This was a sweet movie but I could not help wonder how much better it would have been if a southern actor had been cast to play Aiden Quinn's character. I thought back to "Coal Miner's Daughter" and how much Levon Helm brought to the party as Loretta's father. Some things just cannot be faked. No reflection on Quinn.
shareI thought Aiden did a fine job. His accent seemed good to me (and I know a southern accent, since I'm a southerner myself).
shareI agree--Quinn did pretty well. The bar on Southern accents in movies is pretty low; witness Keanu Reeves in "Devil's Advocate". But only if you must, because...Keanu Reeves. Blecchh.
Democracy: 2 wolves, 1 lamb voting on a lunch menu. Liberty: A well-armed lamb disputing the vote.
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Pat Carroll was awesome in that movie!! I think she was my favorite character. Such a funny, feisty lady.
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I disagree, accents can be faked, and faked well. Witness Meryl Streep's myriad performances involving accents, which are pitch-perfect.
However, it isn't the accent that makes the performance, it is the entire person. I love Quinn, he is a consummate actor and delivered a fine performance in this film, but he didn't capture the essence of a Southern man, let alone a mountain man. A southern man is polite at all times. He doesn't bark or insult. He uses his wit and his savvy to turn the tables on those that might oppose him. He is always a gentleman, even when others are not. He is kind and cunning and never would be disrespectful to his "granny" as Quinn was in the film.
"...nothing is left of me, each time I see her..." - Catullus
All southern men are exactly like your description? Give us a break. Just from the film itself you can see a wide variety of personalities. You're describing your ideal, not reality. Aiden Quinn was just fine. He portrayed a real man, not a stereotype.
shareI couldn't agree with the OP more, they should've got a southerner to do it
shareI thought he did a good job with the role. In fact, this is the first time I've seen him in a film where I thought he was attractive; he has never appealed to me in his other films.
shareI thought he was excellent in this and almost unrecognizable under the beard and all those curls. His accent was a bit spotty in places but not bad at all considering he's from Chicago. The accent does vary in the south and a mountain accent is far different from what some folks would think is typical "southern." He also had a very short time to learn how to handle a guitar and a banjo and make it look like he could actually play well.
shareWhen was Quinn disrespectful to his "granny?" He always seemed to show respect not so much to the outlander, Lily. I do tend to think he did a 180 awfully quickly and agreed to leave the mountain. Loved his singing especially when he's singing with the black gentleman at some shack.
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