MovieChat Forums > The Invisible Circus (2001) Discussion > Bad casting

Bad casting

posted 19 years ago by ketchupgirlx-1
23 replies | jump to latest

I liked this movie, but two things about it really bugged me:

1. Jordana Brewster looks nothing like the actors who played her parents or sister. Her character should have been adopted.

2. Christopher Eccleston (an amazing actor, by the way) looked way too old to be Cameron Diaz's love interest. I realize that in real life there is not a huge age difference between them, but in the movie flashback scenes he looked like he was at least thirty-five and she looked no older than twenty-three. A free-spirited young hippie? Not a chance.

[–] aircompass 19 years ago

I have to agree with the bad casting remark, but I would have said that changing Cameron Diaz would have been a better change. Her influence is something that's supposed to last throughout the film, but she couldn't sustain my interest.

And besides, Phoebe was supposed to grow up looking like Faith, but she looked like her father when she was younger (it's in the beautiful brilliant book). Faith was always the one who was beautiful, and Phoebe ironically grew up to look like her but found that she never had that something that made people draw to Faith more.

Christopher Eccleston was OK for the time he was with Phoebe, but with Faith you're right, he should have been just as wild as she was. I actually would have preferred someone a little... darker? wilder?

Oh well, what's done is done.

[–] imagescapegirl 19 years ago

Christopher Eccleston was OK for the time he was with Phoebe, but with Faith you're right, he should have been just as wild as she was. I actually would have preferred someone a little... darker? wilder?

Having seen Chris in a number of different roles - my vote would be this was a poor script. The characters he plays usually give or more depth, and some have been a lot darker, and he's have no problem with wilder! The long hair just didn't suit though ... perhaps a better wig maker was needed too!

Having not read the book, I can't really comment on the whole of the casting - I can only judge from what's on screen, and I thought the movie just didn't live up to the promise of the story as described on the box - so I'd put the main problems on the script.

There is no instinct like that of the heart. Byron

[–] gothic_gilmore 18 years ago

Good lord, Jordana Brewster...really?! Had the director not seen her work or something. She's horrid.
Here's a bad sign: your best work came on a freakin SOAP OPERA...stop making movies!

btw, Camille Belle looks Italian, Jordana Brewster looks Hispanic. WTF? Were the casting ppl stoned?

[–] azzifan 18 years ago

The better question is are you stoned? Jordana Brewster is a great actress and did a very good acting job in this movie. You obviously have no *beep* idea what you are talking about! JOrdana Brewster is not hispanic and does not even look hispanic, you need to check your eyes. She is just dark, but she has no facial features of a hispanic. She is part Brazilian, so is Camilla Bella.
She is not going to stop making movies baecause she is great at it.

[–] terim-1 18 years ago

Gotta agree with the last comment-- Jordana Brewster is a really good actress with a very understated, naturalistic acting style that tends to get overlooked. She held her own in scenes with the awesome Blythe Danner in this movie. That said, the blond/brunette casting disparity WAS distracting to the degree that it might have been best if the script had addressed it directly.

Coloration shouldn't be an issue in her new movie, the Texas Chainsaw prequel, since I think she spends the majority of it covered in blood....

[–] AlylonnaL 18 years ago

I have read the book and whilst i thought the story may have needed to keep more to it (Portugal instead of Italy? what was all that about?) and though the actors looked different from the way they were discribed, i felt they acted it well enough for this not to matter.

Love the trailer as well, it is stunning.

[–] kalamazoo101 17 years ago

>JOrdana Brewster is not hispanic and does not even look hispanic

Black hair, dark complexion.

She definately looks South American, which is Hispanic. I have no idea why you would think she doesn't look Hispanic. Not all Hispanics look exactly like Mexicans.

[–] firewrath2 17 years ago

You have not seen Eccleston on Dr. Who (Series 1 of the new one) then.. His Doctor was very dark and also in Shallow Grave he comes off as a dark and paranoid person.

[–] hibiscus130 18 years ago

1) Jordana looks like Cameron in a way. And not everyone looks like their siblings

2) They never mentioned his age anyway so he might have been older but I think they paired up well

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] MarthaJonesSmith 18 years ago

I don't see it, Jordana looking like Cameron. Jordana looks too different ethnically without it being explained by adoption or a different parent somewhere.

