Kristin Scott Thomas Wanted Tilda's Role in "Burn After Reading"

The latest issue of French Premiere has hit the newsstands 'cross the Ocean. It's a big Harry Potter issue with new photos and such but if you look at the top left hand headline you can see the hallowed name of Kristin Scott Thomas, one of the few British acting giants that didn't teach at Hogwarts. Kristin has lately been headlining French films like Leaving (now in theaters) and, of course, I've Loved You So Long a couple years back. 

I had the pleasure of interviewing her a couple of years ago and she struck me as surprisingly unguarded and honest about her career ups and down. Premiere asked her if she ever watches movies and wishes she had played that role. "Of course, all the time" she answered (!) and then some.

Les rôles de garçon, surtout. Il y a aussi Burn After Reading des frères Coen, dans lequel je voulais tourner, mais ils ont préféré prendre Tilda Swinton. Et je suis aussi très fâchée contre Stephen Frears, parce qu’il ne m’a pas proposé le rôle de la femme de l’écrivain dans Tamara Drewe. Tamsin Greig est formidable, mais quand j’ai vu le film, je n’ai pas pu m’empêcher d’aller voir Stephen pour lui demander pourquoi il n’avait pas pensé à moi. Je rêve de tourner avec lui et il le sait très bien !

 Kristin Scott Thomas and two roles she wanted to play.

My french is of the high school variety but basically she's jealous of the men's roles first and foremost. She also alludes to having auditioned for the Tilda Swinton role in Burn After Reading but the Coen Brothers preferred Tilda. I heart Tilda but I could totally see KST barking orders at George Clooney and John Malkovich while chopping carrots or driving through DC, can't you? She also approached Stephen Frears after seeing Tamara Drewe. 'Why hadn't he thought of her for the role played by Tamsin Greig?'

About the Oscar loss (The English Patient) and the snub for I've Loved You So Long, she has this to say.

Un jour, quand j’aurai 95 ans, ils m’amèneront sur scène et me donneront un prix pour l’ensemble de ma carrière. Mais je n’ai pas vraiment besoin de récompenses. De toute façon, je ne gagne jamais rien, ni loto, ni tombola, ni Oscars.

This is something humorous along the lines of  'I never win anything -- lottery, Oscar -- but I don't need awards.' Maybe when she's 95, they'll bring her up on stage for career honors?

 Kristin and Sergí Lopez in Leaving (Partir)

Kristin Scott Thomas is still inarguably vivid onscreen at 50 and what's more she's still erotically viable, too. Leaving is full of randy sex scenes with Sergi Lopez but my favorite moment in the film is one where her husband (played by Yvan Attal, Charlotte Gainsbourg's real-life man), who has learned of her affair verbally assaults her marking her "sluttish grin" and comparing her to a cat in heat. The moment, which is nasty but unfortunately relatable (given the outright flaunting of her affair), wouldn't work half as well if you hadn't already marked how much she's abandoned herself to desire.

One hopes more directors and casting directors start to notice how well she's maintained her particular screen magic. Maybe her role in Nowhere Boy, in which she's typically excellent playing the key role of John Lennon's (Aaron Johnson) disciplinarian aunt can remind them what they're missing when they don't consider her for the meaty parts. If that pre-fame Beatles biopic takes off at all, it's easy to imagine Oscar traction for her role in Best Supporting Actress.

Can you imagine her in Tilda's Burn role? Do you plan to see Nowhere Boy?
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TIFF Capsules: Let Me In, Tamara Drewe, The Illusionist and Stone.

Normally my friend txtcritic who must remain anonymous just, well, texts me. Usually in the form of pithy sentence long reviews or moviegoing observations. But this time he sent capsules of his Toronto experience thus far. Enjoy.

"The Illusionist" shifts downgear from the infectious exuberance of "Triplets of Bellevile" to a more melancholy, low-key thing. It's largely lovely and endearing, but leaves one with a lot more to admire than to get caught up or involved in (though many others seem to be ringing the "masterpiece" bells). The film's incremental snowballing cynicism will ultimately leave you either profoundly sad or oddly cold/disengaged. I'm somewhat between the two, but I'd like another viewing. B

Leigh, Manville, Ruth Sheen & Jim Broadbent @ TIFF

"Another Year" belongs in Leigh's upper-tier. Lesley Manville gets the showy role. At first, I was ready to cry 'overhyped' but her character subtly shifts and slowly grows more downtrodden in such a realistic way that it will make some uncomfortable with recognition. As a whole, the movie's consistently absorbing and lovely in character detail, but Manville's performance is what makes it a heartbreaker. A-

Consensus definitely places Lesley Manville as an Oscar nominee. We already know that Oscar voters respond to the women in Mike Leigh pictures. But will it be a lead or supporting campaign? That probably depends on how the studio feels about her winning chances in either category. I'll be seeing this picture in a couple of weeks. I loved Manville & Broadbent's chemistry together in Topsy Turvy (1999) and though they're not a couple this time I hope they have plentiful scenes together.

