Ally Sheedy is 'plain'? - Only the Lonely (1991) Discussion

[–] mikex5 18 years ago

I thought Ally sheedy was really good in this movie. She played the role realy well. She reminded me a little of Talia Shire in the first Rocky film...kind of shy and intreverted. I thought she pulled it off well. Ally Sheedy is pretty, but she's not a knockout, IMO

"You mean he didn't fall? Inconceivable!"

reply

[–] KCohere 17 years ago

Danny called his brother on that. He was just trying to convince Danny to dump her so he could continue to take care of their mother in Florida. It was just a ploy.

reply

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] HooterHunter 17 years ago

Actually, I thought thie was the only movie ever that Ally Sheedy looked good at all.

reply

[–] Studman_Productions 17 years ago

Honestly?

reply

[–] Tim-O-T 17 years ago

She looks good but miscast. She's too young for Candy.

reply

[–] Studman_Productions 17 years ago

no one's too young for Candy!!

reply

[–] Studioart81 16 years ago

Granted there was at least 10 or more years age difference between Candy and Sheedy in real life, their characters may have closer in age. Who knows? It is not so uncommon to "rob the cradle" and date someone much younger or older than one's self these days!

reply

[–] Studman_Productions 16 years ago

"rob the cradle", haha.

reply

[–] jaystarstar 10 years ago

There was a 12-year difference (Candy b. 1950, Sheedy 1962).

The movie was released in 1991 which made the characters 41-29. Not a thing wrong with that.

================

4) You ever seen Superman $#$# his pants? Case closed.

reply

[–] HarveyManfredSinJohn 10 years ago

I really like this underrated movie, and I loved the moment where after Candy's brother, played by Kevin Dunn, implies Candy is too good for Sheedy he is taken to a mirror and asked to point out, in all honesty, what he sees (in reference to Candy and Dunn's less than hunky looks).

However, I still kind of agree with the posters, including the OP, who have stated that Ally was too attractive to play a 'plain girl'. Perhaps she isn't a 'knock out' by Hollywood standards but I think it's a stretch to call her 'plain'. It might have been interesting to see a genuinely plain actress in the part.

Then again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I suppose the point is that although Sheedy was far from unattractive she was hardly very 'glam' either. Maybe Dunn was thinking his brother should get with a more conventionally glamorous, curvy, big-haired blonde type.

reply

[–] srklondie 15 years ago

I feel that she was perfectly cast and that she did an A+ job.

reply

[–] KatzaSchuk 15 years ago

I hated the moment when Danny's brother called her plain and told Danny he could do better. It was a totally lie. She may have been shy, but she was perfectly lovely and Danny was lucky to get her.

"She is tolerable I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me!" Mr. Darcy

reply

[–] WarpedRecord 15 years ago

No kidding. For someone like Danny, she'd be considered a "trophy wife."

reply

[–] galoipo 15 years ago

Totally don't buy it. She's beautiful.

reply

[–] Xcalat3 15 years ago

I agree, she was way too pretty to play that "plain looking girl"

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

reply

[–] zizix 14 years ago

I found it pretty absurd when the brother referred to her as "plain".

Though, I never thought she was even supposed to play a "plain looking" girl (which Ally Sheedy definitely isn't) but just a very shy, introverted person. So that doesn't make her miscast, but it does make the brother's comment very out of place.

reply

[–] Howlin Wolf 14 years ago

I think that's Hollywood code for 'pale' and 'quiet'; the characters she plays are often wallflowers, but she really is a beautiful lady. Maybe the brother is into brash, assertive women, and that's why he makes his comment? We just don't all have the same taste and can sometimes judge the choices of others because of it.

"I've been turned down more times than the beds at the Holiday Inn; I still try"

reply

[–] WarpedRecord 14 years ago

Good point. Usually a "plain" actress in Hollywood would be one who doesn't go out of her way to be noticed, who has a "normal" job where she's not bossing others around, who is oblivious to her beauty. That would apply to Ally Sheedy's character here, but I find the woman herself positively radiant in all her roles. Of course, part of her appeal is that very subtlety.

reply

[–] Howlin Wolf 14 years ago

Agreed with all!

"I've been turned down more times than the beds at the Holiday Inn; I still try"

reply

[–] mcfly-31 13 years ago

Make-up tricks. First time Candy asks her out she's all skuzzed up with the ratty hair and no make-up, Elvira clothes. By the night of the "sleep over" scene, her hair is flowing, lipstick and eye shadow, frilly blouse. I thought this was the film where she looked best. All her other roles were teenie-bopper like goth (Breakfast Club), dyke-yuppie hairdo (St Elmo's Fire) and tomboy (Wargames). This was her first chance to be womanly. Didn't see much of her after this except with a bad blonde dye-job in Home Alone 2.

Yes, the brother was both jealous of his brother's life change and upset over his mother's "caretaker" now being unavailable. Only thing that would make Sheedy plain is that she's not busty.

reply