MovieChat Forums > My Cousin Vinny (1992) Discussion > The reason people hate Marisa Tomei's Os...

The reason people hate Marisa Tomei's Oscar win...

posted 16 years ago by acsuc99
123 replies | jump to latest

1. She didnt star in a movie about gays

2. She didnt cry

3. She didnt speak in a British accent

4. No one had AIDS in the movie

5. More than 5 people went to see the film

6. It was a movie that made people laugh

7. She didnt pretend to be a man

8. She had the nerve to appear in a movie that appealed to a wide audience

9. She didnt star in a movie that preached to people about a social issue

10. The Coen Bros, Paul Thomas Anderson, or whatever other artsy fartsy director didnt direct it.

Basically anyone who gave Marisa Tomei grief for her Oscar win was a stuck up pretencious film snob. Tomei was laugh out loud funny and a total scene stealer in a film people liked. God forbid she beat Joan Plowright playing a cranky old hag in some bore of a film 5 people saw or Judy Davis playing a stuck up b--- (which she is in real life) in a pretencious boring unfunny lame Woody Allen effort or Vanessa Redgrave in a 10 minute role that was nothing, or Miranda Richardson who cried in 1 5 min scene in a dreadful movie.

Basically what I'm saying is that people who hate on Tomei's Oscar win can suck it.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] leforcat 16 years ago

Yes, you do!
But the fact is: she was great!

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[–] SataiDelen 10 years ago

OK, this is six years since your post, but I just wanted to say that I LOVE your signature! Pure awesome!

[–] NYCActor718 16 years ago

No problems here! Tomei totally deserved her Oscar. She was BRILLIANT in this film!

"No, I don't like Katrina. She smells like soup."

[–] jdreck 16 years ago

just because her performance was flawless!

...in the future, everything will work...

[–] tiller088 16 years ago

Quite the rant, for sure. However, given the amount of vitriol I've seen directed at her win, I think it's at least partly deserved.

I could not agree more with the spirit of your argument. She did in fact steal every scene she was in, but even if she had been nothing but an accesory for the rest of the movie (which she assuredly was not), she would have deserved the award simply for her brilliant turn on the stand as the rebuttal witness to George Wilbur's testimony. The look on her face when the DA admits "she's acceptable" as an expert on general automotive knowledge conveys "you're damn RIGHT I'm acceptable!" without saying a single word.

I think it's actually one of the most richly deserved awards ever given by the Academy.

[–] horatiohellpop 16 years ago

Tomei's win as best supporting actress was one of the few times I agreed wholeheartedly with the academy's choice.

[–] james-baring 16 years ago

I also had no idea there was the slightest hint that this was not a deserved Oscar win. I had no idea she was 'supporting' - I thought she was the star along with Pesci. It is my favorite film of all time. There are only half a dozen films I have watched more than 5 times and this is one. It is a master-class in screenplay, camera-work, editing, timing, casting and for me every actor in it turns in the performance of their career, giving the impression they did every scene on the first take, with no rehearsal. I would have given them all Oscars and rate it 10 out of 10.

[–] JosephASpadaro 9 years ago

I also had no idea there was the slightest hint that this was not a deserved Oscar win. I had no idea she was 'supporting' - I thought she was the star along with Pesci.

Tomei certainly was a star in the film (along side with Pesci, of course). Whether a performance is considered "leading actress" or "supporting actress", however, is all politics.

In other words, if the studio thinks that the actress does not stand a chance in the "leading" category, they simply list her role as "supporting", assuming that she stands a better chance in the latter category.

Whether the role is, in fact, a leading or a supporting role is entirely beside the point.

Hollywood politics.

That being said, Tomei turned in a stellar performance. As we all know, the Academy doesn't take too kindly to comedies, in general. They prefer other genres. But, I assume, acting in a comedic role is just as much "hard work" as acting in a dramatic role (if not more so).

Did she deserve an Oscar? I'd say "yeah". Did she deserve this Oscar? I dunno. I'd have to check who the other four contenders were to make my final decision.

[–] mkenyon1978 14 years ago

I totally agree tiller, the rebuttal witness scene was absolutely brilliant. Her "you're damn RIGHT I'm acceptable!" look was fabulous and I also really loved how at first she was really angry at Vinny, but then the triumphant look on her face when she starts to see what he is getting at. I think she played that role brilliantly, absolutely flawless and she hands down completely and utterly deserved to win.

EDIT: I also wanted to add that, even though I think that MT totally deserved to win, I was still surprised when she actually did win. This movie and her role in it, is not usually the kind to win Oscars. Doesn't mean that is wasn't deserved, was just surprised that they recognised that she deserved to win.

"20 Pounds of crazy in a 5 pound bag" - Spencer on Parker

[–] m2dad 12 years ago

Speaking of Oscars and Marisa Tomei, watch her in "Oscar" and you will see another fabulous and hilarious performance by Tomei.

[–] seltaebnews 16 years ago

Well stated, acsuc99!

[–] basketball01 16 years ago

Wow acsuc99, you nailed every point you made.

Marisa was phenomenal in this movie, and deserved that Oscar.

[–] mysticmac 15 years ago

Excellent post OP!

[–] IndyRaider 16 years ago

acsuc99, don't hold back, tell us how you really feel! LOL
BTW - I agree!

[–] JohninVegas 16 years ago

What's this Oscar curse that I've heard about? Once you win one Oscar you never get nominated again? (It seems most actors, there are the exceptions; Streep, Nicholson, Hanks)

[–] arorashadow_2003 16 years ago

Oscar curse? Are you thinking always the bride's maid never the bride?

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[–] woollybully07 11 years ago

The curse you're referring to is when someone wins the first time that they're nominated, the curse states that because of that your career will just fizzle out after that.

[–] liscarkat (17125) 4 years ago

"The curse you're referring to is when someone wins the first time that they're nominated, the curse states that because of that your career will just fizzle out after that."

The F. Murray Abraham phenomenon.

[–] JosephASpadaro 9 years ago

What's this Oscar curse that I've heard about? Once you win one Oscar you never get nominated again? (It seems most actors, there are the exceptions; Streep, Nicholson, Hanks)

Here's the "curse":

Once you win an Oscar, you have reached the pinnacle of success (in the acting world). There is no other way to go, but downhill from there.

All of your subsequent performances get compared to your Oscar performance. And, by definition, those are very big shoes to fill.

Also, once an actor becomes an Oscar winner, they are held to a "higher standard". And their performances are scrutinized much more closely.

Luise Rainer won two consecutive Best Actress Oscars (1937 and 1938). She said it was the worst thing that ever happened to her.

[–] history2332 16 years ago

You are 100% correct (and funny). She 1000% deserved to win. Joe Pesci also deserved one as well. You're right on. Why does good acting always have to come from JUST dramas?

[–] ragusa11 16 years ago

1) It was a WEAK Oscar year. There is some luck involved as there are years where there are tons of great performances and only one wins. Heck, the entire starring cast and supporting cast should have won Oscars for The Godfather.
2) It was a great performance all around, especially with the physical acting.

Plain and simple, it was a comedy and people seem to discriminate and think ONLY a dramatic role should take home the award.