MovieChat Forums > Star 80 (1984) Discussion > Eric Robert's talent far outshines siste...

Eric Robert's talent far outshines sister Julia..

posted 16 years ago by jeffreymkennedy
35 replies | jump to latest

It's truly a shame that Eric Robert's talent (as evidenced in his Oscar caliber performance in Star 80} has never been fully appreciated in Hollywood. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Julia. I love watching her in just about anything but as far as acting goes, I'm always fully aware that I am watching JR on the screen and never experience that suspension of disbelief that comes when a truly gifted actor transforms him/herself into a different person for a film. Eric did just that (spectacularly) in this movie and was able to deliver a portrayal that was both horrifying and heart-wrenching. It could not have been easy to elicit sympathy for the character of Paul considering his actions but that is exactly what he and other profoundly mentally ill people deserve a measure of despite the knee jerk reaction of our society to just dismiss them as evil and "flip the switch". But i digress. My point is that Eric Roberts showed his enormous talent as an actor early on in his career and was quickly ( and unfortunately) outshone by his sister. Pity.

[–] rebecca32602 16 years ago

i wish i had said that. your comment is exactly what i wish i could have come up with about his performance. thank you.

[–] jeffreymkennedy 16 years ago

You're welcome. Thanks for agreeing. I've seen this movie numerous times (though not recently) and it always leaves me feeling a little melancholy (again, just another testament to the effectiveness of his performance)..

[–] goeswithness 16 years ago

I totally agree, except that I've never been a JR fan. I guess I'm a little turned off by her (undeserved, in my opinion) stardom and don't seek out her movies.

[–] jeffreymkennedy 16 years ago

I guess what I should have said is that I am a fan of JR in terms of her celebrity/popularity/likeability rather than her acting because as i said in my initial post, I am always fully aware that i am watching "Julia Roberts" up there on the screen rather than whatever character it is that she is attempting to inhabit. Even her portrayal of Erin Brockovich left much to be desired in terms of actually acting ( in spite of the Academy Award win (!!!). Thanks for the reply!

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] elad_pat 15 years ago

For a comedy, check him out in "The Coco-Cola Kid"

[–] jamesspity-1 15 years ago

Eric Roberts has been a favorite of mine for years and , I agree, totally underated. When Mickey Rourke championed him in public recently, I wanted to stand and cheer! He is so versatile and I have never seen a movie of his that I didn't enjoy! I recently watched "It's my Party" and he is amazing! As far as comparisons with Julia, they are in different categories completely and Eric's talent stands on its own merit....hopefully he will continue to be noticed and receive more scripts worthly of his talent! By the way, if you haven't seen "Star 80", you need to!

[–] tjtmd 15 years ago

I found Eric Roberts to be absolutely outstanding! I hate to admit it but I was not familiar with him before I saw "Star 80".

Julia Roberts is good (obviously) but Eric Roberts portrayal of Paul Snider is out of this world (IMO)

[–] jondoe888 14 years ago

He is also electrifying in 'Runaway Train'. Hauntingly good. And the scenery and camera work is stunning.

[–] CULTEGUY 14 years ago

Right (and you posted this on my birthday a year ago, thanks.) Watch this and "The Pope of Greenwich Village," and watch some of the garbage his sister made. They're all a little dated, but his is can be and still be great.

It makes you kind of wish Eric would have turned his back on Hollywood like some of those dudes did in the 70s and made European movies. He was never fully accepted by them, but they are a belittlment of themselves.

This movie, ironically, tell a story of how most people in Hollywood actually think (to an extent.) Ed Wood is another good movie to see about that.

[–] Pharaoh-in-de-Nile 14 years ago

Yeah I wish he moved to England, Italy, Germany, Scandinavia or France, could have had a better career. He was so underused in US films.

"Nothings gonna change my world!"

[–] jac91604 14 years ago

100 % agree with OP. You forget it is Eric Roberts as he becomes the character.

Julia Roberts onscreen is Julia Roberts.

He is beyond talented and vastly different in each role.