Dominic Cooper and Gemma Arterton at the Tamara Drewe premiere to your left. About Stephen Frears latest....

Based on the graphic novel by Posy Simmonds, "Tamara Drewe" constantly alternates between amusing and irritating. It's devoid of substance and aggressively quirky, while never being less than watchable. Certainly a change of pace for Stephen Frears, but makes you wonder why he decided to make this movie. Tamara (Gemma Arterton) is an empty vessel who barely registers as a character and the only one who gives a performance of any depth or complexity is Tamsin Greig as a cuckolded wife. B-/C+

Though it's to be commended for reaching for something beyond the conventional movie the trailers are selling, "Stone" only barely falls just short of Trainwreck designation. It has enough batshit moments to never lose your interest, but it's ultimately the very definition of a "mess"; there's nary a coherent thought in its head. No one seems to have been given much direction, and we're as dumbfounded as how we should feel about their characters as they seem to be. De Niro shows early signs that this will be his first inspired performance in years but then loses his way, and I never could quite get a handle on what Edward Norton or Milla Jovovich were doing. D+

Finally, the early buzz on Let Me In is good dashing our hopes that critics would crucify it. Now normally we don't root against pictures we haven't seen but why was it remade in the first place? Read on...

While "Let Me In" remains an 'unnecessary' remake throughout, Matt Reeves has crafted a surprisingly successful, respectful 'cover' version of the beloved "Let the Right One In." Aside from one or two (superb) sequences, and some amped-up suspense and gore, not much new has been added here. What most impresses is how the film avoids pretty much every possible expected "remake" decision where it could have pandered or "broadened" appeal or caved to general American sensibilities. Reeves absolutely nails the tone of the original film, imposes largely the same look (often even paying homage to the original shot compositions), and the perfectly cast chief actors -- Chloe Grace Moretz, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Richard Jenkins, Elias Koteas -- feel just right in their roles. Skeptics, put away your knives. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. A-

I'm not sure I'll be pleasantly surprised. So far I've read a couple of reviews proclaiming that it's better than the original and several going to lengths to describe how meticulously director Matt Reeves has transferred the visual aesthetics, mood and even the shots of the original. How is a carefully detailed copy ever better than an original? Or at least how does whatever praise it garners seem like more than an interception? Please to explain. Whatever we love about it, must be credited to the original, if what we love was originated there. It's like when some people wanted to give Zach Snyder credit for the visual aesthetics of Watchmen when what he was essentially doing was following the storyboard and character designs provided by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons in graphic novel form.

Kodi Smit-McPhee gets bullied in Let Me In

Sorry, sorry. I know I'm off consensus on this topic. But faithful remakes they make-a me crazeeeeeeeeeee. This is why, ironically, I respected Gus Van Sant's Psycho (1998) so much. See, that widely hated film purposefully billed itself as a recreation... it was, therefore, an honest aesthetic experiment and cinematic exercize rather than a movie made to replace another movie for people who can't bring themselves to read subtitles or watch older films.

Maybe I'll calm down once I've seen it if it's good. Maybe I just don't relish having to watch Chloe Moretz every time a film needs a teenager this coming decade. They're casting her in everything (8-10 projects already on the way) and even if I loved her more, I always enjoy a variety of faces in my moviegoing.
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Cannes Review: Biutiful, Tamara Drew and more

Robert here, scouring the internet to give you the latest on the films premiering in Cannes.  Lots and lots to catch up on!

