Posted by sean at 170.148.10.49 on December 13, 2002 at 17:10:12:
In Reply to: Response to happylizard from last page... posted by Isis on December 13, 2002 at 15:24:56:
: : Case in point: "About Schmidt" reviews almost all comment on Nicholson's gargantuan effort to suppress his "Jack-ness". If we knew nothing about this man, it would be easier to accept him in different roles. With nothing to "suppress".
: Well, Nicholson is a special case -- he's backed himself into a corner over the years, using the energy of his own persona to fuel roles, rather than carefully picking characters who are very different from each other (as Meryl, Denzel and Tom have) so that he can establish and deepen his range.
: What he needs is a role akin to Robin Williams' in "Insomnia", or Halle Berry's in "Monster's Ball"; something that will play totally against type. That's when famous actors get to stretch their muscle and often, what displays their true skill -- Denzel again, "Training Day", good example. Maybe this movie is that role for Jack, I don't know yet.
Anybody who says that 'About Schmidt' is the first time he's suppressed his Jack-ness [not you specifically, Isis, reviewers in general] didn't see 'The Pledge'. [Forget 'Ironweed', that was long enough ago by now, but 'The Pledge', which wasn't a very good movie, is an amazing performance and completely unJack.]