JJL either...

[Dances_in_Underwear]

Jennifer was kind of annoying in the beginning (due mainly due her bitchiness) But I thought she got a little better as the movie went on.

I agree totally. I think it was her general b_tchiness that made her annoying. I mean, that kind of behavior is irritating anyway, but there is a way to play it that still keeps the audience on your side, and she blew it.

[kimberlysteele]

JJL didn't bring what Kathy Bates did to the screen, she tried to act distant but came off as wooden. To be fair, I also think it was because the movie skipped so many of the good parts (otherwise it would have been 4 or 5 hours long). The movie had too much focus on the daughter instead of Dolores Claiborne.

[Christiane17]

I loved the movie. I have seen it twice, but I didn't like Jennifer Jason Leigh either in the role of the daughter. She annoyed me big time. Maybe it's due to the fact that I don't care about the actress, but frankly the daughter could have been cast better. I would have seen Kirsten Dunst in the role on the other hand. I imagined this actress's face when I was reading the book btw. I think Cathy Bates has a way with SK's characters. She was soooo intense in Misery also. The movie was fine, but it was not my fave of all the movie versions of Steve's books. :smile2:

[doowopgirl]

The first time I saw Dolores Claiborne (many moons ago) I didn't like it at all. Having recently re watched it, I did like it better, but I also did not like Jennifer Jason Leigh. Also there was no, or very little mention of her husband down the well. For me, that was a major creepy part of the story.

[king family fan]

I liked the movie well enough. But did find Jennifer Jason Leigh to not fit in. But out of all fairness,maybe it is because Kathy Bates is that damn good.

[CaptainBaccarat]

But out of all fairness,maybe it is because Kathy Bates is that damn good.

Agreed.....

[Vado Tempestas]

I'm definitely in the minority here when I say that I did like Leigh's performance. Dark and angsty, she had me believing she really was that messed up. Kathy Bates was her usual outstanding self. In regards to the way Dolores was portrayed in the movie, however, does anyone else feel as if the character was watered down? The book has been in my Top Three SK reads for a long time, and I just felt that in the movie, Dolores didn't have as much bite to her.

[blunthead]

I think Jennifer Jason Leigh is one of those actors you either really like or really don't. I like her and liked her in Delores. I guess what I see as sultry and mysterious others may see as boring or wooden. I have not read Delores yet, so my attitude toward hers or the director's interpretation may change.

[CCAL]

I saw the posts mentioning Kathy Bates, has anyone seen her in Harry's Law?I've seen a couple/three episodes.Enjoyed it, which surprised me.

[Ebony]

Hm...I have to admit that Jennifer was my favourite actor in this movie.
Young Selena had to fight against her bitterness and Jennifer just showed us what it´s like when you have to do this your whole life.
Yes, she was awful, but that´s what life does to you when you aren´t able to handle it.
She was destroying herself.

She didn´t want to represent an innocent child but the result of a hard life, which we didn´t see in the book.

That´s just my opinion...;)

[Seb Shaw]

When I saw the film, I found her irritating, but couldn't put my finger on why. I'm sure she tried to connect with the character, bt unfortunalty, fr most people she fell short of the mark. Needless to say, Kathy was flawless, no matter what role she plays, be it in a King adaptaion or anything else.
I will have to watch the film again, to see if JJL still annoys me.
I know it's not a book thread, but I just gotta say that the book was a great read, as always :)

[Sophiia]

Kathy Bates - perfect. Everyone else was terrible :)

[Timmy]

JJL did a great job as far as I'm concerned. While I think Kathy Bates is an exceptional actress - one of the best - I would not be so quick to admonish Lee's acting.

JJL's choice's may have been difficult to accept, especially in the beginning, but let's not forget this is a girl who was molested by her father, blocked out any memory of those events, and believed her mother was a murderer. She may not have known all the details, but she knew her dad disappeared and mom had something to do with it... And, she left home at a young age. This all happened when the girl was twelve, she is about thirty now (when the story unfolds) and the script says she had not been back for eighteen years!!??!?! So, where the F did she go? How did she survive? She managed to get out of the house, take care of herself, finish high school, and put herself through college (apparent from her current job), etc. etc. So, this is a tough broad. And all this is back story.

So, all that to say, it is very demanding to put this on an actress. She has to show you all this in her behavior because NONE of it comes from the lines. Also, remember, she was hopped up on all kinds of different pills, so behavior would seem strange, unpredictable, at times unbelievable, etc. etc. But, if you still disagree, you must admit, that the ending scene, where she basically saves Bates's a$$ was fantastic. She owned the room and, to me, that was one of the highlights of the movie.