In Competition

•  Biutiful Alenjandro Gonzalez Inarritu's film is one of the most anticipated of the festival.  In a piece entitled "Beautiful Biutiful" Sasha Stone of AwardsDaily raves the film, while admitting that overall reaction has been mixed.  Lou Lumenick of the New York Post is among the dissenters, calling the film "a soul-crushing endurance test at 2 1/2 hours."  Entertainment Weekly agrees that the film is depressing but finds a bigger fault. "The problem is that none of the characters are remotely developed." says Owen Gleiberman.  Rounding out the mixed reactions, we have MovieLine.com who declares the film "the best film shown so far at the festival."
• Certified Copy "The best film so far in this year’s Cannes competition" is what Time Out London is calling the new Abbas Kiarostami film (his first outside Iran).  Eric Kohn of IndieWIRE isn't quite as ecstatic, but still positive, noting that the film "wanders a bit but never loses focus."  Meanwhile Mike D'Angelo of The AV Club was "choking back tears in his seat." 

 Un Certain Regard

• Blue Valentine Derek Cianfrance's film starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams as a couple already premiered at Sundance earlier this year.  It drew positive reviews there and is drawing positive reviews here.  We'll let AwardsDaily take it from there.
• Film Socialisme This Jean-Luc Godard film or cinematic essay is, according to reactions, um... different (and thus pure Godard.) "It is doubtful that anyone else could have made this film and found an audience for it" is how Roger Ebert puts it.  Time Out Chicago skirts the issue of what it's exactly about (as do most) but gives it points saying  "Film Socialisme is stunning to look at."  Screen.com's Lee Marshall nails it down a little more, calling the film an "occasionally amusing, rarely thought-provoking and ultimately wearing reflection on civilization, language, democracy."

Special Screening

•  Tamara Drewe Stephen Frears' latest stars Gemma Arterton as a woman who returns to her home village as an unrecognizable beauty.  The Cannes crowd seems to like it.  IndieWIRE says "the plot wanders all over the place, but it remains enjoyably cynical throughout."  USA Today reports of Frears "He has concocted an assortment of joys."  And IFC says its "Sassy, slick, slight and speedy"

A quick word about good news that was naught today.  IndieWIRE has the information about dashed hopes that Iranian director Jafar Panahi would be released from prison (he was incarcerated in March for reasons unspecified, though he's been an outspoken government critic).  It's a reminder that despite all the Hollywood marketing, artistic intellectualizing, and scantily-clad beach-going Cannes, and other film festival, serve the cinematic community by championing free expression and welcoming filmmakers who were unwelcome even in their homes.  Mr. Panahi was supposed to be on the Cannes jury this year.  Here's hoping he can take his rightful seat on the jury next year.

Pfeiffer Hits Berlin

Director Stephen Frears attends to his star La Pfeiffer.
"It's gonna be a hot time in the cold town tonight"

Abundant photos are starting to show up online now that the Chéri team have arrived in Berlin, held their press conference and early buzz is spreading. Here's The Hollywood Reporter's Kirk Honeycutt with what sounds like pre-review thoughts beginning to tumble out. A bit on Michelle Pfeiffer being "radiant" and a lot of "wonderfuls" about her performance and the picture itself. There's even a little aside for Julie Delpy's vampiric period piece The Countess, too. The most intriguing barely expressed note is that Chéri wasn't as much like Dangerous Liaisons (the other Frears/Pfeiffer collaboration) as one might expect.



Recommendation: Pfeiffer the Face is doing a great job keeping up with new promotional photos of TFE's #1 girl so check that site out.

Update: There's a mixed SPOILER-HEAVY review at Screen Daily but I wouldn't suggest reading it unless you've already read the book. Why do so many reviewers feel the need to describe everything? And uh-oh a negative review at Variety which is not pleased with Pfeiffer's performance but suggests that Kathy Bates will win fans as Madame Peloux.

For previous posts about Chéri: actors, plot, images, Oscar buzz please click the labels below.
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"We Can't Wait" 2009 Preview

Tomorrow the blog will begin to be invaded by brief peeks at 20 films we're excited to see in 2009 (at least at this writing -- trailers could change our pre-viewing feelings). Who is "we" you ask? This year I did the anticipatory mindmeld with Whitney of Dear Jesus, Fox of Tractor Facts, Joe of Low Resolution and JA of My New Plaid Pants to come up with the top 20. I am horrified to inform you that these so called "friends" did not help me place Stephen Frears Chéri on the list. The plentiful posts I've already done on the matter will have to be enough until its Berlinale premiere later this month. The other highest ranking "orphans" from my own personal list function as an accidental Natalie Portman Double Feature.

