one thing i hated about the movie

[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.