And I'd just like to add that: SOAP OPERA ACTORS ARE JUST AS TALENTED AS ANY OTHER WORKING ACTORS! It's terrible to say other wise because this is where a lot of our acting talent cuts their teeth. Russell Crowe, Meg Ryan, Demi Moore, Brad Pitt. All talented actors who have been on SOAP OPERAS!

Actors should never forget where they came from and they should never look down on another actor because of his or her trade venue.

If you ever watch any night time series, here's a little tidbit for you: YOU ARE WATCHING ANOTHER FORM OF A SOAP OPERA! They are just shot differently and the shooting schedule is MUCH easier than a soap opera's shooting schedule.

RESPECT OTHERS AND YOU WILL FIND YOUR REWARD!

[–] TeamStrode 18 years ago

Not that this is going to matter, but, she did a fine job in astwt.

[–] MystMoonstruck 14 years ago

I have coppery-red hair, dark brown eyes, and very fair skin.
My sister has black hair, nearly black eyes, and darker skin, especially when tanned.

No one would guess we are sisters. I show the Irish side of the family; my sister, the Native American part.

However, I have to note that my father was born with auburn hair that turned coal black when he was in his teens. Although he was fair, when he tanned, his skin color made people think he was Mexican. (The word "Hispanic" wasn't used in our region of the States till after my father's death.) He was what is called Black Irish.

Siblings do not always look alike. Some can have extremely opposite appearances.

Besides, who would guess that Shirley MacLaine and Warren Beatty are sister and brother? What about Michael and Virginia Madsen? Ben and Casey Affleck? I'm sure people can recall other examples, both in acting and in their own lives.

~~MystMoonstruck~~

[–] MarthaJonesSmith 14 years ago

There's a difference. Black Irish and Black Russians and so forth are known in there regions. There is a difference in exhibitiung signs of ethnic heritage and looking a completely differnt race. I have family that varies in color and race and honestly it is easy to tell if someone is related.

There are a lot of dark Irish, so that doesn't surprise me. Italians, Spanish, Irish and Jews intergrated back and forth for centuries...and the when the vikings came to try to conguer the isles, they joined the people and their red hair became part of the ancestry of Ireland.

Luke Spencer: "Love is a perfect notion, people expect too much out of it..."

[–] ewmayer 18 years ago

This line from one of the imdb reviewers (whose review was otherwise OK) struck me as pretty funny:

"Christopher Eccleston is Wolf and shows he also is capable of doing more serious drama."

That's true, it was a refreshing change from Eccles' usual Jim-Carrey-style goofy comedy roles, such as the hilarious slapstick of "Jude" or the high camp of "Elizabeth." Hey, Robin Williams made a fairly successful move from comedy to drama - why not Eccles? :D

[–] elphiechic 18 years ago

Haha, you've got a point.

[–] filmfan86 17 years ago

I totally agree with the first comment - Phoebe looks NOTHING like the rest of her family - and for some reason that really put me off a bit - plus i don't think she was much of an actress.

Christopher Eccleston was the only good thing in this film - but i thought it was incredibly random when he all of a sudden shacks up with Phoebe - I mean - he was living with a french girlfriend - living with - so, not just a casual thing. Then he sleeps with his dead ex-girlfriend's 18 year old sister - I just think that is really unrealistic.

I thought just about every scene with Diaz was a bit corny.

I really wanted to like this film - but all i can do is pick it apart!

"Everything in this room is eatable. Even I'm eatable. But that’s called cannibalism."

[–] k_groenborg 16 years ago

Yep, when I read that I was thinking: "What the *beep*?! .. do I miss something when I watch Eccleston's film? Am I supposed to laugh when watching Jude .. instead of crying?" :s

Anyway, I thought the casting was good!

[–] MilkWithHoney 16 years ago

1. Jordana is hispanic

2. They should've tried Kate Hudson

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] TooPrettyInPink 12 years ago

I just assumed that Faith's dad was white and that Phoebe's dad was brown. Until they showed the dad. And then I just assumed that Phoebe was adopted. Everyone else is painfully white, and then there's Phoebe, played by a dark-skinned actress with raven hair and dark brown eyes with descendants from Panama and Brazil.

I know, right? I couldn't get over how bizarre it was. They might as well have cast a black or Asian actress.

[–] floriangray 9 years ago

I know this is an older post, but I completely agree. I like the actors, but my alternate casting for Faith would be Mia Maestro or Angie Harmon.

[–] Dan_Garten 8 years ago

Oh.