It's been two years since I posted that and I was really out of my head that day so sorry for grammar issues.
But yeah I still feel Nicole was awful in this. She was just miscast for one, Cruise wanted her because he desired her, but she really had no business being in this. She did "Dead Calm" a year earlier which was a great horror/drama film, but she was not a good actress yet (Or for those Kidman dislikers, she has never been one.) She did not fit this movie's tone. Her accent was pitiful too, I have no idea what she was trying to be. Some people say Bostonish but I think she went Australian there. She could have at least went to voice coaching sessions. Looks wise she was in her awkward period, as with most actresses they evolve looks wise over time. She had that awful red curly hair and was really skinny, not a good choice for a babe to sell a movie. That's why I brought up the actress who played that stripper/cop, she was more in line looks wise then Nicole was for the role. It took Nicole about 5/6 years but she finally became really beautiful and marketable when Batman Forever/To Die For came out.
She had potential back then but from this movie no one would have noticed. Just another miscast actress trying to make a name for herself in the wrong type of film.
Who would I replace her with from that list? That was hard to choose from but either Julia Roberts or Sharon Stone could have done it. Both were rising actresses with acting chops and were considered beautiful enough to market, I think the movie could have been a lot better if they choose either one.
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ARosser14
11 years ago
She was fairly hot which seemed her only true purpose, but I agree that she didn't really fit the role. That there was an actual budding flame between her and Cruise made their steamier parts (the "thorough examination" and Cole teaching her about drafting) that much better, but another woman, for certain an older one, would have been better/more believable in the role of brain surgeon-turned-female mentor/support system.
As for her accent, I dunno what that was supposed to be either. I always took it as her native Australian tongue but not sure if that is right or not.
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Mississippi20
11 years ago
Ya it's her native Australian accent.
The real reason why she doesn't fit the role is because she was like 22 years old when filming - yet playing the part of a brain doctor. But it's Hollywood so who cares. I think her acting is just fine in the film. It's not a particularly demanding part. She's not even in the film until it's half-over and it's kind of a standard love interest part.
The stripper officer - while more classicaly beautiful - still might not have had the acting chops to do what Kidman does. I think you are grossly underestimating how difficult it is to appear natural on-screen. The stripper officer had like two easy lines. She just had to look beautiful. And she certainly did that.
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TheLordofTheHarvest
11 years ago
I included the cop as a reference looks wise, I did not mean to say she would have acted better than Nicole. They should have casted a woman more age appropriate and classically beautiful at the time. There are plenty of women in their 30's that are stunning to look act and can act.
I re watched this the other day and I still cringed at Nicole in this. Just a bad choice and she was not ready for that role at that point in time. If this would have been made 5 or 10 years later? Definitely.
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