Don't get me wrong, Bridge's is a fantastic actor but he was totally wrong for Matt Scudder. He's far too clean cut and quietly charming to really get under the skin of a downbeat ex cop and alchholic. I think Nick Nolte would have been a far better choice.
shareSo Bridges is too clean to play alcoholic? How about Crazy Heart and statuette called Oscar? I think Jeff did fine in this movie but movie itself could have been better.
shareIn that period in his career he was. As he's gotten older and his features and have matured he's become more believable as a wrong side of the tracks kind of guy (see not only Crazy Heart but also American Heart, Big Lebowski and most recently True Grit). He also had the same problem in Sidney Lumet's ''The Morning After'' where he just didn't seem believable as a deadbeat former cop. ''8 Million should have starred Nick Nolte he would have been perfect for the role of Matt. JB should have won for ''Jagged Edge'' in which he was superb.
shareHe who does not know how to spell has no business of being a critical, sarcastic jerk on other posters comments. Alkoholic-wrong! Try alcoholic or next time get your dictionary out!
shareBridges makes the film far more alive than it would otherwise be. Not a great role by any means but he did his best with it, and the film is that much more watchable as a result.
shareI have to disagree with that, I never thought his performance was the be all end all of the film. Andy Garcia is very watchable as the kingpin and Rosanna Arquette isn't bad either.
shareI thought he played the scenes after his benders to perfection. Especially when he wakes up after that murder. No clue what he was suffering from, but it sure as hell had me convinced he was dying from his alcoholism. I think his "clean cut" look was supposed to be a part of his character. When Arquette notices his ragged shoes w/ the clean cut look, I think that's an intentional contrast showing that he was hiding the truth about himself. He's been trying to maintain a facade, but she has the family history to see through it.
Arquette did great as well as that ascerbic, skeptic from the first second.
Amy: I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
I think this whole deal with performers being miscast is a bit shopworn. I mean, it's fine to have that opinion of course, but why can't Jeff bridges play a boozy private detective? He was kinda scruffy in 1981's "Cutter's Way" and 1984's "Against All Odds". Why would the public limit him? I understand if Matthew Scudder was played by, say, Rob Lowe circa 1986 (now, there's a guy who was maybe too "pretty" and clean-cut for the role, also far too young, but he's my example:-), but I felt Bridges was great here. Besides, i just see Jeff Bridges as an actor: I don't know if he's sexy, kind, studious, or whatever; he's Jeff Bridges, a guy from an acting family, and he seems capable of any kind of performance.
Anyway, I like the film, and I'm almost finished with the book. Yes, the film is totally different from the the book (Chance is really fleshed out in the book; I thought his character was likable in the film, but I feel he's even more likable in the book). and better, but I still like the film.