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Actors’ Pleasantly Surprising Roles feat. Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman & Russell Crowe

Posted on January 10, 2011 Written by ripitup

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Actors’ Pleasantly Surprising Roles feat. Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman & Russell Crowe

Finding a good script is tricky. Constantly being after good scripts and trying to be versatile at the same time is even trickier.  An actor might often find himself playing a character more often than other roles- such as being a cop or a villain too often. So just when you think you’ve seen all the cards up his sleeve, he surprises you as a character you have never seen before. Below are 3 examples:

* Harrison Ford in Six Days Seven Nights

Six Days Seven Nights starring Harrison Ford & Anne Heche
Six Days Seven Nights starring Harrison Ford & Anne Heche

We are accustomed to seeing Ford in serious roles. Whether he is a cop (The Devil’s Own,Witness) or The President (Air Force One). Sure he had his characters with a sense of humor (Indiana Jones) but this one really caught me off guard.

In Six Days Seven Nights, he is a middle-aged pilot who lives on an island in Tahiti and is pretty pleased with his easy-going life. That’s until he meets Robin (Anne Heche) and a plane crash puts them both an island.

Ford’s character gets drunk too often and makes jokes at Anne Heche’s character Robin’s expense. He also falls down, gets beaten up and smiles a lot, all the while managing to be the masculine Harrison Ford we know him to be. Watch this one to see Harrison in an action/romance/comedy genre.

Two other movies if you like the combination of these genres:

Birds on a Wire starring Goldie Hawn and Mel Gibson

The Bounty Hunter starring Gerard Butler and Jennifer Anniston

* Gary Oldman in The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter starring Demi Moore & Gary Oldman
The Scarlet Letter starring Demi Moore & Gary Oldman

We saw Gary play the bad guy too often. Sure, when he isn’t playing the ultimate-villain (Léon, Murder in the First, Dracula), he does play a lot of shady/grey characters (Romeo Lies Bleeding, Sid and Nancy). So I am guessing I am not the only one surprised to find him as Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale in the film adaptation of The Scarlet Letter in 1995. He was a reverend, he was genuinely nice and he was playing a romantic character! And being Gary Oldman, he pulled this off brilliantly. You may or may not like the movie but Gary’s performance was…well, up to Gary’s standards.

* Russell Crowe in A Good Year

A Good Year starring Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard & Albert Finney. Feat. Tom Hollander & Richard Coyle.
A Good Year starring Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard & Albert Finney. Feat. Tom Hollander & Richard Coyle.

Russell Crowe might be an academy-award-winning actor, but hey let’s face it, he doesn’t have typically have a boyish charm. And he doesn’t really look like as if he is ready to make a fool out of himself. I am checking out his films to see another light-hearted role and I can’t. He played a warrior, a cop, an agent, an “insider”…. Sure, Mystery, Alaska is fun but A Good Year is even better. Not just because it features the Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard (Public Enemies, Inception) but because it shows us the two sides of Crowe- one we know so well and we are not so used to.

A Good Year follows Max Skinner- a ruthless and successful British broker in London to Provence, France. His uncle has died and left him his vineyard. All Max wants to do get the paperwork out of the way and do whatever the hell he wants with it. But before he can change the property, the property, its residents, his uncle’s (Albert  Finney’s)  memories and a certain French girl changes him.

This movie is directed by Ridley Scott, a director that Russell collaborates with quite often. The duo also did Gladiator, American Gangster, Body of Lies and Robin Hood together. But among them all, this is the sweetest, lightness and the most romantic movie of them all. Here, Russell’s hotshot Max  gets into funny situations, falls in love, falls in love with the vineyard and discovers a side to himself that he didn’t know or forgot that it existed. And best of all, Russell isn’t alone in providing the comic relief. His friend Charlie (Tom Hollander) comes to visit. And well, Tom’s scenes are usually not so charismatic in movies and this one is no exception. Max’s broker nemesis is played by Richard Coyle– who you might remember as Jeff from TV Show Coupling– the British series that had most viewers laughing their butts off. And that’s an understatement. So it doesn’t matter if you put Richard in a semi-serious, small role. I start laughing the moment I see the guy. Oh, and the female lead is so elegantly beautiful that the story wouldn’t have made sense if Max hadn’t fallen head over heels with her. This film really made me like Russell. Yes, he is a good actor but he was just not this fun before.

