Sentences with phrase «strong performances the characters»

Not exact matches

His earlier teams had many strong characters, who would sort each other out if performances were not up to the required standard.

Stitching these two performances together is a strong theme of Southern culture that at the most overt consists of a blues - rich soundtrack and at its most subtle in little character moments such as Curtis apologizing for a social gaffe before starting a bathroom brawl.

It goes without saying, then, that the viewer begins to crave anything even resembling a plot development, and there's little doubt that the strong performances and well - developed characters are simply, to an increasingly palpable degree, unable to compensate for the aimlessness that's been hard - wired into Curval and Hiet's screenplay.

The two leads captivate us with strong performances in this simple walk - and - talk film, playing intelligent characters who spend a day together on a date through black culture in America, but the movie is also a bit too respectful and borders occasionally on hagiography.

The Last Post trades too heavily on cliches in character development, but benefits from strong performances, especially by Raine, Buckley, Elma and Neumark Jones.

Regardless of its flaws, the strong character work and their associated performances keep everything afloat.

The film does a great job at capturing the cold, evil nature of Ian Mckellen's character (who is well cast and gives a great performance) But considering that this is a film directed by Bryan Singer, you know right from the start that this isn't his strongest directorial effort.

Critic Consensus: Hoffman's performance is strong, but the lack of character development and story arc makes Love Liza unsatisfying.

The ominous premonitions to a brutal season closer, the haunting performance by Brian Cranston, and the strong performances given by the supporting cast creates characters that the audience truly care about, and makes Walt's transformation all the more horrifying.

Critics Consensus: Hoffman's performance is strong, but the lack of character development and story arc makes Love Liza unsatisfying.

What makes Homeland rise above other post-9 / 11 dramas is Danes's stellar performance as Carrie — easily this season's strongest female character, who is also hiding some personal secrets of her own.

Hanks starred in Tom Tykwer's adaptation of Eggers» A Hologram for the King last year, but here he plays a more sinister character alongside a strong supporting cast that includes Karen Gillan, John Boyega, Ellar Coltrane, and the late Bill Paxton in one of his last performances.

Studi brings gravitas and sensitivity to the project, and Pike gives her best performance ever playing a character who changes from an extremely frightened victim to one of the strongest women I've seen on screen during the past decade.

It's a high - concept premise that's initially employed to impressively engrossing effect by filmmakers Caroline Labrèche and Steeve Léonard, as the directors deliver a strong opening stretch detailing Liam's near - silent attempts to piece together what's happened to him and why nearby people keep dropping dead — with Klattenhoff's stirring performance as the befuddled central character certainly perpetuating the intriguing atmosphere.

Nonetheless, Sicario deserves praise for a gripping story, stellar and intense action pieces, strong performances in most characters as well as a chilling finish which will leave viewers on the edge of their seats.

Kapur imbues the film with the historical import and epic sweep missing from Elizabeth, and while Blanchett's firebrand performance is the film's searing centrepiece, strong supporting work from Owen, Abbie Cornish (finally impressive after many try - hard strike - outs), Morton and, especially, Geoffrey Rush as her loyal - to - a-fault servant Francis Walsingham, bring out the shades in her deeply conflicted character.

With a strong Guy Pearce performance, and supporting characters that are surprisingly rounded given what little screen time they have, it's a good drama that hits upon themes of accepting one's mortality, living without fear of the inevitable, and treating those around you as if your existence on this plane were about to expire at any time.

Three of the year's strongest female performances threaten convention, the one that says females are usually cast as supporting, loving, noble characters who give of themselves in the service of the male lead.

Vera Farmiga's directorial debut, HIGHER GROUND, is a coming - of - age drama in which Farmiga delivers a subtle, nuanced performance completely from the gut, with equally strong and compelling supporting characters.

There's also a strong performance by Alexandra Holden, as the heroine's best friend, facing an unexpected pregnancy with more character than some of the adults show.

There's also sharp writing, fluid action sequences, strong characters, winning performances, and... what else you want?

Emily Blunt also delivers a fine performance as Vrataski, with her strong and confident embodiment of her character's dedication to the cause.

From Bill Murray's performance as the grumpy titular character in St. Vincent; to Steve Carell's long - awaited dramatic turn in Foxcatcher; to Marion Cotillard's incredibly vulnerable performance in the Dardenne brothers» Two Days, One Night, the festival is still going strong as we approach the final days.