Brothers is from actor-friendly director Jim Sheridan (In America, In the Name of the Father) and its based on the Danish film by Susanne Bier which I've recommended for rental many times. In the original film Connie Nielsen (in a terrifically engaging and warm star turn) is an army wife whose husband (Ulrich Thomsen) has been shipped off to Afghanistan. His troubled brother (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) helps her out around the house and they form a makeshift bond in his absence. If the plot sounds similar it's because Bier herself didn't stray far from its distraught wife and uncomfortable romantic triangle that also characterized the plot of her English language debut Things We Lost in the Fire.


In the American remake Natalie Portman plays the tearful wife. The title characters are Tobey Maguire as the soldier hubby and Jake Gyllenhaal as the ne'er-do-well brother. I'm interested to see what mojo Portman can work on both of them. Think of how bewitched bothered and bewildered Clive Owen, Jude Law (twice!), Timothy Hutton and Jason Schwartzman have become in her presence onscreen. Even wooden Hayden Christensen was thrown by her. He was haunted by the kiss she should never have given him [gag] !

17 Photos of Isabel comes from writer/director Don Roos and I think he proved with The Opposite of Sex and Happy Endings that he definitely has his own voice as a filmmaker. It's a voice worth hearing from time to time. He's also the filmmaker we can thank for Lisa Kudrow's best performance (The Opposite of Sex) and even, arguably, Maggie Gyllenhaal's (Happy Endings) which is saying a lot. The film is about a woman who is having trouble with her stepson but I don't know who plays whom. Neither Kudrow (returning for a third round with Roos) nor Portman are playing a character named "Isabel". The working title was Love and Other Impossible Pursuits.

Did you like Roos' previous films? Do you share my intermittent Portmania?

The Official "We Can't Wait ~ Top 20 of 2009" kicks off tomorrow @ Noon. You can see other "orphans" at Low Resolution, Tractor Facts and My New Plaid Plants

In case you missed any entries they went like so...
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We Can't Wait:
#1 Inglourious Basterds, #2 Where the Wild Things Are, #3 Fantastic Mr. Fox,
#4 Avatar, #5 Bright Star, #6 Shutter Island, #7 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
#8 Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, #9 Nailed, #10 Taking Woodstock,
#11 Watchmen, #12 The Hurt Locker, #13 The Road, #14 The Tree of Life
#15 Away We Go, #16 500 Days of Summer, #17 Drag Me To Hell,
#18 Whatever Works, #19 Broken Embraces, #20 Nine (the musical)
intro (orphans -didn't make group list)
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From the People Who Brought You "Madame de Tourvel"

You may have seen this in the comments already but The Daily Mail informs us that director Stephen Frears (The Queen) and screenwriter Christopher Hampton (Atonement) may work with their Dangerous Liaisons star Michelle Pfeiffer again.


Or at least they want to. La Pfeiffer is a notoriously difficult sign-on for any picture and sometimes (just look at her filmography) she doesn't know what's best for her. The film is called Chéri --which is based on the 1920 novel from famed French writer Colette. She also penned Gigi which went on to be a big Oscar champ in movie form.

A little bit about Cheri from Wikipedia:

Chéri tells a story of the end of a six-year affair between an aging retired courtesan Léa, and a pampered young man, Chéri. Turning stereotypes upside-down, it is Chéri who wears silk pajamas and Léa's pearls, and who is the object of gaze. And in the end Léa demonstrates all the survival skills which Colette associates with femininity. (The story continued in The Last of Chéri (1926), which contrasts Léa's strength and Chéri's fragility and decline).

On paper it sounds like a pfantastic idea: reteam with the men who helped you nab your first Oscar nomination for a juicy retired courtesan role. The only time you ever came close to winning -- The Fabulous Baker Boys (FYC ad, pictured left) -- you played a former call girl. It gives you a challenging character and plays up your considerable but aging beauty as well as your steelier side. It even comes with a prewritten sequel (The Last of Chéri) if all goes well.

... but will she do it? Léa the courtesan is 49 in the novel (Pfeiffer's actual age) and Chéri is 25. If Pfeiffer signs on, what young rising male star would risk playing her dandified object of affection? We shouldn't yet get our hopes up but wouldn't it be sweet to see her in a prestige costume drama again --it's been 15 years since her last one, Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence. If she doesn't accept, you can bet that they'll still find their Léa. There's at least a dozen underused late 40s/early 50s movie beauties who'll no doubt be salivating for this opportunity.
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