Anyone else think that Paulie was just a stupid teenager who was just a big crybaby because she didn't get her way? Maybe I think that way because the acting was so bad. The scene where she does that "love is..." speech is so forced and don't get me started on the scene when she throws the mirror, it reminded me of a bad Limp Bizkit video or something.
shareI couldn't disagree with you more on Piper Perabo's acting. I just finished watching the movie for the first time and thought Perabo gave one of the best performances I've ever seen. I thought she had tremendous passion, vulnerability and truthfulness and bared the depths of her soul. I was especially impressed with how connected she was on all of her Shakespeare quotes. I thought it was Oscar-worthy. Funny how two people can see the same thing in such polar opposite ways.
shareIt was the Shakespeare quotes that were the parts that I cringed at the most. I agree with the passion but there was way too much passion for it to be believable.
shareI think it's believeable in the sense that teenagers can be so over the top. A boy once got on bended knee to me, recited Shakespeare, and begged for my "hand." The majority of teenagers probably wouldn't go to such lengths, but some people just don't get that it's socially weird. Paulie's character was intelligent and mature in some ways but very childlike in others. On a personal level, if I were in Paulie's shoes, I would not have been quite so melodramatic. I only wish that the movie had shown more of Paulie's aptitude for reciting sonnets while she was still with Tori. Maybe it did show something, but I'm not remembering it correctly. Anyway, it would have been more believable to see her reciting Shakespeare to Tori to win her back if she had done that all along. It kind of comes out of nowhere.
I think Piper Perabo did a good job and actually made some scenes that could have been extremely corny more realistic. You feel for her and you also see the contradictions in her personality.
[deleted]
I've definitely been in a place similar to where Paulie was...just not because of love. And the way Piper Perabo played her was ON POINT. Wreckless, angry, sad, desperate, etc...she got everything right. It was an amazing and true to life performance.
shareI thought she was a bit over dramatic, but I think something had to be wrong in her head. There were points in the movie where I did want to shake her and tell her that high school is hell for the vast majority of kids. It's hard to think about it, but high school is not the end. She seemed strong, but she just gave up. If everyone did that, most people would not be alive today. Life can be torture, but you can still try and make something good out of it. God put you on earth for a reason, and he gave everyone a purpose. Unless you give up, you could prosper greatly.
shareI'm going to have to disagree with you about Piper's acting. As for Paulie, yes, she was selfish, but so was Tori. I know she's young, but if she really loved Paulie, she ought to have stood by her side regardless of what mom and dad thought about their relationship.
I don't believe in Jesus
But I'm praying anyway
~ Dave Gahan
I loved Paulie's "Love IS..." speech. The best line in the movie, I think.
Kiera
[deleted]
[deleted]
[deleted]
[deleted]
[deleted]
[deleted]
[deleted]
[deleted]
[deleted]
[deleted]
I don't think Paulie was annoying, she was just hurt and madly in love. A lot of people go through the emotions whenever someone they truly loved betrayed them. Paulie's love for Tori was deep, it's like she couldn't even see straight. I felt bad for her.
__________
Shame on you California! Let us get married!
[deleted]
Wow, I agree with the initial statement but not for the same reasons. I thought Paulie was really grating, however I think it's due to Piper Perabo's almost cartoon depiction of what should have been a deep character. The character as written is understandable and fleshed out, her actions are explained almost to a fault, seriously.
LOL @ bad Limp Bizkit video, I love it.
I agree with your assessment. I am not a fan of PP, but I her characterization of Paulie just got more and more tedious and self-involved (look at me I'm in such pain).
shareI agree, the acting was bad. i was cringing/laughing at most of it. The end was so depressing though. :( Why did she have to lose it to that extent? :/
sharePaulie was a bit melodramatic no doubt, but then she was a teenager. She obviously had mental issues, as challenging (and attacking!) an ex's boyfriend in a DUEL is not the usual....but Piper Parabo's acting was spot-on in her crying scenes.
It actually was heartbreaking to watch.
She did overact in the Shakespeare's scenes, but I think she was just combining a Shakespeare *tone* with a teen's histrionics.
I realize she didn't have a lot of people that seemed to love her, but what was the fuss over Tori?! She was dumpy and ugly, with teeth so gappy one could stick fingers between them!
And she sold her best friend out just because she was needy.
"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."
I think it's obvious that a performance like this is extremely polarizing. On one hand it's raw, unabashed and poignant, and the other hand is melodramatic, over-top and nearly ridiculous. But what makes Perabo's performance truly incredible is the fact that she uses melodrama and desperation to it's fullest to ultimately create a character who literally bleeds of danger and passion. It bothers me that people hate on melodrama. There is no such thing as a 'realistic' film because the point of a film is to exaggerate a human emotion or experience to make it exhilarating and worth watching. And think about how life is SO MELODRAMATIC anyway! Everyone at one point has felt the way Paulie did. Lea Pool and Perabo are merely externalizing this for a cinematic purposes. I respect an actor so much for purely just 'going there.' Perabo entered a world where hormones fueled her every action. People stared. People judged. And that was just so damn exciting to watch.
j