Friday, February 11, 2011

Actress Profiles: Jennifer Lawrence

Since the Annette Bening piece was a hit, and since I gather that the X-Men: First Class trailer just dropped, here's another Who's Who profile of a current nominee. At present, there's a lot less to watch from Jennifer Lawrence than there is from her fellow Best Actress contenders, but in a short span she's already given us plenty to react to and even more to hope for. And the degree of the accomplishment, not just in the work but as manifested by the nomination, is a lot more remarkable than people are acknowledging; I think Hailee Steinfeld has essentially swiped Lawrence's media hook as the youngster with fearsome talent. And Hailee's a much easier interview, though for that very reason, I'd rather listen to Lawrence. Hope she has a great time on February 27, albeit from her seat. My thoughts on her career so far are here.

And yes, I'm working on Portman. Stay tuned!

Labels: ,

posted by NicksFlickPicks at 9:00 AM Links

Links to this post:

Create a Link

9 Comments:

Anonymous Evanderholy said...

Terrific profiles Nick! I especially like how you're really diving into their filmographies and talking about some of their lesser praised work. I think only you could get me seriously thinking about checking out an episode of "The Bill Engvall Show".

It's also interesting to see you weave into the profiles your impressions from interviews of what Bening and Lawrence are actually like off camera in their real lives. I've long wondered as well why someone as warm and sexy and smart as Bening seems to be in real life rarely gets cast in roles closer to that type.

Thanks also for the link to the David Poland interview. Lawrence, like Bening, is surely nobody's fool. Let's hope she proves to have a career as long and as continually watchable and exciting as Bening's.

9:53 AM, February 11, 2011  
Anonymous Laika said...

A great peice of writing, particularly with so little to go on.

She really does give a fascinating interview at that link you provide - the part where she talks about taking a role only for the character, regardless of other factors, as 'dangerous', and references the limits of her (and others?) as an actress within a whole creative project seems revealing of a pretty astute and aware young artist. Its he kind of thing that does bode well for her future.

1:30 PM, February 11, 2011  
Blogger The Pretentious Know it All said...

"Roseanne" and the Best Actress Oscar race--two things I love, but don't immediately expect to hear mentioned in the same thought. Love it.

I know you'll eventually do your write up of the 2010 Best Actress field, but I'm curious about your thoughts on this pool of nominees? It would seem to me (and judging by your writing, you agree) that the 2008 and 2009 showed that this category might be approaching somewhat of a crisis. Has 2010 assuaged your fears?

2:00 PM, February 11, 2011  
Blogger Andrew Rech said...

Great write-up Nick! You've hit precisely on the nail why I don't quite think she gives a performance for the ages, but definitely savvy and textured. She didn't quite sell me on the scenes such as on the porch when she says "I'll find him" or the scene by the truck, and I think it's precisely because the scene and/or dialogue feel a tad overworked like you said. But I was definitely wowed by her in the Army recruiter scene and the climax.

I'm really looking forward to your write-up of Michelle Williams as seem to have been hinting that you were really amazed by her in Blue Valentine, after not loving her in some things like Wendy and Lucy or Brokeback Mountain as so many others have.

2:09 PM, February 11, 2011  
Anonymous /3rtfu11 said...

"Roseanne" and the Best Actress Oscar race--two things I love, but don't immediately expect to hear mentioned in the same thought. Love it.

Sally Kirkland whose face makes up the icon for Best Actress: Curios had a two-episode arc on the series.

Nick’s personal Best Actress of the Year (1990) Sandra Bernhard’s career best work was the bizarre bisexual character Nancy.

Two-time Supporting Actress Oscar winner Shelley Winters played Rosanne’s grandmother Nana Mary.

Best Supporting Actress winner Estelle Parsons played Rosanne’s mother Beverley.

Best Actress nominee Sharon Stone made a cameo on the show.

That covers the basics. I think?

4:06 PM, February 11, 2011  
Blogger John T said...

I'm wondering-do the Actresses get promotions if they manage to pull off some more nominations? Does Bening get to be a "Pet" if she somehow pulls the upset this year? And if the world started spinning the other way and Sally Kirkland managed to land nomination #2, would she have to be pulled from the Curios?

10:08 AM, February 12, 2011  
Anonymous /3rtfu11 said...

James T, logically it would be safe to assume he would move an actress whose status has changed.

Pets (Requires 1 Win from 4 or more Nominations – 2 Wins or more)
Champs (1 Win – maximum 3 Nominations)
Bridesmaids (2 Nominations or more – 0 Wins)
Slum Queens (1 Nomination or more for Best Actress – Wins in Supporting)
Icons (Major critical darling or Movie Star 1 Nomination 0 Wins)
Curios (Transient Best Actress Nominees)
Pariahs (Actresses with 0 nominations)

2:25 PM, February 13, 2011  
Anonymous /3rtfu11 said...

John T,

Sorry for the James

2:26 PM, February 13, 2011  
OpenID okinawaassault said...

"She has not yet turned 21, and having only recently turned 18 when The Burning Plain hit the Lido, that sets a pretty high standard for a span of time in which many Americans' proudest achievement is learning to swallow a fourth or fifth beer without falling over."

Best. Sentence. Ever. And it makes me wanna quit drinking. And makes me wanna check out the Bill Engvall Show as well.

And I'm usually resentful of young people with achievements, I actually like this girl. I saw her in Leno once and she was charming and funny. "I don't lie on national television, I'm not a politician." She's every bit as deserving to get the trophy as Natalie Portman or Michelle Williams, the latter I'll call the Ellen Burstyn of her generation.

And I'm looking forward to what you'll say about Williams OR... Hailee Steinfeld, another 'curio.'

11:10 AM, February 15, 2011  

Post a Comment

<< Home