Yes, No, Maybe So: "Albert Nobbs"
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 11:36AM It's our tradition here at the Film Experience to manage our expectations for new movies by forcing ourselves into yes, no, maybe so breakdowns of trailers. Since we're obviously a yes on Albert Nobbs --"Glenn Close is not going to be ignored, Fan"-- for reasons of genesis, Oscar, LGBT loyalty, and its Glennderful nature and since we've talked about the movie enough without yet seeing it, let's do things differently. This Trailer begs for a different sort of compartmentalization. It's almost like a trailer in four acts. Is it purposefully channelling its own internal identity crisis?
They had personal trainers in 19th century? Aaron Johnson is comfortable naked...
It starts out like a frothy period comedy 0:01-0:41 (oh haha!. Remember how much you love Downton Abbey and Gosford Park?!)
Glenn isn't nearly as willing to take her clothes off!
...moves into identity crisis drama 0:42-1:12 (Mr. Albert Nobbs is actually a woman named 5 time Oscar nominee Glenn Close and Mr. Hubert Page is actually a woman named Oscar nominee Janet McTeer!)
Jane Eyre clearly thinks Rochester's a better kisser than Nobbs.
...and then tips over the edge into total chaos 1:13-2:09 like it's an uncomfortable mashup between a dreamy sentimental An American Tail style musical immigrant drama (Sinead O'Connor lullaby!) and Yentl style dramedy of convenient marriages turned totally inconvenient (!)
... before settling into its rightful place as a For Your Consideration Oscar Ad 2:10-2:30 intended to win Glenn Close that Oscar she deserved back in 1982 (The World According to Garp), 1987 (Fatal Attraction) or 1988 (Dangerous Liaisons) or all three times depending on your point of view.
the full trailer...
How would you describe your desire to see it now?
How about its Oscar chances in multiple categories?
I'm currently thinking...
Yes - Actress (Close), Supporting Actress (McTeer)
Maybe So - a fighting longshot chance at "Original Song", Costumes, Adapted Screenplay (this would be another way to honor Glenn Close if they're really feeling it since she co-wrote), and Art Direction.
No - Everything else.
Reader Comments (32)
5-time Academy Award Nominee: Yes
5-time Academy Award Nominee: Yes.
It feels very Boys Don't Cry at times.
I'm a Yes/Maybe So because, although I don't think I'll enjoy it much based on what I read, I'm curious about certain aspects of the movie.
I feel so negative by posting this, but I am not a fan, at all. I like her sometimes, but I wish she was usually more understated, just like she seems to be here. I could give her an oscar for Fatal Attraction, she deserved (but Cher was better), but never for her false understatement in Dangerous Liaisons that was pure and shameless overacting.
Anyway, it's never too late. This movie could be a good path. Look for gentle characters, AVOID villains, be nice and don't scream and don't try to scare me with your evil look. Relax (you know, that's what I hate her Merteuill. She never relaxes. It's not a character. It's a plotting machine, a cartoon, always to focused in trying to be subtly evil and, this way, losing all her subtlety). Again: RELAX.
Seeing this movie: Career Honours Oscars often come across as fake. Mostly because it's "oh, man, they're in an Oscary project, here's your statue." And...I understand the appeal of subtle acting, but if it's the only thing you look at, your overall horizons are low. I'd never say that Christopher Walken in The Addiction is subtle (he's a Burroughs quoting, drug addict metaphor vampire so it goes with the territory), but it's what I'd call Best Supporting Actor 1995.
Glenn looks so committed and believable...she gives the character a sadness and innocence that seems really authentic...I'm totally buying.
Volvagia, that's all about the character. I don't know if you ever read Chordelos de Laclos' novel or seen any other versions of Dangerous Liaisons, but Merteuill's dissimulation is supposed to be subtle. Close is not - she may not scream, but she breaths as a villain, she walks as villain, she even looks at the camera as villain! She's like a Hannibal Lecter - who is not subtle at all, and that works for him - , but everybody knows he is nuts.
I am not against showboating, but that part has to ask for it - Walken, Melissa leo last year, etc. Most of the time, showboating is only excess.
And, not to seem crazy but...do The Raven next.
I didn't even write the comment as a response to you. I was actually just responding to the trailer. But I'm going to see Dangerous Liasons before I make up my own mind.
Carl Roth:
Close in Dangerous Liasons is a cartoon? She's like Hannibal Lecter? Not subtle at all? WHAAAT? I think that both performances are very subtle in different ways. Close sometimes overacts and is a bit theatrical but definitely NOT in Liasons, where is by far much more relaxed than in many other of her roles. Maybe you simply don't like her. But in Liasons she gives one of the most mesmerizing (and subtle) villain performances of all time. A wonderful pair with Fatal Attraction.
