Worst Julia Roberts Performance Ever?
Every time she appeared I felt myself cringe. I wanted to see the flick again, so next time it came on TV I edited her out. Much better movie now. (Next time around, got to get rid of Harry Boland.)
shareSorry to enter the fray at this late date but I'm only just seeing Micheal Collins for the first time today.
Having recently visited Dublin (BEST CITY EVER!) I've found myself to become keenly interested in the history of Ireland so I am beginning to watch movies such as this.
To add my two cents - I do like Julia Roberts. She's done some pretty amazing acting (Notting Hill, Let's give Them Something to Talk About, and a few others) but she really stunk up the room in this movie.
Her character added nothing to further the story along. She kept slipping in and out of an Irish accent (and when she did remember, it was awful!) and when she was in a scene, she just really seemed extraneous, as though her role in this was gratuitous for the sake of putting a big name A list actress in the movie.
I'd have much preferred to see a Colleen in the role than an American.
(Funny side story and then I'll swing it around back into the movie: I took my son with me to Dublin. He is 16 and discovering young women. We were there for a total of 9 days and on about the sixth day, he turned to me and said, "Mom, I HATE Dublin." I was stunned, to say the least, because up to this point, he seemed to be having a great time! I, of course, asked him what was wrong? His reply?
"There are so many beautiful women here and it makes me mad they don't live in Sierra Vista, where I am, so I can enjoy looking at them more often.")
The women of Ireland ARE beautiful and it's a shame am Irish woman wasn't chose for the role that Julia Roberts was given. She really is a great actress but this just wasn't her role. As historically important as Micheal Collins is to the history of Ireland, the movie shouldn't have had her in it as she lent nothing to it. I felt she lacked the passion a true Irish woman would have brought with her.
I just recently watched the movie and I couldn't stand that this big name Hollywood star was in it to begin with. She kept on slipping in and out of her Irish accent that she made it hard to see this character in any other way than being just a Hollywood face. Most of all, I think she didn't work for this film because she seemed very out of place with it. The majority of the cast is respected Irish and British actors (except for Aidan Quinn and her) and they all bring life to the whole angry and violent depiction of Irish politics. Whenever she's onscreen, she's bringing in the face of Hollywood glamor from all of those romantic comedies she did before and that feels totally out of place with the seriousness of this film. She contributes very little to this film other than just to be there for the sake of seeing a pretty movie star. For all the unknown Irish actresses out there, they should of passed her over, especially since Liam, Alan, Stephen, and Aidan were well-known enough to satisfy Hollywood audiences. Adding a romantic comedy idol into that mix of respected actors was unnecessary.
shareYeah, don't know why she and even Quinn were cast in this.
shareSaw bits and pieces of this film this AM, and loved it. BUT, Julia Roberts is distracting in every scene she's in. Breaks up the flow because she is so well known, and is playing a historical character. The other actors are so good that they are submerged into their characters. I almost didn't recognize Alan Rickman. Julia Roberts screams "Hollywood actress!!".
Bad casting decision.