United States of Tara starring Toni Collette recently wrapped up its 3rd season on Showtime, and it was not renewed. All three seasons are currently available on DVD. If you have not seen this show, it's definitely worth a look. Danielle and I are four episodes into the 3rd season and it just keeps getting better. Very well-written, interesting characters and fine performances, and then there's Ms. Collette.
I can't think of any actress working today who is better than Toni Collette. (And possibly not any actors, either, but I may leave off to ponder that another time.) For me, she's up there with Laura Dern (Exhibit 1 Inland Empire - not my favorite movie, but her performance is stupid good) and Michelle Williams (Exhibit 1 Blue Valentine); she's a Goddamn chameleon is what she is, barely recognizable as the same woman in films as varied as The Sixth Sense, Muriel's Wedding and 8 and One Half Women. And then, Tara - a role created for a chameleon, and she nails it.
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Thanks for the tips. I now have Blue Valentine up on my que. As a categoric Lynch fan I have to say Inland Empire is second only to Mulholland Drive but then how can Blue Velvet be 3rd in any list. So there's my quandary. And though I think L. Dern's work is most commendable, I believe the benefits of good fit casting/roles slightly overshadows acting prowess. IMHO.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I saw Blue Valentine because I think Ryan Gosling is the serious shit (Lars and the Real Girl, Half Nelson). But in BV it was Michelle I was thinking about first and foremost when it was over (not that Ryan wasn't good, mind you).
ReplyDeleteAs for Lynch, my favorite is Mulholland Drive, too, absolutely.
As for LD, I believe her performance in Empire is as raw and amazing as what DeNiro was doing for Scorsese in the 70s and into Raging Bull, and what Keitel did in Bad Lt. By the same token, other people influence performances, of course, whether casting directors or fellow actors or, and certainly in this case, the director - Lynch gave her the room to do what she did, for which he should also get credit.