Looking back at 2012 in film performances, the highlights are innumerable. Inspired casting from superheroes (there’s a reason everyone is so obsessed with The Avengers) to historical figures (Daniel Day-Lewis may be more Lincoln than Lincoln himself) has made for a memorable year.
But what happens when the performance doesn’t live up to the role’s potential? And does a decent performance necessarily mean good casting? While plenty of performances in bad movies this year were subpar (Rihanna should probably stay off of battleships), what frustrates me the most is an actor who takes away from the experience of an otherwise good movie. The following are the top ten casting decisions from the past year that really left me scratching my head.
10. Sally Field, Lincoln
I should preface this by saying that I actually enjoyed Ms. Field’s performance: her natural talent for sympathetic performances keeps Mary Todd consistently human, even through her craziest tirades. However, Field seems to be the last relic of what Lincoln used to be. Before Daniel Day Lewis stepped in, Liam Neeson was originally set to portray everyone’s favorite president. This is a coupling that’s much easier to imagine. Instead, something about Sally Field against Daniel Day Lewis feels false, and creates a dissonance in their duets that I wasn’t able to shake.
It’s a fine performance on its own, but in the context of the film, one wonders whether a subtler portrayal would have gelled more naturally.
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4 Comments
Good article. Myself, I really liked Affleck’s subtle approach to his character. It added to the tension for me; the fact that we had no idea who this guy really was, what he was going to do, what he could do. But I do see your point.
I hated Watson as Hermione in the Potter films but absolutely adored her in ‘Perks…’ – I found that weird, but there was definitely a resonance there I connected with. Great film too.
Like I said, interesting list. Marion Cotillard I would argue wasn’t a casting fail, but just a good actor being given a completely pointless role.
I thought Cotillard’s performance was fine in The Dark Knight Rises (with the exception of her death scene). I think the problem was more in the writing than her acting. And I also liked Emma Watson in Perks. I’ve heard the complaints about her accent but I didn’t see any problem with it when I watched the film.
I do agree about Ben Affleck in Argo, though. A good, if overrated, movie that would have been even better if Affleck cast someone other than himself in the lead role. It had to be one of the dullest lead performances I saw in a lead movie during 2012.
Brilliant list. However, I think Affleck’s performance suited the movie. Mainly because it was more about the story than the performances. God knows why Alan Arkin is getting an Oscar Nod for Argo.
Horrible article. You’re the only person I’ve heard mention that any of these people were bad in their roles, let alone miscast. Sally Field? Hmm, pretty sure she’s nominated for an Oscar for Lincoln. Ben Affleck? He played that role with a perfectly subtle performance when he could have grandstanded since he was also director. This site’s articles are really going downhill