If you've read my NYAD review from TIFF, you'll know that Jodie Foster gets my MVP honors despite the movie's construction as Annette Bening's latest Best Actress bid. Unencumbered by mannerisms or affectation, she's a relaxed presence that must bear the weight of the drama on her back once the titular character is made silent inscrutable by her swimming effort. That said, I should probably confess I've been inducted into the church of Jodie Foster from an early age, my movie love shaped by her presence since I can remember. Finding Foster to be the best part of a given film feels natural and just right. After all, she's my mother's favorite actress…
Less than three years younger than Foster, my mom saw Foster's rise to superstardom from a contemporary perspective, aging with her through teen sensation into adult prestige. The 1976 triple feature of Bugsy Malone, Taxi Driver, and Freaky Friday left its impact, but her later maturity sealed the deal on this maternal fixation. Ask my mother, and she'll tell you all about her love for The Silence of the Lambs and Foster's Clarice Starling. She'll probably talk for hours with hearts in her eyes if given the chance. There's also the emotional shock of The Accused, Contact's alien wonder, the tension of Panic Room, and so much more. Whether or not I was conscripted to love Foster is hard to tell, but love her I do. Indeed, her Clarice is among my favorite performances of all time.
It's always interesting to consider the cinematic obsessions of loved ones, especially those who've been with you since the beginning. How have they influenced our cinephilia, and where do obsessions overlap? So, dear reader, why don't you share your thoughts on your mother's favorite actress?