Trailer Review: The Soloist

Paul Clark — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Why is it that in Hollywood prestige pictures, “genius” is so often preceded by “crazy”? Is it a way to reassure mediocre but levelheaded viewers that brilliance can only come at the expense of one’s sanity? Whatever it is, the trailer for The Soloist doesn’t give me much hope. I largely enjoyed director Joe Wright’s previous films Atonement and Pride & Prejudice (particularly the former), but this movie looks middlebrow and Oscar-baity in the worst way, with plenty of respectable classical music, a “based on a true story” hook, and plenty of attention-grabbing acting from Jamie Foxx. True, I’d rather see him putting forth an effort on the big screen than foisting From G’s to Gents on the American people, but I fear that giving him an Oscar for Ray has encouraged him to pursue Capital-A Acting!!! roles instead of the low-key turns like those he gives in Michael Mann films. Predictably, the saving grace of the trailer is Robert Downey Jr., who rescues it from being 2 ½ minutes of maudlin by the innate lack of sentimentality in his acting style. Otherwise, I’m afraid that this looks like a bit of a slog, though if reviews are good enough I’ll give it a whirl.

Keira Knightley Wants to Be an Actress When She Grows Up

Phil Nugent — Mon, 12 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

You want to talk about life experiences? Keira Knightley is twenty-three years old and has already starred in three very long movies based on a Disney theme park ride. "I mean, it was really fucking embarrassing and we all thought it was going to be total shit anyway," she told Matthew Rhys. "But then suddenly I was kissing Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom and bang, there you go, instant bloody stardom. I'd always wanted to be an actress, always dreamt of it, but I don't think you're ever quite prepared for being a movie star." Maybe not, but it's probably a good sign that she recognizes that the two positions are not the same, though they sometimes overlap. "I know that when Bend it like Beckham came out and it was quickly followed by Pirates, suddenly people were looking at me and thinking, 'Well she's not very good, she's just a pretty face, don't know what all the fuss is about'. But I wasn't really ready to be scrutinised. I wasn't any good at my job yet. But with Pride and Prejudice, yes, I was at least trying to say: look, see, I can learn, and I can do this, or at least give me the right director and I'll give it my best shot. So since those first films, I've always been looking to be stretched - it doesn't always mean I'm going to be good, but I'm trying to become a good actress, really I am."

Knightley, whose acting in the Jane Austen picture and for that matter in Bend It Like Beckham the Pirates movies was actually pretty good, really it was, is growing up, and she'll soon be seen playing the "childhood sweetheart" of Dylan Thomas (Cillian Murphy) in "a very sexy piece", The Edge of Love. (Sienna Miller co-stars as Thomas's wife, who is presumably the edge of the title.) The role called for her to do a little singing, and to help psych herself up for it, she turned to Marlene Dietrich, "She couldn't really sing, not properly, but she had such a ballsy, fuck-off quality to her voice that it didn't matter if she hit the right notes, so I thought well I'll try that approach." Dude, Keira Knightley just said "ballsy, fuck-off quality." Can youn imagine what she's going to sound like after she's had a couple of husbands and stints in rehab behind her? Honestly, if more Hollywoos starlets woulf talk this way in interviews instead of saving it for the hired help, it would make it so much easier to forgive so much.

The Screengrab : pride and prejudice

Trailer Review: The Soloist

Keira Knightley Wants to Be an Actress When She Grows Up