Guitarwork

Yeah it was a bit pathetic, obviously method acting doesn't quite stretch to Sean Penn - who looked like he'd never seen, let alone played, a guitar in his life before - it was just a load of clumsy strumming while staring into space.

Surely it wouldn't have been too much of an effort to become the 2nd best jazz guitarist in the world as "research" for the role!

European Cup Winners '99

Oh dear!

I also play guitar and thought Penn's playing looked fine!

I know he didn't play it himself, but I assumed he had some knowledge of the guitar and plays it a bit himself.

I couldn't say I noticed anything wrong with it.

But on totally different subject, wasn't that a fantastic guitar he was playing? Same type - possibly not same maker - as Django Reinhardt played, and which modern Gypsies (and acoustic Jazz lovers) still play.

This was the type Penn's character used:

http://www.12fret.com/new/gitaneD500.jpg

Though Reinhardt himself more frequently used this slightly different model:

http://www.lutherie.net/dr503_2.GIF

As is displyed in a photo of the Great Gyspsy himself:

http://members.tripod.com/~Marc_Masselin/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/django50.jpg

I rewatched this again today, and I have changed my mind and now agree with you, his fingers are all over the place and not even moving in time to the music. I concur: "it's all too clear that penn has never held a guitar in his hands before".

Great film though.

Obviously he doesn't know play the guitar, but the escence of the movie it doesn't that if he knows or not play the guitar, it's much more than that.
I readed that he took lessons of guitar for this movie, but they are for to take well the instrument and have an idea to play it, but imagine, the playback is good in general.
Of course that you or who really play the guitar should see that he is wrong, but to the common people, he was great on the entire movie, not just playing the guitar, in the whole movie.

I loved this movie, Sean Penn and the music. Woody is a genious choosing the music for his movies!

I've been playing guitar since 1995 and, having seen the movie twice, can say that while Penn's act-playing is obviously fake in places, it's remarkably "authentic" in others. Even when the fretwork is way off, the rhythmic elements are usually right in the pocket. Take that into consideration, as well as the complexity of the style that Penn is attempting to pantomime, and his performance starts to seem a little more impressive.
I agree that using stunt fingers for close-ups would've enhanced the affecting quality of the guitar scenes, though.

Maybe the playing was intended to look the way it looks. =)

Sean Penn, while his fingers don't look exactly right, DOES come close enough that people who aren't seriously into guitar playing themselves will never know the difference. The thing that amazed me, however, is his body during those scenes.
It's unbelievable; he looks exactly like a guitarist into his music. Watch his legs, the subtle twitches and movements. He looks like he's going to bust out into a wild, rabid dance. The best example of this is the talent show scene.
As a guitarist myself, I wasn't fooled by his fingerwork. But his body motion was absolutely flawless. It's possible that he is the greatest actor who is still in his prime.
And by the way, who expects him to move his fingers in the exact right positions? That kind of jazz is totally wild and manic, and among the toughest in music. Macchio in Crossroads only had to fake those stupid tap solos that Steve Vai did. There is no serious movement needed to visually fool the audience.
Sean Penn's performance was perfect. And if you were focusing on his fingers rather than the music, then you missed the movie entirely.

Hey, you know what? I play the guitar too but I really didn't mind seeing Sean not playing the right notes. Why even bother to come up with a remark like this? Showing how smart you are to recognize such a minor asset? Come off it...