Is Kathy Bates great? - Chéri (2009) Discussion

[–] 15 years ago

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Well, AMPAS loves her, but I don't think they lover her that much lol. You can make the case she over did it, and approached the role the wrong way, but at least she brought some life to an otherwise boring, dull film.

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[–] kisssara 15 years ago

I too thought the film was dull...what was it? I did not think the casting helped with the supporting roles...remember...this is Collette who introduced Audrey Hepburn to the world on Broadway....this is serious business this Cheri....but it was a heavy poundcake..when it should have been a souffle...

There women were the GEISHAS of Paris...Kathy Bates had NO GRACE. Godd actress....wrong part....

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[–] kisssara 15 years ago

Totally misscast...Bates as a courtesan? I don't think so.No Elan..no cheekbones, No charm, no sexiness, no grace...no souffle...a MADAME she played...earthbound and just bad interenal work as a artist...she was a banal delivery truck "Marge".
Awful casting. Just awful.

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[–] phyzzique 15 years ago

Say what you will............Kathy Bates stole Every scene she was in. The women of the fin de siècle were somewhat plump; don't judge by today's standards.

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[–] kisssara 15 years ago

Has nothing to do with her size. I am plump myself. She just had no class.

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[–] Frostrose 15 years ago

LOL! And courtesans are what you call classy?

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[–] Catdubh 13 years ago

Say what you will............Kathy Bates stole Every scene she was in.

ABSOUTELY!

Jack's not dead! Jack would never die without telling me, first!

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[–] milliedil 15 years ago

Actually, Bates was wonderful as the overbearing and crass faded courtesan who was smart enough to make a pile of dough before physically decaying. Didn't anybody notice the lovely portrait of her younger self in the background in one scene? Filmic evidence that she could, indeed, have been desirable long ago.

Pfeiffer's face is still stunning to behold but her body is completely wrong (she wears the clothing magnificently, though) and it mars the love scenes. Lea should not be rail-thin but rather fleshy and--well, warmly plumpish. I think Pfeiffer is brave to allow her face be seen as sad and aging, and I must admit it made me think she would be the first or second choice to play Norma Desmond in the musical film version of SUNSET BOULEVARD (though I'd still root for Ann-Margret).

"Thank you, thank you--you're most kind. In fact you're every kind."

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[–] sass18 15 years ago

Kathy Bates for Best Supporting Actress. I think she is a great actress and deserves to win an Oscar. Her bravura performance saved the movie.

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[–] miladymell51 15 years ago

I think she carried off the characterization of a vacuous woman who was so fake and so self-centered that she was never really in her body. so, she would come across as flippant and stiff. That's a hard balance to do in a film and Bates did it well. I don't think its Oscar stuff though.

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[–] A_Llama_Drama 15 years ago

heck yes i'd love her to win - she's so ridiculously funny and empowered.
and what's with all the fat hate? like someone else mentioned, she was a retired courtesan who was once beautiful - we're never given a time that she stopped, we don't know how charming or graceful she was around men for we never saw it, we only ever saw her talking to a woman she was jealous of and a son she despised... and besides, that line about perfume holding longer on plump/ soft/ aged skin is perfect!

My teenage ansgt has a body count

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[–] Anaheim92807 15 years ago

KB is the best thing in the movie! I loved her character. All the other characters were dull and one dimensional. That being said, I found it difficult to envision her as a courtesan, albeit retired. I loved her in "Fried Green Tomatoes," but this role is NOT deserving of an Oscar nomination...although with the number of nominations next year being increased from 5 to 10 you just never know.

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[–] Tcb83 15 years ago

Kathy Bates is an awesome actress and although I enjoyed her performance, tho did not find this to be one of her better roles.

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[–] WarpedRecord 14 years ago

I'm going to have to reluctantly agree. Kathy Bates can handle any role, and she was the reason I saw this film. But there's not enough depth to her character here to make it truly memorable. She gives a fine performance, but considering all the vivid characters she's played in the past, this is one of her more forgettable roles.

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[–] Oskiros-Arg 14 years ago

In general yes, but in this movie she is out of character.

Oscar
Hablo mejor español :)

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[–] bates_lange 14 years ago

I had trepidation before seeing the film behind all the mixed to negative reviews of Kathy Bates’ performance. I’m pleasantly surprised to be in the minority. I loved her in the film and her work stood out to me in a wonderful way. Unfortunately Harvey Weinstein had no role in producing this film – for he would’ve most certainly have gotten both Michelle Pfeiffer and Kathy Bates nominations.

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[–] tearsnhoney 10 years ago

I read the book and Kathy Bates was cast very well. She was a dancer in her youth and not skinny even then. As she got older, she got larger and didn't mince words. She was rude to Lea and took sport in pissing her off and even hurting her. Kathy's part wasn't meant to age gracefully, not at all. Lea/Michelle was meant to hang on to her beauty until her mid 40's. When Cheri and Lea became an item, Lea was in her late 30's, so she was still gorgeous. Cheri was 19, just becoming a man and appreciated her beauty. fun attitude and wisdom.
The book is good and not very long, I recommend it.

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[–] lisam73 13 years ago

No - not in this role. Her accent was uneven, and for me, she just wasn't believable. It had nothiing to do with her weight or appearance. It just seemed to me that her demeanor was more 2010 than 1910.

The View from the Slums of Norristown, PA

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[–] Sugarminx 13 years ago

"It just seemed to me that her demeanor was more 2010 than 1910."

Just curious to know what a '1910 demeanor' would be. I'm assuming that you feel she would have behaved differently? If so, in what way?

I've not read the book so I don't know how closely the film characters match their book counterparts, but I loved Kathy Bates in this. I also loved Rupert - their scenes together were what saved the film for me. It would have been irredeemably morbid and depressing without their humourous interactions.

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[–] 13 years ago

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