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: a good year, a good year movie, adventure, albert finney, Anne Heche, comedy, Coupling, drama, Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford, harrison ford movies, Marion Cotillard, movies, Richard Coyle, Ridley Scott, romance, russell crowe, russell crowe movies, Six Days Seven Nights, six days seven nights movie, The Scarlet Letter, the scarlet letter movie, Tom Hollander

A Good Year starring Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard

Posted on October 5, 2010 Written by ripitup

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A Good Year starring Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard. Co-starring Albert Finney, Freddie Highmore, Tom Hollander, Abbie Cornish and Richard Coyle.
A Good Year starring Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard. Co-starring Albert Finney, Freddie Highmore, Tom Hollander, Abbie Cornish and Richard Coyle. Directed by Ridley Scott.

Max Skinner (Russell Crowe) is a very successful, ruthless and ambitious stockbroker in London. He is loved by women, envied and hated by his co-workers and rivals. His career and reputation are his whole life. To him, leaving London even during a weekend is unquestionable. So that’s why he is reluctant when he receives the news of his uncle Henry’s (Albert Finney) death. Max is Henry’s sole beneficiary but legal details force him to go to France in order to claim the estate, which consists of a beautiful farmhouse with a pool, garden and a big vineyard.

Convinced that he can handle things on a day trip, Max goes to France. He starts being haunted by the memories of his childhood and Henry, spent talking, playing games and drinking wine – idle and fun times that couldn’t have been more different than Max’s current hectic life. When he arrives at the estate, he is still set on spending as little time as possible in France and getting back to his life in London; but funny accidents, French laws and the aftermath of Max’s questionable but very profitable stock  management strategy obliges him to spend a little more time in France. However as time passes, Max becomes more emotional about the place and really starts enjoying his life, especially after meeting the gorgeous and passionate French woman Fanny (Marion Cotillard). So what should Max do? Sell the estate, go back to London and forget about Fanny? Or rethink about his priorities and keep enjoying what life has to offer him?

A Good Year is simply one of my favorite movies. It ended up making me a Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard fan. This is the first film I saw Cotillard in but not my first Crowe movie. But prior to this film, I just didn’t like Crowe for some reason. I had nothing against his capabilities as an actor but to me, he lacked the sense of humor, self-depreciating manner that made me warm up to many of my favorite actors. But this movie, Russell played a great, flawed character that perfectly transformed from an apparently insensitive but highly smart jerk to the real, fun-loving and passionate character his childhood self promised us to be, while engaging in great comedic situations but great liners (and thankfully, the timing for thje comedy was natural). The scene where he falls into the pool, his attempts to save himself and Fanny’s revenge are just priceless.

A Good Year is one international film: English Max is played by New Zealand-born and Australian raised Russell Crowe, Max’s youth and Uncle Henry are played by English actors Freddie Highmore (August Rush, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Finding Neverland) and Albert Finney (Big Fish, Erin Brockovich). Max’s might-be-cousin, American Christie is played by Australian Abbie Cornish (Bright Star, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Candy). French actress Marion Cotillard (Public Enemies, Inception) stars as Fanny. And of course I have to note that Tom Hollander and Richard Coyle (Coupling’s Jeff, The Best Man, Prince of Persia) and Tom Hollander (Pride and Prejudice, Martha Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence).  Note that the actors playing Mr.  And Mrs. Duflot (Didier Bourdon and Isabelle Candelier)are also priceless.

This movie is one little gem. It is funny and romantic, with a great cast, adorable cinematography and a lovely story. Based on the novel by Peter Mayle, written by Marc Klein and directed by Ridley Scott (Kingdom of Heaven), this is a must see for anyone who wants to have a great time, laugh a lot, smile all the time and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Favorite Scenes and Lines:

*After Max has won his company millions of dollars through his questionable strategy:
Kenny: Ready for the fan mail?

Max: Shoot, sunshine.

Max keeps reading his paper casually as Kenny keeps reading the messages.

Kenny: Bastard. Bastard.

Max: A-ha.

Kenny: Burn in hell.

Max: Alright.

Kenny: Rot in hell.

Max: Lovely.

Kenny: Die.

Max: Charming.

Kenny: Congratulations , you are my hero.

Max: Who sent that?

Kenny: Your lawyer.

**

Duflot: (on Fanny) Remember what Proust said – leave pretty women to men with no imagination.

Max: Duflot, I am a banker. I have no imagination.

**

Max: (on the candle-lit table Mrs. Duflot prepared for him and his potential cousin) Ludivine? Don’t you think this is a bit much? I mean, she is my cousin.
Ludivine Duflot: Almost all French aristocrat have, how you say… liaison with their cousins, yes?

