MovieChat Forums > Little Buddha (1994) Discussion > what the hell was Bertolucci thinking?

what the hell was Bertolucci thinking?

posted 19 years ago by jdlund
19 replies | jump to latest

I am sorry but this movie could have been so much if not for perhaps the most absurd blunder I could ever imagine Bertolucci making, casting Keanu. Bertolucci is an incredible director. Last Tango in Paris and the Last Emperor are both classics. Which is why I am baffled at his casting. Truth is, I am perhaps biased because I practice Buddhism, but I was fairly irritated when this movie came out. I won't get into its inaccuracies spiritually, because they are mostly forgivable. What bothered me was sticking in an actor like Keanu Reeves as Sidhartha. I don't particularly dislike him. He's fine in certain films, the first (and only the first) Matrix was good. But casting an American at all is extraordinarily suspect to begin with. Why? Is there one single solitary reason? The film already had celebrities if that is so important. The attempts to make Keanu look and sound like Sidhartha was annoying. He is even a poor choice amongst American actors as it is for this role. He has never, nor will he ever, escape the Bill&Ted "whoa man" style of acting that even pervaded performances like him as a lawyer in The Devil's Advocate. Here it becomes terrible. It's like he's researching the role for a sub-par Neo. I'm sure that all of this will not bother a lot of people in the Western World. Some will never understand the insult, others will think I am sensitive. There are not many figures in the history of man that I would take such an exception to. Sidhartha is an extremely important figure. The use of such an actor, and that actor's performance was a horribly poor choice in an otherwise good movie. To my Christian friends who may question why it bothers me so much, imagine Tom Cruise playing Christ. While we are at it, imagine Ashton Kutcher playing Mohammed. It shows an enormous lack of respect. It also drips with a particular brand of American egoism, that they can and should represent the world. That all of this is done by a talented European director is simply mind boggling.

[–] d3s71ny_9 19 years ago

I must say I find it difficult to understand why you find the casting of Keanu Reeves -- a Buddhist -- as the Buddha offensive. Yes, he's an American, yes he's a famous American ... but he's Buddhist.

Tom Cruise? Scientologist, not Christian. Ashton Kutcher? I don't know, but surely he isn't Muslim. The comparision isn't even a fair one, and yet you expect us to understand what it is you find so offensive about it using these examples.

Even though it is not a direct comparison, I wonder if there any Jewish people here who would be willing to comment on whether or not they found the casting of Charlton Heston as Moshe offensive.

Maybe I should call up Mel Gibson and tell him that I'm offended that he cast a Christian as the Christ (and not offended for more pertinent reasons) in the Passion. : /

[–] welkinson 19 years ago

Keanu Reeves is a Buddhist (half-Japanese). It's better than Shekar Kapur's decision to hire Brad Pitt.

I'm not a fan of Reeves, but I'll take him as the Buddha over Pitt any day.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] cjb_cello 18 years ago

Reeves is of Chinese and Polynesian/Pacific Islander descent (His mother is English, his father is Chinese and Hawaiian). He's not Japanese. He's a Canadian citizen, not a U.S citizen. He has also stated in interviews that he is not a practising Buddhist.

[–] Anakin_McFly 16 years ago

Keanu Reeves is a Buddhist (half-Japanese).

Keanu is neither Buddhist nor half-Japanese. His mother is British; his father is of Irish-Portugese-Hawaiian-Chinese ancestry. srsly where do you people get your info?

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www.freewebtown.com/anakinmcfly

[–] cjb_cello 18 years ago

He's actually Canadian.

[–] Anakin_McFly 16 years ago

I must say I find it difficult to understand why you find the casting of Keanu Reeves -- a Buddhist -- as the Buddha offensive. Yes, he's an American, yes he's a famous American ... but he's Buddhist.

WTF

1. Keanu is Canadian-British (dual citizenship). He has never ever been American.

2. He's not, or ever has been, Buddhist, although he has expressed interest in its teachings.

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www.freewebtown.com/anakinmcfly

[–] jenninator 18 years ago

There have been many other films about other cultures in which an American has played the lead: Last Samurai, Last of the Mohicans, Dances With Wolves... it is insulting, not these stories individually, but the whole phenomenon. Maybe that's different from this movie, where Keanu is actually trying to be Indian? Keanu Reeves should not act in dialect, it's just terrible.

[–] lucidflo 18 years ago

Buddhism is flowering in the West. Having a western lead actor, and a Buddhist one at that, is just another link in the chain of events leading up to the next age. It wasn't a publicity stunt; it was to help unite eastern and western perspectives.

I saw Bill&Teds (and loved it), loved all the Matrix movies, looved Devil's Advocate. I wouldn't consider myself a Keanu fan; its not like I go see a movie just because he is in it. But I bought his role in Little Buddha. Why? Because as the Buddha taught, reality is a constant change. And it permeates everything, and everyone. And Keanu is entitled to grow and change as an actor, from "woah man," to Siddhartha. If you approach the movie with a child-like mind, from the perspective of a 9 year old kid, it makes it tough to judge the movie based on Keanu's past performances.

If you can't do that, that's okay too -- you can always rent it later on in life. :-)

Anyway, I think that's what Bertolucci was thinking, though I'm not a mind-reader.

[–] demonbarber 17 years ago

d3s71ny_9 and lucidflo , I absolutely agree with you.Well said!

[–] janelikesjoe 18 years ago

don't really understand why you think casting reeves as buddha is insulting - other than that he is a horrible actor (in which case, anyone and everyone should be insulted that he is any film at all). It is just unfortunate that stoned-faced Reeves was cast as Siddartha, some one who must have had so much charisma, insight, etc. Reeves wasn't buddha. it looked liek he was BARELY making an effort to be "deep"

[–] helderuto 10 years ago

kill youself you idiotic troll

[–] lostatlimbo 17 years ago

"But, dude, that is precisely why I am here, to bring enlightenment. Hang ten, my bro."

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] south77 17 years ago

Good things for humanity and the movie world.He's still Nr.1.....

[–] jytha 17 years ago

I think that Keanu Reeves was choosen to make the role of Sidhartha because he has a very good karma.
And making the role of prince Sidhartha the way he made it, he accumulated merits and virtues and because of these efforts he can generate Bodhi-mind and became a Buddha in a future life. Or, maybe he is a Buddha in this life, only Keanu Reeves knows.
When he made Little Buddha he was twenty nine years old, exactly the age of prince Sidhartha when he left home to became a Buddha. Isn't that interesting?
I say these things now, after fourteen years from the film was made. The carrer of Keanu Reeves from all these years shows us a man responsable of the message what he put on the screen.
If you understand his message, you'll see what a good actor he is.
Gassho, Mr. Keanu Reeves.