Happy Birthday to
Dianne Wiest
63 today
I had mixed feelings towards Dianne's performance in Rabbit Hole. Whilst I could appreciate the technical skill the character seemed to have wandered in from another movie, with little connection to Nicole Kidamn as her daughter. That said there are lots of opportunities for Ms Wiest to turn be back into a supporter - over the next couple of yeasr she'll appear in twitching comedy Big Year, shaggy dog-tale Darling Companion and family drama The Odd life of Timothy Green.
Showing posts with label Dianne Wiest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dianne Wiest. Show all posts
Monday, 28 March 2011
Dianne Wiest
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Rabbit Hole
2010. Dir: John Cameron Mitchell. Starring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Miles Teller and Sandra Oh. ●●●●○
Grief is a difficult and complex set of emotions, and losing a child must be one of the most horrific episodes in anyone's life, but presenting that issue on screen is rarely managed well. The usual method is to overload the pathos to emotionally devastate the parents. Thankfully Rabbit Hole manages to avoid that pitfall in this slow-burning, deeply felt and under-played look as parental loss.
The film picks up eight months after Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart have lost their only child in a car accident, and follows them as they drift apart, both of them looking for ways to deal with their mixed emotions and neither of them feeling the other can help. Kidman begins a - suspend your disbelief here - faltering friendship with the college student who ran her son over (newcomer Miles Teller) whilst Eckhart finds himself drawn to Sandra Oh, a fellow attendee at the group grief counselling sessions.
The tone of the screenplay allows the charcters to feel and think in ways that seem realistic and nuaced, elements of guilt and mutual anger - partly due to the differences in how they cope - mingle freely with black comedy and tender observations. The group therapy includes some of the most delicious lines, Kidman reishing "Why didn't he just make one" which is even funnier in context than it was in the trailer.
Both of the protagonists give career best performances and I'm surprised Eckhart didn't get much heat in award season his mood swings and need to both goforward and hold onto the past are utterly convincing, Teller also stands out as one to watch in the future (he has a supporting role in the Footloose remake coming up but I expect more will come). I have to say I was less enthused by Dianne Wiest, party because I found it extremely hard to imagine her and Kidman were actually mother and daughter both in the way they interact with each other and the characers outlook on life.
John Cameron Mitchell directs with an unfussy plainness that would surprise fans of his earlier work (Shortbus, Hedwig) and Frank G DeMarco shoots with a drab sensibility that fits the dourness of the script. I would like to suggest to Nicole and Aaron that they get some decorators round, it's going to be difficult to sell their house with the relentless brown of the ground floor, a depressing reminder of the emptyness of their lives.
A couple of glitches and a painfully slow pace aside this is a unique look at the grieving process and certainly worth a look.
Thursday, 13 January 2011
20 for 2011: 16 - The Big Year
Number 16 on our countdown is twitching comedy The Big Year.
We all know that I don't really "do" comedy. Generally I try to avoid that sort of thing as what makes us laugh as individuals is so distinct that few people can agree on any fram of reference. Nevertheless I am curious about this bird-watching caper, hoping it may tend towards farce in a easy to enjoy way.
Among the twitchers are Jack Black, Owen Wilson and Steve Martin, and although we're a long way past his heyday I believe a return to form must be on it's way eventually. Plus the supporting cast is excellent including Anjelica Huston, Dianne Wiest and Rosamund Pike. It's a light choice in the countdown but I'm sure it'll fit in fine.
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Dianne Wiest
Happy Birthday to
Dianne Wiest
61 today
Dianne is a truly beautiful performers with a string of hits in the 80s and 90s. What makes it especially interesting is that she is as happy with comedy as with straight drama. Watch her 2 Oscar winning performances back to back (in Woody Allen's Hannah and her Sisters and Bullets over Broadway) and just marvel at the range and layers she brings to the rols.
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