All in all, great film. Awesome story. and fine acting, by BOTH Bates and Lee.

Timmy

[Homer403]

I can't say I really hated anything about the movie,but it did start out rather slow,IMO.

[SeleneM1]

>>I would have seen Kirsten Dunst in the role on the other hand. I imagined this actress's face when I was reading the book btw

Maybe as the young Selena, but she was only 12 or 13 when this movie came out (I forget exactly, 1993, I think), not the adult actress we know working today. Remember KD in Interview With the Vampire? That's what you would have gotten, not the hard-boiled scotch-drinking journalist in her early 30s that JJL plays in the movie! :)

I liked JJL and the character arc; she's really remote and distant at first, then she has a meltdown and comes to her mother's rescue. She's no warmer at the end, but she's trying to make amends, in her distant way. I wouldn't exactly expect a ray of sunshine, after everything the family has been through. They're hard people, and JJL's dark, crusty manner was well-played, I thought. I think JJL is a very underrated actress, so that might just be me. :)

[CertifiedCzech]

I think she was outshined(outshown??) by both Bates,and my favorite actor,David Straithairn. The movie was good,though.

[blunthead]

I think she was outshined(outshown??) by both Bates,and my favorite actor,David Straithairn. The movie was good,though.I like JJL as an actor--as opposed to liking her as a person, since I don't know her, now I've digressed already, where was I... I like her in general, so I watch Claiborne with a bias in favor of JJL. Of course, Bates makes becoming a character look easy and natural, she's so brilliant. I appreciate your bringing up Straithairn's name, Czech, because, speaking of becoming a character, he's one of a few, imho, who seem to do from movie to movie; others being John Turturro and Kate Blanchett.

I saw Straithairn in Claiborne, then in some other movie, and literally could not believe it was the same guy. I really love that in an actor, because even the greats don't seem to have that particular gift.

[SeleneM1]

David Strathairn went to Ringling Bros. Clown College. Just fyi. :) I thought that was a neat bit of trivia, when I read it.

Another thing I noticed on a recent re-watch of Dolores Claiborne...I think a good portion of JJL's performance was informed by the performance of the younger actress who played Selena at 13. The younger actress did an amazing job, but I think JJL was playing her at 30, not whatever she might have imagined of the character from the book or the script, if that makes sense.

[VultureLvr45]

I enjoyed the movie. I thought JJL was a good cast for the older daugter because she could portray the messed up career woman. She had part of her father in her. Kathy Bates was a good choice but her acting seemed stiff to me.
The younger Sabina was an excellent actress as well. Vera Donovan was amazing. I enjoyed the book and the movie.

[The Nameless]

I just watched this film. I have the book, but haven't read it yet. I agree with the masses, Kathy Bates is just brilliant at acting Stephen King's characters, however, I didn't see too much wrong with Jennifer's performance. I have been interested in watching this film for a while since I found out it had a young Ellen Muth in it (young Selena), because Ellen was the lead in one of my favourite ever shows - Georgia Lass in Dead Like Me.

[kingricefan]

I think she (JLL) did a great job in this movie! She was up against one of THE best actresses of our time (Bates) and had to create a character basically out of thin air. The only version of Selena in the book is the young one, not the older version so Leigh had to create her out of thin air, pretty much. All she had to go on was: Selena was molested by her father when she was young, her Father disappeared after her Mother figured out what was happening between Selena and her Father and for which Selena would've blamed herself not her Mother, she was addicted to perscription drugs and hadn't seen her Mother for a very long time. Remember also it is hinted at that she is not treated very kindly by previous lovers and is in fact screwed over by the current one. All of this is not going to make for a very likable character or person. If you watch the movie again you may actually start to like her portrayal knowing all of this. I think on my first viewing I didn't enjoy her character, but upon more viewings I have come to respect what she did with her role and actually like Selena now- she IS a survivor- in her own way- and at the end of the movie she realizes that she can't go on the way she was and I think she sees that there is hope for her and for her relationship with her Mother. By the way, how many of you have noticed that all of the scenes of the 'past' are rich in color while all of the scenes of 'now' are drab and grey? Pretty cool!!!

[bmcmolo]

By the way, how many of you have noticed that all of the scenes of the 'past' are rich in color while all of the scenes of 'now' are drab and grey? Pretty cool!!!

Quite enjoyed that aspect of it, myself.