Max: (amused) Gosh, that explains a lot.

**

Max: (to his lawyer Charlie, played Tom Hollander) Just a quick question. You’d know this. In France, is it actually illegal to shag your own cousin?

Charlie: Only if she is ugly.

**

Max sees Fanny for the first time after Fanny fills the pool with water and Max has to swim in the dirt. He goes up to her in the restaurant.

Max: Joan of Arc?

Fanny: Oh, Jacques Cousteau

Max: You tried to drown me!

Fanny: You tried to run me over with your little car!

Max: What do you mean I tried to run you over? What sort of bullocks is that?

Fanny: You were driving in your midget car. And I believe you had your ass stuck very far up your ass. (pulling up her skirt – revealing her leg and part of her bum to show her giant bruise) Look at the

Damage you have caused! You tried to kill me, I tried to kill you. (she walks away angrily- Max is fascinated)

Max: My God. She is fantastic.

Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard in A Good Year
Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard in A Good Year. Image via worth-2-hours.com

Trailer:

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-B6FsAAvmM[/pro-player]

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: a good year, Abbie Cornish, albert finney, comedy, Didier Bourdon, France, freddie highmore, Isabelle Candelier, Marc Klein, Marion Cotillard, movies, movies set in france, Peter Mayle, Richard Coyle, Ridley Scott, romance, romantic comedy, russell crowe, Tom Hollander

When To Leave a Relationship: You 12 Cues to Leave

Posted on July 8, 2010 Written by ripitup

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relationships, dating


This post has moved to my dating blog Dating and Relationships in the 21st Century.

 

 

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Filed Under: For Fun: Celebrities, dating, relationships and everything else Tagged With: Ben Miles, Coupling, dating, Gina Bellman, Jack Davenport, Kate Isitt, Men, Relationship, relationship advice, relationship issues, relationship problems, relationships, Richard Coyle, romance, Sarah Alexander, sex, threesome, threesomes, women

The Best Man starring Richard Coyle, Keeley Hawes and Toby Stephens

Posted on June 24, 2010 Written by ripitup

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The Best Man starring Richard Coyle, Toby Stephens and Keeley Hawes
The Best Man starring Richard Coyle, Toby Stephens and

Mike (Richard Coyle) tries to kill himself. From the beginning of the movie, we are given hints here and there through flashback that he and his best friend Peter (Toby Stephens) might not have the healthiest relationship- not with each other and definitely not with others. Mike spends time in a mental institution where his therapist suggests that he should move on from Peter. This doesn’t seem that difficult at first, especially not since he has fallen for Kate (Keeley Hawes), another patient. When they leave, Mike moves out of his place with Peter and moves in with her. Peter decides to let his hostility go and tries to get along with Kate. Or at least pretends to. And for a while everything is okay. However, as the audience is given more and more hitns about how dark a secret these two old friends might be keeping since they were teenagers, we know it is silence before the storm. The silence breaks when Mike and Kate decide to get married and Peter sees someone from their past. From then on, Peter will crash the honeymoon, try to drive Kate and Mike apart. And just when you think he has failed, he just might succeed…

And no, the last line for the summary is not the summary. The movie is made for TV and it consists of two parts so it’s not short. The honery moon is like the beginning of a nightmare.

Now, for the most part, this is a smart,intense and intelligent movie. It balances drama well with suspense. It is not pretentious and it doesn’t usually try to be smarter than the audience. However, its potential eventually lets you know.

This is a good film with some good acting but the closer you get to the climax, the closer this UK film gets to a an average American thriller. You know, you have guessed the killer right. And there are blonde women acting not so intelligently. And the dreaded part where you guess the exact ending…

I’ll give it to the screenwriter that it is not always predictable and it provided some nice surprises. The sad part is, you get the predictability at the places you wish you hadn’t.

The best thing about the film is no doubt Richard Coyle. I am guessing it would and could have been a more intense and chilling experience, had I found the film’s DVD. I had to watch it in many party on youtube. And there is no doubting Coyle’s acting talent because his Jeffish haircut, he totally makes you forget his Coupling character Jeff Murdoch as soon as the credits roll. Toby Stephens and Kelley Hawes are good too. I think the “wrongfully framed son” should have gotten more screen time and more reasoning on how on earth he could have gotten “framed” or at least suspected terribly.

It could have been an 8. It is a 6/10 drama/thriller with 7 and 8 moments.  Despite the ending, it is worth seeing. You can watch it on youtube.

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: drama, Keeley Hawes, Richard Coyle, The Best Man, thriller, Toby Stephens

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