[–] Pedro_H 14 years ago

He plays creeps and low-life's better than most. Yes - under rated.

[–] maggietayl 14 years ago

I SO AGREE!!! I OWN THE DVD, but it's in storage!!! It came on cable recently, and I can't believe he isn't huge in HOLLYWOOD!!!! IT is rare for actors to pull off that kind of performance. Eric Roberts character explodes in front of the screen. His character creeps you out, yet yoy sympethise with him as well.Julia Roberts is SO basic. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT!!!!!! HE was also THERE FIRST!!! Hollywood is so weird I swear!!!!! Keanue Reeves is SO FAMOUS, AND NOT NEARLY AS TALENTED AS ERIC ROBERTS!!! I just don't understand!!!!

[–] jeffreymkennedy 14 years ago

Just a theory here maggietayl, but I think that somehow the terms "celebrity", "star" and "actor" all just kind of slowly became interchangeable and so now any and all of those terms can (and do) apply to just about ANYone who steps in front of a camera or somehow finds him or herself in the public eye. In reality, there is a vast difference between those terms- I mean c'mon, lumping Robert DeNiro and Keanu Reeves in the same category as actors is a pretty big stretch, dontcha' think? I'm not saying that Keanu has never made a good or even great (River's Edge, My Own Private Idaho) movie-but like it or not, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile...lol. I am just as perplexed as you as to how to explain the success of someone like Richard Gere or Julia Roberts (even though as I stated in my op, I really do enjoy watching her). But maybe Hollywood has become so hellbent and distracted by demographics in respect to the "likeability" factor and what that means in terms of projected profits that as an industry, the concepts of skill and talent have just become secondary to the $$$. thanks for the reply and sorry to be so wordy-just kinda' bored...LOL

[–] dr.al 14 years ago

The worst part is, he wasn't even NOMINATED for an Oscar for this flick. What a mistake. Maybe Emma will get a nomination some day.

[–] jeffreymkennedy 14 years ago

I have to disagree with you on that, dr .al. In terms of the Oscars being awarded to the most talented, I don't think they've carried much weight for quite awhile now ("Erin Brockovich", anyone?). I think the worst part is that the movie industry largely overlooks truly gifted actors in favor of those who rate highest in "likeability" according to whatever polls they use. BTW, maybe I'm out of the loop or something but who is "Emma"?

[–] tjtmd 14 years ago

Emma is Eric Robert's daughter.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0731075/

[–] jeffreymkennedy 14 years ago

Like I said, I'm a little out of the loop.. :)

[–] deck007-1 13 years ago

I just wrote a very long & well thought on reply which in essence agrees that Roberts is a very good actor. And then I went into depth into the reasons that for that.

But when I hit preview...it disappeared & I couldn't find it....bummer. Anyway - I agree with op.

[–] fiatlux-1 14 years ago

but as far as acting goes, I'm always fully aware that I am watching JR on the screen and never experience that suspension of disbelief that comes when a truly gifted actor transforms him/herself into a different person for a film. Eric did just that (spectacularly) in this movie

Very well put, I agree 100%!!! I never really *lose* my sense of reality when watching Julia. But Eric in this film, and in most of his films I do. He never plays a character the same way twice, like some actors do.

I'm shocked that Julia is a bigger star than he is, I've always been shocked at that. Julia was *sold* to us as a beautiful woman, that's what I think. And she can look attractive, but mostly she just looks average. She, ironically, looks most beautiful when her looks are downplayed, such as in "Mary Reilly" and "Mona Lisa Smile".
I keep thinking that Julia must have had a better publicist maybe??

"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."

[–] jeffreymkennedy 14 years ago

AGREED! Julia is (in my opinion) beautiful, albeit in an unconventional way. It just seems though that looks have become every bit as important as acting ability which is unfortunate. There used to be a much more pronounced difference between a "star" and someone who is truly talented in their field, whether it be acting, singing, etc. I think your comment re: the publicist is right on!!

[–] 14 years ago

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