MovieChat Forums > Blast from the Past (1999) Discussion > It could have been an excellent movie bu...

It could have been an excellent movie but, wow, was Silverstone bad.

posted 11 years ago by not_now123
24 replies | jump to latest

I'm not at all a Alicia hater and loved her in Clueless. I was really looking forward to her in this and thought she was well cast. But, my Gosh, was I wrong. Could she have produced a more whiny character that was less likable? Who thought this was a good idea for a character? If this was a funny action movie where her head gets blown off for humor, then her acting would have made sense. But this?

How did the producers see the first daily's and either get her an acting coach or fire her on the spot? What a waste of a good film. Is it a coincidence that her movie career went on a downward slope after this performance? The best thing for her would have been to bring in a replacement rather than allowing this embarrassing performance to be seen.

There were so many wonderful things about this movie. It could have been a memorable film if Silverstone wasn't in it.

I wonder who would have been better suited for the role? Any ideas?

[–] mark6785 11 years ago

Aren't you mixing up "The script" with "acting"?

She was supposed to be a 'whiny' ,as you put it, character. I saw it more like she was a streetwise , disillusioned girl determined not to jump into bed with the next idiot with a nice body. In fact she explained it exactly like that early in the film. Hence her turning away Adam's advances.

The relationship between the two is the main story of the film, so it wouldn't be much of a film if they fell in love straight away.

Or is it actually the acting you meant? I thought she did pretty well portraying emotions pulling different ways. The result being her character gets a bit shouty and angry at times, some women are like that. some aren't. Again - that's the script not the acting.

[–] StoneGriffin 11 years ago

It was all three (script, direction, acting) that made Eve irritating and annoying. Creative decisions from all three sources were flawed. AS is NOT a good actress. Her tantrum when she believes that Adam left with Sophie was really bad, and I mean amateur actor bad! The director had the character doing things that were stupid and the script made her an unendearing character. We only tolerate her because Adam loves her, that's it. I just wish the creators made a better character for Adam Weber to fall in love with and cast a different actress.

And no, I don't have anything against Ms. Silverstone. But I think she was miscast.

Dr. Kila Marr was right. Kill the Crystalline Entity.

[–] mavrick45 11 years ago

she was believable

that is for certain.

realistic I would say.

[–] ilayis 11 years ago

I thought she was great

[–] Hopper21 10 years ago

She all but ruined this movie for me. Way too whiny and annoying.

[–] JR541 10 years ago

She was supposed to be whiny and annoying. That being said her acting was nothing to write home about.

He's taking the knife out of the Cheese!
Do you think he wants some cheese?

[–] music_man_fan 9 years ago

You can be whiny and annoying but you need have some kind of a likeability or sympathy in order for the audience to go with you on it. She had neither.

[–] GroovyChainsaw 10 years ago

I couldn't agree more. I like this movie quite a bit but if I had to say what was wrong with it ( aside from being a little too long ) I'd say the unlikeable nature of Eve. All characters seem charmed or at least amused by Adam's naive ways, but she is nothing but impatient and dismissive toward him. When Eve finally does come around to recognizing all that is good and worthwhile in him we wonder what he sees in her. I don't know if casting a different actress would have helped, but it couldn't have hurt !

Repetition is funny. Why ? Because repetition is funny.

[–] kalojado 10 years ago

I came here to say the same thing. Rematching the movie on cable I wonder how some of these scenes made it into the movie. One noticeably bad one is where Adam is running from the therapist on the front lawn and Alicia's action is just terrible here. And then where Adam drives off in the rental truck the therapist goes after Dave Foleyand Alicia is trying to break them up and she is obviously laughing and I ddon't think it was in the script. It just seems out of place and I wonder how in the world that scene made it past the editors. Was there not a better cut they could have used? But I do agree with others, she was definitely not right for this part and her 'acting' is atrocious in this. Like the movie a lot but had they got a better actor and had some better direction it could have been a really good movie...

[–] TVholic 10 years ago

You say "whiny." I might go with "bitchy." Sometimes, I had to wonder just what did Adam see in her. Even with his nonexistent experience with women, he should have noticed that she was unpleasant to be around.

[–] jondoe888 10 years ago

To each... For me, in a cast of stand-outs, she made the film. And continues to, every time I watch it!
I see a broad spectrum of acting styles here. She does goofy comedy in the film, plays strong-willed, weak-willed, funny, sad, confused... and drop-dead gorgeous (walking into the club!!!).
I don't think her acting style is for everyone. She would have had a bigger career otherwise. I'm sure the director wanted whiny-bitchy, and this was how she played it. I loved her performance. (and Dave Foley's!)
She was wonderful in Clueless, but this is the movie I've watched a dozen times.