Meet the Contenders: Chris Pine "Into the Woods"
Saturday, December 27, 2014 at 4:15PM Abstew continues the contenders series highlighting one performance per opening weekend
Chris Pine as Cinderella's Prince in Into the Woods
Best Supporting Actor
Born: Christopher Whitelaw Pine was born August 26, 1980 in Los Angeles, California
The Role: After a labored development over the years (the musical opened on Broadway how long ago?!?) and much controversy before it was even released (they cut what songs exactly?!?), the film version of Stephen Sondheim's beloved musical Into the Woods finally made its way to the big screen courtesy of Disney and Chicago's Oscar-nominated helmer, Rob Marshall. The story interconnects classic characters from fairy tales (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel) and shows how the story continues after their happily ever afters. Joining in the colorful cast of characters is Chis Pine playing the charming Prince to Cinderella.
During an initial table read to gain funding, the role was played by Broadway musical vet Patrick Wilson. Pine, who has performed on stage before, but never in a musical, had to audition for Marshall, using Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon" as his audition song. Pine was initially cast in the smaller part of Rapunzel's Prince with Jake Gyllenhaal playing Cinderella's Prince, but when Gyllenhaal dropped out to appear in Nightcrawler, Pine was upgraded to the larger royal role and Tony-nominated actor Billy Magnussen took over Pine's part.
Previous Brushes With Oscar: Pine made his professional acting debut with a guest spot on the Emmy award-winning television show ER and the only films he's appeared in so far to be recognized by the Academy just happens to be based on a popular television series. Staring as the young Captain Kirk, both Star Trek reboots have been nominated in the technical categories: Star Trek (2009) has nominated for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, and won for Best Makeup. Last year's Star Trek Into Darkness received a nomination for Best Visual Effects.
What Critics Are Saying:
More surprising are the essential contributions of Chris Pine, whose preening, poising and pompadoured prince initially struggles to sweep Kendrick’s Cinderella off her slipper-shod feet. His experience as that self-adoring intergalactic womanizer Capt. Kirk in the current “Star Trek” franchise more than serves him well. “Agony,” the duet he shares with Rapunzel’s prince (Billy Magnussen) as they compare their female troubles, is the one number during the film that draws actual applause—usually a rare event in movie theaters and one that I experienced as well at my packed screening.
-Susan Wloszczyna RogerEbert.com
As the Prince who confesses, "I was raised to be charming, not sincere," Chris Pine is a hoot, preening and posing with self-satisfaction, and baffled that any maiden might resist him.
-David Rooney The Hollywood Reporter
Chris Pine, who doesn’t just play Captain Kirk in the new “Star Trek” franchise but could be on his way to becoming the next William Shatner, savors playing Prince Charming’s fatuity and self-satisfaction.
-Mick LaSalle San Francisco Chronicle
Speaking of Pine (and with all apologies to the perennial Oscar nominee Meryl Streep), he's the best thing Into the Woods has to offer. His Prince Charming is the perfect mix of bluster, charisma, and empty-headedness.
-James Beradinelli ReelViews
My Take: In a story populated by a diva-transforming witch, a klutzy Cinderella, and a sarcastic Little Red Riding Hood, the role of Cinderella's Prince on stage has never really been a stand-out. True, he has the comical "Agony" along with its reprise, but the character can't compete with the more fully-formed female characters. So in a film version that stars one of the greatest actresses in the world taking on the witchy role and an Oscar nominated new star of movie musicals taking on everyone's favorite ball-going, slipper-forgetter, it seemed that the women would once again dominate the story. So it comes as a pleasant surprise that Pine, whose previous work in a Sci-Fi franchise and mostly forgettable romcoms and action films hadn't really prepared us for his remarkable ease wih comedy, emerges as the film's best performance. In this transfer to the big screen, a lot of the humor of the stage show hasn't been maintained. (Lines that are normally guaranteed laughs seem to fall with a thud.) Luckily Pine's pompous princely airhead is the film's shining source of playfulness and the actor has a ball playing the chauvinist womanizer. The Prince might not be the heart of the story or really all that deep, but Pine's cartoonish take on the role is a welcome delight.
Fun Fact: Answering the age-old question of what exactly Chris Pine tastes like, co-star Anna Kendrick who shares some kissing scenes with Pine as Cinderella, lets us know: cinnamon in a meadow. Chris Pine flavored chapstick will be available for purchase in time for Holiday Season 2015...
Possibility of a Nomination: Outside Shot. If we're being honest, that Supporting Actor category seems pretty much set (Duvall, Hawke, Norton, Ruffalo, and Simmons)...and is kinda snoozy. Duvall seems to be a default nominee on name alone at this point, as his film was not favored very kindly by critics and never found an audience. If the Academy is looking to shake things up, Pine's Prince would be a welcome addition to the lineup. Since they'll be watching anyway for Oscar-favorite Streep, perhaps some members will also jot down Pine's name as well (especially after his movie-stealing duet "Agony" - without a doubt, the film's best number). The role is small, but memorable and might just be what this category needs.
Into the Woods opened nationwide on Christmas Day.
Reader Comments (12)
To say Chris Pine gave the best performance in Into the Woods is really, really a stretch.
I found the film to be a bit uneven, the music was heavenly and while there were no standout performances, Streep, Kendrick and Blunt all did a great job. The real star of the film is Stephen Sondheim.
Sucks The Globes didn't want to throw him a bone.
He would be a worthy nominee. He was delightful in the film and best captures the thorny humor of "Into the Woods." The performance was definitely a parody of William Shatner as James T. Kirk. Chris Pine proved in this film that he's more than just a pretty face.
Just saw this, and really loved him in it. He turned out to be my favorite character, partly do to Pine, and partly due to the fact that his two numbers are among the standouts of the film.
He gives the most unexpected and surprising performance. I'd rank Streep and Kendrick above him in all 'round performance though.
Something tells me if Chris Pratt were in this role, he'd have a better chance.
ConMan - the "Chrises" are really having a moment in Hollywood right now. I told someone Chris Pine was great in this and she was like, "Thor can sing?!"
Glenn - I still think his performance was best and that "Agony" scene was brilliant. Once he started talking, sounding like Shatner - I lost it.
Streep was doing some weird things that didn't work for me. it reminded me of her work in DOUBT where she was making big, showy choices that didn't necessarily fit, but damn was she giving you SOMETHING! also, her voice was not up to some of the bigger numbers - like "The Last Midnight"...and Kendrick seemed stifled. Cinderella in the stage show is a little more quirkier and Kendrick as a person naturally is, but as a performer doesn't seem to embrace it. She sounded great, though.
This reminds me of when people tried stumping for James Marsden in Enchanted. Haven't seen Into the Woods so can't compare, though it seems like they're doing similar things.
While Pine definitely had a hilarious performance that is memorable, I still think Meryl Streep had the most emotionally authentic scenes in the movie- especially her first number.
I thought Meryl overdid it, last midnight was kind of like winner takes it all in mamma mia. A lot of arm flapping and gesturing ughh. Chris was wonderful as was Emily Blunt.
Pine was pretty excellent in "Stretch" earlier this year as well!
He was awesome I want to meet him it's on my bucket list