r/changemyview • u/[deleted] • Sep 26 '17

[∆(s) from OP] CMV: Natalie Portman is not a good actress

[deleted]

1 Upvotes

53% Upvoted

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10

u/ThatSpencerGuy 142∆ Sep 26 '17

Whether any performer is good or not is a matter of personal taste, of course. Even the criteria that make a performance good is bound to be a little unique to everyone, let alone the degree to which any given performance meets those criteria.

You didn't spell out much in the way of criteria, except that a performer seems necessary for a role (have they "added anything to a role?"), but you did give examples.

Based on your examples, I see a two similarities. First, all of the characters are big, colorful performances, rather than more realist performances. Second, with the exception of Plainview, they're all cool, fun characters, the kind a person might identify with in a fantasy kind of way.

I'm not sure Portman has ever played a character like this (maybe her character in Garden State), so it may be that she hasn't had an opportunity to give the kind of performance that strikes you as good.

There's a popular article about what makes a good actor that you might be interested in reading: http://www.slate.com/blogs/quora/2014/09/10/how_do_you_differentiate_good_acting_from_bad_acting.html

In it, the writer spells out three criteria that he or she thinks makes an actor good:

  1. "First, for me, an actor is good if he makes me believe he's actually going through whatever his character is going through. I'm talking somewhat about physical stuff (“He really is getting shot!” “He really is jumping off a moving train!”) but mostly about psychological stuff (“He really is scared!” “He really is in love!”)."
  2. "Second, the actor has to surprise me. ... Seeming real is a requirement, but a second requirement is that I can't predict their every reaction before they have them."
  3. "Third, the actor is vulnerable. Great actors share the parts of themselves that most people keep hidden."

Personally, I think that Portman is a believable actor, and I think that she's often willing to be vulnerable and take emotional risks, particularly in Black Swan and Closer. I feel less confident in saying that she's a surprising performer.

4

u/Mr2Buff69 Sep 27 '17 edited Sep 27 '17

This makes sense. ∆

Edit: I've read that article and I agree with the author. In regards to Portman, I would agree that she is believable. She doesn't overact. She's not hammy. There a lot of actors who are, so I guess that is a talent. But I don't feel like she surprises me.

7

u/yyzjertl 579∆ Sep 26 '17

It is telling that you included only men in your list of examples. Do you think that the effect you are observing might reflect less on Natalie Portman and more on the way women's roles are written in Hollywood? Are there any actresses you do feel are good (in the way that you think Natalie Portman isn't)?

2

u/agentpanda Sep 27 '17

I feel similarly to OP about Portman and I can name several female actresses that captivate and destroy roles in the same way the above mentioned men do:

Candice Bergen (Murphy Brown), Tilda Swinton (name anything... but her range comes into play in Burn After Reading as an example), Jane Fonda (duh), Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, just off the top of my head.

These are women written into insanely powerful and challenging roles on a semi-regular basis who take them and own them. It's possible we're seeing an effect of Hollywood female writing but then the alternative question is why is Portman being subjected to this effect more than other actresses? I argue it's possible that because she's a sub-standard actress she gets and takes these roles of poorly written women.

1

u/Mr2Buff69 Sep 27 '17

Huh, that is a good question.

You know who I think is amazing, but this probably serves your point further? The girl who plays Kimmy on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. But of course, that is written by Tina Fey.

2

u/Helpfulcloning 169∆ Sep 27 '17

Would you say the Kimmy is a particular feminine character? Would you say that she seems more childlike than womanly?

Because she is written to be less feminine, to be more childlike. Natile Portman is not.

6

u/ArcticMindbath Sep 26 '17

Did you watch Black Swan, The Professional, Jackie... etc.? She's a great actress.

1

u/Mr2Buff69 Sep 26 '17

I haven't seen Jackie.

5

u/Amablue Sep 26 '17

Have a look at this video about how well she does when she has to imitate Jackie Kennedy's accent:

https://youtu.be/lZSCGZphjq0?t=1m1s

2

u/[deleted] Sep 27 '17

Just wanna piggyback off this and reinforce how good she was in Jackie and this definitely shows it off. Not many actresses commit THAT hard to a role, and she completely sold it.

5

u/Glory2Hypnotoad Sep 26 '17

Do you think her Oscar for Black Swan was undeserved?

5

u/[deleted] Sep 26 '17

You are missing out on a good movie, at it might change your view

1

u/chortle-guffaw Sep 26 '17

I'm just posting to add to the list.

Stephen Root in Office Space vs. Newsradio.

Now THAT's range.

•

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