The point was brought up that women prefer the stronger performance by Annette Bening because she plays a strong character, a «mama grizzly» standing up for her family and her relationship.

Mia Wasikowska gives a strong performance but the character is underdeveloped.

There is nothing wrong with being self - contained, and writer / director Mona Achache ensures her adaptation of Muriel Barbery's incredibly successful novel «L'élégance du hérisson» («The Elegance of the Hedgehog») remains simple and understated, letting the wonderful characters (and the strong performances that bring them to life) speak for themselves.

«In a Lonely Place» is a strong and insightful character study into the volitile central character, though, and the supporting characters and performances are all rich.

The second season wasn't as strong as the first, most likely due to the lack of nuance, but with these great performances, strange story lines and unusual characters, I can't wait to see where they bring us in season three.

It's also surprising how good the performances are, and how strong the characters are.

He really gets into the character here and turns in a much stronger performance than he did in his Golden Globe nominated role in The Tourist.

Still, despite strong performances from both actors, «Doubt» never really achieves anything beyond serving as the backdrop for a series of electrifying face - offs between its contrasting lead characters.

Gleeson embodies the character, giving a tremendously strong performance.

The enigmatic, strong - willed Mary Magdalene might be the perfect character for Rooney Mara, whose work has been somewhat hit - or - miss since her Oscar - nominated breakthrough performance in David Fincher's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

Though the narrative shares some obvious similarities with the three - act structure of the first movie, «Catching Fire» is superior in just about every way, including stronger, emotionally - charged performances from Lawrence and Hutcherson and better character development for the other tributes, who are more than just numbers and faces this time around.

Each of the characters are brought to life by strong performances, and it's what really takes this film to another level.

Plot driven rather than character driven, and generous in the sheer amount of story presented, it's a fascinating meditation on luck, lust and morality, and is highlighted by strong performances by Rhys Meyers, as well as Emily Mortimer and Scarlett Johansson as the women in his life.

With strong performances by a very intriguing cast, particularly by Kate Winslet, Little Children manages to overcome the obstacles of the artificiality of the characters and situations to deliver ultimate truths about the human condition, particularly in the lives of people who normally wouldn't make for interesting study.

The strong, believable performances from the lead characters engage the viewer and there is an honesty and sincerity that pervades the film.

Smart and politically provocative, featuring strong performances by actors who have been given real characters to play, and loaded with plenty of satisfying action, «X2» remains the gold standard — and Singer's best entry — for this series.

It can also be said that many of the nominated films have strong female characters and performances, not least Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri with Frances McDormand dominant as a mother furious at the inability of local police to find her daughter's murderer.

The film manages to pull together a strong cast from Ben Kingsley to Guy Pearce and handles to create some interesting characters and a few surprising performances.

Maybe it was dedication to the director that Mickey felt, or maybe it's because he saw too much of himself in the character, but whatever it is, Rourke's performance here is the best performance of 2008 and should give him a strong chance of taking home an Oscar.

The visual effects around the Ava character are seamless, and the human characters are believable and fascinating, with strong performances by everyone involved.

Speaking of, Dumb and Dumber To boasts a stellar all - around cast that gives us some strong performances, including Kathleen Turner as the elusive Fraida Felcher, a character that was referenced in the first film.

Measured, assured and featuring across - the - board strong performances, «Glass Chin» in many ways is a tiny little drama about the virtues of character.

For the overarching tedium at play, Refn still manages to wrestle strong performances from thinly written characters.

Even as The Place Beyond the Pines careens from one situation to the next, evolving and adapting to its new elements as it goes along, what remains constant is the sense of authenticity in every scene, a mysterious and evocative atmosphere supplanted by earthy cinematography and a moody score, strong empathy for each of its damaged characters, and powerhouse performances from a game cast.

The one character who is given life, thanks to a strong performance from Colin Firth, is Ben, Christine's husband.

Both Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser give strong performances as characters who endure personal attacks, betrayals and even arguments with each other during their endeavor to bring a new drug to market.

Though it boasts a strong performance from the always reliable Tom Hanks and good supporting turns by Alexander Black and Sarita Choudhury, the movie is a somewhat bland and uneven character study about a middle - aged white guy getting his groove back in the Middle East.