The past weekend I went to see Transcendence (I’ll probably write a review for it soon), which has a cast with quite a few famous faces. While watching it though (especially at start of the movie) I initially didn’t mind that, until I suddenly saw Kate Mara appearing. It was just a “throwaway moment”, but because I know her face (in my case from House of Cards) I knew immediately that there was a whole lot more to her character. It wasn’t just some extra and that, even if it only was for a moment, took my out of the movie experience. This made me wonder (even though I know those famous faces are selling the film):
Do you think having a famous actor/actress in a specific role can take some tension away or take you out of a movie because you know they must have a big role? Would you prefer less famous actors/actresses in those type of roles?
That is an interesting question as I do have issues with that in terms of actors and such that we’ve seen for so many years. One of these people I had issues with seeing in films is Tom Cruise where it is clear that he is kind of playing the same kind of role and making the same movies. He doesn’t seem to care about being challenged or really do anything. I keep thinking what would happen if a younger actor was in that part and what he would’ve brought to that character.
Yeah, he is always doing the same thing but in his case I don’t really mind. Another actor might be able to pull it off just as well, but the studios won’t take chances if they know Cruise will put people in the seats.
You know i never given this kind of thing any thought. But usually famous faces are what appeals some films for me (since i don’t usually watch trailers). For example, i went to see August Osage County for Streep – or – The Counselour because it featured Bardem and Fassbender, i expect a kind of film that would blew me away but ended up disappointed by the overall film (not necessarily the performance of that certain actor). So i guess there were that kind of expectation there too…
I can imagine you being disappointed by The Counselor. Personally I really enjoyed August Osage County. But I went into it without any expectations.
Mostly no. For example Alec Baldwin in “The Departed”.
Cant remember him in that…it has been a couple of years though since I’ve last seen it.
Interesting. Sometimes. But then I remember seeing Julia Stiles in the first Bourne film and she had a TINY role. Initially. Of course it grew over the sequels.
Depends on the movie and the role then for you 🙂