MovieChat Forums > Cairo Time (2009) Discussion > Flat Performance +

Flat Performance +

posted 14 years ago by esbiker
11 replies | jump to latest

I have always been a fan of Patricia Clarkson. I went to see this film just because she was in it. But I do not think this was a very good performance. I found her acting to be so flat. She was almost emotionless; sleep walking through this movie. Why would anyone fall in love with her? She had no personality in this film. The story is simplistic, boring and slow moving. Nothing happens. The story is almost superflous to the scenery. The star of this film was the city of Cairo. In my opinion the director was so involved in attempting to show off the city of Cairo and the life style of the people of Egypt, she forgot about the story and the acting. Very disappointed in Patricia Clarkson and this film.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] sandrarobertsonjoy 14 years ago

I totally agree. She acted like a woman on Valium. (Maybe that is how she interpreted her character).

[–] ozzieink 14 years ago

I saw her as a woman who did love her husband but was sleepwalking at this time of her life. Kids gone. Husband involved in his work. It wasn't until she began to wear the Egyptian garb that she started to awaken: smiling, laughing and letting herself fall under the spell of Tarek and of course Cairo.

[–] vicky_lc2001-1 14 years ago

I'm watching this with my mom & I have to agree with you. She was not only flat, she was completely devoid of any personality, she was so dull. So uptight, so boring, she definitely was sleepwalking. I wish they had gotten another actress, a little bit younger too. But then again, if the fault is in the director, it would just be another lackluster performance.

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[–] junetack 12 years ago

She is sleepwalking and flat because: She is having trouble sleeping, and because SHE IS HAPPILY MARRIED, WAITING FOR HER HUSBAND, AND NOT LOOKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE!!! She is uptight and boring because she is married and trying not to flirt. Get it??

I loved the movie - and it is for grownups.

[–] jeanneragonese 12 years ago

I agree. There's a difference between FLAT and SUBTLE, and I think too many people are so used to being hit over the head with a performance , or watching things explode on the screen, or a love story having to be full of really explicit sex scenes, that they under-appreciate beautiful, subtle performances like the ones in this film. I just saw this for the first time this past week, and just loved it. It's just heartbreaking when you see the expressions on their faces as Juliette goes into the elevator with her husband and you know it's the end of their relationship. There didn't need to be screaming, or histrionics to get the pain across. For those who said, "nothing happened", I couldn't disagree more.
I wish there were MORE films like this where the emphasis was on real people who ACTED like real people. I look forward to the brand new Ruba Nadda film with Alexander Siddig that just premiered at the Toronto film festival to see what they will do next.

[–] Danusha_Goska 12 years ago

Opening post, I agree with you. Didn't care for PC here

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[–] noveltylibrary 10 years ago

thank you June, exactly! love this film.

[–] gonnabeabumpyride 12 years ago

I agree entirely esbiker. I love Patricia Clarkson but she stumbles around Cairo like a mummy in this thing. The entire relationship between the two was just so improbable that I found its depiction extremely awkward. The scenery is what makes this movie worth watching. The dialogue and so-called romance added very little.

[–] andyk69 11 years ago

Agree completely, I like Clarkson's performances very much, but this one really
lacks power, and hey, maybe it was what the script called for I won't blame her, but in any case, it made the character very boring to watch or relate too. I like the movie mostly for its music and scenery.

I'm not mad, I just been in a very bad mood for the last 14 years