MovieChat Forums > Leap of Faith (1992) Discussion > I disagree with Maltin on this one.

I disagree with Maltin on this one.

posted 19 years ago by KUAlum26
6 replies | jump to latest

In the Leonard Maltin Encyclopedia bio about Neeson,he mentions "Leap of FAith " and Neeson's being cast as the sherriff as being "miscast". I disagree passionately! He was very good as the no-nonsense lawman,who was eyeing Steve Martin and his group with stoic skepticism. I'm not sure who Leonard thought would've done the role beter,but I though Liam was quite good in that part.
Also,he made a convincing Kansan,slow,slight drawl and all. And he's not even AMERICAN! I was truly impressed!

MELLON:Hey,lay off Vanessa! She gives good headache!

[–] gluserty 19 years ago

i have problems with a lot of maltin's opinions. he has a lot of actors and actresses as "miscast" a lot. in no way is liam neeson miscast in the role of sheriff. and besides, who are his idea of alternatives then?

[–] DJStahl 17 years ago

Neeson seems to have cleared up the Irish accent in later movies. Recently saw "Trial and Error," w/Jeff Daniels and Michael Richards, and noted similar phenomenon w/Charlize Theron, who still has an Afrikaans inflection there.

"Braverman" is an odd name for a Kansas sheriff, particularly one w/a brogue.

But apart from these, Neeson did a good job.

[–] mail-2775 13 years ago

Agreed, he could not get around his accent, and trying to change it made him come off Scottish.

It isn't impossible to do, though. Lennie James did it brilliantly on Jericho.

[–] lousvr 12 years ago

Nope.. he was miscast.

[–] SataiDelen 10 years ago

I always just accepted that he was an Irishman who moved to a small town and got the job as Sheriff. That's not unbelievable. It happens all the time. People immigrate to America all the time, and not always to the "big cities." I personally know a man from Belfast, who came the town I grew up in here in America, and is a policeman now. He came to America to become a policeman because there was no way he could become a policeman back in Belfast because of his religion (I think he's a Protestant, and in Belfast they're all Catholics. Either that, or it's the reverse. Regardless, it prevented him from being able to become what he wanted back in Northern Ireland). At any rate, I thought Neeson did a great job in the film.

[–] rizdek 8 years ago

Yeah, I don't get that he was miscast. Liam contributed his acting traits to the part and it worked for me. If someone wanted to see it played differently, they'd not only have to consider who was cast for the part but how they were directed to act. I can only imagine a professional like Neeson would've played the part pretty much any way he was directed. Does the "Leonard Maltin Encyclopedia bio" specify exactly what they hoped to see in that part?