MovieChat Forums > The Butler (2013) Discussion > Who else found the casting too distracti...

Who else found the casting too distracting ?

posted 10 years ago by Dubdub1974
63 replies | jump to latest

I mean I spent half he time going: oh! it's so and so! It took away from the story and the authentic feel they were going for. I mean seriously:
-Mariah Carey as a plantation worker, yeah really? Mariah Carey?
-Leny Kravitz as a butler. I was like: "didn't know he was trying to be an actor now"
-And why choose famous actors for the presidents? Every, single one of them. I had to laugh when I recognized Alan Rickman as Reagan.

I feel that the casting was some kind of school boy's fantasy. The movie stopped being about the story or the characters and became instead all about the celebrity who's who. I was half expecting Kim Kardashian to be one of the Black Panthers or something (yeah I'm exaggerating slightly, but barely really!) This was a pity: I think better casting would have elevated this piece.

[–] RigbyEleanor 10 years ago

I didn't find the cast distracting at all. But then, again, I'm quite intelligent and don't find it difficult to focus on whatever it is I want to focus on. When I watch movies I concentrate on scenes, dialogs, the story, not so much who is famous or not. But that's just me.

If this was a school boy's fantasy, the boy must be around 60 years old.

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[–] kyle-sharp 10 years ago

You may be intelligent but you're also passive aggressive as *beep*.

[–] Kuato_and_George 10 years ago

I didn't find the cast distracting at all. But then, again, I'm quite intelligent and don't find it difficult to focus on whatever it is I want to focus on. When I watch movies I concentrate on scenes, dialogs, the story, not so much who is famous or not. But that's just me.

If this was a school boy's fantasy, the boy must be around 60 years old.

When someone creates a legitimate post asking a question and raising what they felt was an issue with the movie, and you feel the need to respond with telling the world how intelligent you are, that's actually the opposite of what I'd call "quite intelligent".

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[–] lastmidnite2 10 years ago

RigbyEleanor, you may be intelligent, but you're also a rude c-nt. Pop a Mydol hon.

[–] siltom1962 10 years ago

Well I'm glad SOMEBODY thinks you're intelligent.

[–] shaunsydneymom602 9 years ago

Hey,Rig

i agree and love ur post. some just here on IMDb, knit-pick on "each lil thing"so just ignore it,i usually do.

going back to c it on showtime love it

night

Lisa Sydney

[–] TheRabidDeer 9 years ago

For somebody so intelligent you sure are bad with grammar. Additionally, part of a movie is to be able to identify characters and if the casting or makeup inhibits this then that is a negative aspect.

[–] Rizzyay 8 years ago

The incapability to analyze reasons behind casting choices while concentrating on scenes and the story is not intelligent. The story is the most easily understandable part of movies.

[–] delmoki 10 years ago

I guess you missed Lenny Kravitz in The Hunger Games.

[–] Dubdub1974 10 years ago

Totally. Didn't manage to get into that franchise at all.

I do think that once you have reached a certain celebrity status it is more difficult to disappear in a role because you are just too recognizable as "the celebrity". That's true even for seasoned actors. For non actors (singers turned actors usually) it's even worse.

I do understand they need big names to get financing and people to come watch the movie but not every single character needs to be uber-famous.

[–] Gdub33 9 years ago

Lenny Kravitz was spectacular in The Hunger Games.

[–] Crowdog 10 years ago

I found it distracting that Oprah Winfrey is, at least, 20 years too old for the role..

[–] lambs180 10 years ago

I feel that the casting was some kind of school boy's fantasy

I was thinking the same. There's not doubt the majority of the cast are really good, but that was my thought when I saw actors like Mariah Carey (who doesn't have a line in the movie) or Alex Pettyfer who have less than 1 minute of screentime or even Minka Kelly.

[–] angelblueqt 10 years ago

Yeah the entire time I was watching the movie I could get over the fact that Oprah was in it. A good movie, but I feel like I would have been more invested if they had some unknowns in the film as well.

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[–] Frequency270 10 years ago

Yeah...I kept wondering, "So...who plays Oprah Winfrey in this world?".

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[–] AngelCake56FJS 10 years ago

I didn't find it distracting at all. Growing up I remember watching Oprah in movies such as; The Color Purple, Beloved, Brewster's Place. I thought nothing of it. Mariah Carey's only speaking park was her scream and it wasn't her iconic high pitch one. I thought the casting was just fine, what's distracting is when the actors can not act.

[–] supervegeta101 10 years ago

Alan Rickman was a pleasant surprise but Brad Pitt was totally a "Star power" casting and bull *beep*

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[–] kayeinspire 10 years ago

I forget already who Brad Pit played??

Not a huge fan of his but's ok, just saying.

[–] karlkuehl 7 years ago

He's not in this movie. Poster must have thought of "12 Years a Slave".

[–] kayeinspire 7 years ago

karlkuehl

thanks for clarification! :-)

[–] Ithilfaen 10 years ago

Yeah I agree. The forceful inclusion of famous faces in every little part was annoying and distracting. It took away from the story in a way because it was about ordinary people and there was this constant parade of celebrities that felt contrived.

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[–] kyle-sharp 10 years ago

I felt the same way. It's one thing when you have a set cast of actors who can inhabit their roles but when you have a parade of celebrities trotted in for a blink and you miss it cameo as real political figures, it's hard to concentrate on what's going on. It felt a little cheap (Mariah Carey especially). It felt very showy. This was suppose to be an Oscar contender not a Valentine's Day/New Year's Eve popcorn flick.

[–] TooPrettyInPink 7 years ago

I felt the same way. It's one thing when you have a set cast of actors who can inhabit their roles but when you have a parade of celebrities trotted in for a blink and you miss it cameo as real political figures, it's hard to concentrate on what's going on. It felt a little cheap (Mariah Carey especially). It felt very showy. This was suppose to be an Oscar contender not a Valentine's Day/New Year's Eve popcorn flick.

You said it perfectly! Thanks for this comment.