I had to vote no for one reason: Rodrigo Garcia. All of his films have so much potential and yet his films consistently let me down. He has done very little to earn my trust.
Well, it definitely looks like a mixed bag -- and not in the most positive way -- but one thing certainly permeates in this trailer: baitiness. Those sharp shifts in tone are a bit jarring to me, though Close does come off a quite strong throughout. I dunno. I'm a maybe.
I think she misses her mark by a landslide. Her voice is low, but she is still playing the part on the stage, meticulously calculated, line by line, look by look. She playes Merteiull so obsessed with her own line reading that totally forgets her carnality. She is choreographed to deliver her lines and looks and to awe us, but she is still very stiff. Merteuill is not supposed to look calculated role - her machiavelic nature is not that self-conscious.
But look at her. She looks exactly like we're seeing her in stage. Low voice is the only adaptation to screen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7kwcIImGM8
That could be really good. The trailer was cut too breezy, kinda like a more serious "Mrs. Henderson Presents." But Close could go all the way with this, especially if the never won narrative plays out for her. That basically needs to be her talking point from now until Febraury 2012. Not sure if I'm feeling Mia Wasikowski though. Voted yes.
Yes: Aaron Johnson's abs.
No: everything else.
Looks overblown and tearjerkery. Right in Garcia's wheelhouse, of course. I'll watch it for Glenn's performance, though, and I hope she wins.
YESYESYESYESYES
For Glenn, for Janet; not feeling Mia so much here but she could surprise. (BTW - lots of men back in the day didn't get to kiss their fiancee until the wedding ceremony.) For Victorian women in drag passing as men - we don't get enough of it, and the lesbian vibe, etc etc
I am choosing to ignore the "hit all points" tonal shifts of the trailers - I'll blame the marketing, for the moment.
Is it me, or does she look like Robin Williams?
Until I actually see the movie, I have to say maybe so for both Close and McTeer.
I do not think this will be a popular movie... so its chances for too many Oscar, I'd Sa, is limited.
If Close, Streep and Williams are playing real life characters, what's left for the other two slots? Is there a hooker with a heart of gold? A suffering wife/mother?
Yes, I know I'm not doing the Yes, no, maybe so thing.
@iggy: suffering wives and hookers -> supporting
My response is Yes (to see the movie) but that is my default response to a Close movie and in spite of what I think is a very ordinary trailer.
So far the clips I have seen, this trailer and majority response have successfully managed to downgrade my expectations for the movie as a whole from their pre-shooting giddy schoolgirl levels to those more akin to a resigned middle aged man.
In regards to Close's Oscar hopes - I am beginning to fear that the nomination will be seen as enough reward/welcome back, and the win will have to wait until a supporting turn in a half decent commercial film.
Ha, so true! I've got them all mixed up. Well, there's at least Tilda Swinton in the suffering mother field, though I guess she's quite a long shot right now.
I'm a Maybe So.
It looks good for Glenn and Janet, but those scenes that were released were SO dull, flat, and boring. Soo, I don't know. What they spliced together looks alright, but Idk how it will be as a whole.
I really don't like Glenn Close and I would be quite happy if she didn't even get nominated.
My expectation is getting lower and lower each time i read or hear something about this film... As much as I like Close, I really don't want her to be nominated or win for the "wrong" performance... finger crossed for next Thursday.
Glenn looks amazing in this..best actor oscar Yes, best makeup maybe, best song...(sinead plus Glenn=Oscar) oscar for Costumes....maybe?
either way...i definitely want to see it!
S
I like her but sometimes I feel she is almost begging for that Oscar.
have to say, I'm loving Mia's accent, is there anything she can't do, everything else, maybe so, looks watchable at the least, am sure Close will be nominated, but prob won't win...
So this is a period comedy piece? Oscar doesn't usually go for that. I was expecting something more serious than this. There's the deglam factor of course, and Glenn's past Oscar nods that scream "OVERDUE"! I'm not really feeling the rest of the trailer. But I'm not a Glenn hater. She was awesome this season on "Damages." Emmy nod, sure. We'll have to see where "Albert Nobbs" takes her though.
Why are people bashing this without even seeing it? Ridiculous. I could say the same about the My Week with Marilyn trailer. You almost never hear Williams speak... She either just looks into the camera or cries, but I'm not judging the movie or her performance until I see it. That only seems fair, right?
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