MovieChat Forums > Steel Magnolias (2012) Discussion > This is AWFUL!!!!

This is AWFUL!!!!

posted 12 years ago by Butterfly041532
8 replies | jump to latest

If they were going to do a remake of the movie then they probably should have just stuck with the plot line and the personalities but changed ALL the wording from the original script. Watching them butcher the delivery of the lines is too painful.

The only one who did a really good job delivering lines is Jill Scott. I can't believe I'm going to say this but Alfre Woodward did an awful acting job...period. I've seen her act in a lot of movies and she's always acted very well, but she's just spitting out the lines like she's reading from the script. I'm not comparing her Ouiser to Shirley Maclaines Ouiser either, it's her actual acting in this that is bad.

Phylicia Rashad did a pretty good job with Clairee. Not impressed with the girl who played Shelby because she too sounded like she was just spitting out the lines.

I gave it almost 30 minutes.

Who Cares.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Butterfly041532 12 years ago

I didn't even realize Phylicia Rashad was her Mom. Makes sense now bc I was thinking there HAD to have been better actresses to play Shelby.

Only thing this movie made me want to do is watch the original to purge this one from my memory.

Who Cares.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] claudia-38 12 years ago

I have to disagree. Though I seem to stand alone on this, for the most part I liked the performance by the actress that played Shelby. It might be because anytime there is a remake, you compare performances. And I really didn't like Julia Roberts' as Shelby. Her southern accent was horrible (weirdly, since she is Southern). This actress didn't try any over the top accent and there were times when she could've been more emotional, but overall I liked her Shelby.
Jill Scott started off with a crazy accent, but once that settled down, she was very good as Truvy. Alfre is always so good and was as Ouiser, but it is just hard to compare with what Shirley Maclaine did with that role. And I have to agree with some others that Queen Latifah seem miscast as M'Lynn. Maybe it is the physical comparison between she & Sally Field, as I don't know how the writer envisioned the character. She had her moments emotionally, but she was very low key throughout. The Drum character in this one wasn't as funny or endearing as the first one.

I actually didn't like the original Steel Magnolias when I first saw it. The hype was such that my expectations were so high, it couldn't have met them. But, after a second and then a 40th viewing, it is one of my all-time favorites. But, I did go into this remake hoping to like it....and for the most part, I did.

[–] Butterfly041532 12 years ago

The Drum character in this one wasn't as funny or endearing as the first one.

Yeah, what was the deal with that?? They basically killed Drum. I didn't like what they did with Truvy's husband either. They turned him in to a d**k instead of a guy down bc work was scarce.

Who Cares.

[–] rockethulsey 12 years ago

I couldn't finish it.

[–] rocknrollprincess616 12 years ago

I recorded this on my DVR. I was a little disappointed that anyone thought that simply replacing the actors with an all black cast would somehow improve the original adaptation. There was nothing particularly wrong with the acting in the first film and the feel of it certainly felt more genuine than what the cast brought to this version of the play/movie. Of course, there's something to be said about talent in the 80s vs. talent in the 2000s (not that I don't love Queen Latifah, Alfre Woodard, or Phylica Rashad). Not to mention there was sure to be a shortage of talent from the director thanks to being an exclusive lifetime movie. But even with some excuses working for it, I couldn't manage past ten minutes into the movie. Whereas the original adaptation had me giggling and captivated, this one had me feeling bored and completely disinterested. I wanted to give it a chance, truly I did. But if you haven't got my attention at least ten minutes into a film, I'm not wasting any more of my time. Suffice as to say, this movie felt like such a disastrous flop to me that I felt it was necessary to comment on its message boards.

"The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."

[–] Mayville97 12 years ago

This was bad for the following reasons:

1. Queen Latifah- She was completely miscast and I felt she was too young for the role. She's an OK actress but she couldn't pull it off.
2. Actress playing Shelby: OMG!! Could she have been more monotone? No presence whatsoever.
3. Jill Scott: Dolly brought so much charm to the role but Jill Scott seemed like she was on meds part of the time. This movie needed to spend some more time with her character and her husband. I didn't find myself caring at all about her marriage.
4. Alfre Woodard: In think she tried too hard. I think she's a good actress but she's no Shirley Maclaine.
5. The punch Ouisa scene: OK, it didn't happen at the cemetery, no big deal but it seemed sooooo staged. Terrible.

Phylicia Rashad was good but I think she could have played it up a bit more.

Overall, the movie was a mess. Even, if this were not a remake of a brilliant movie or play, the movie was very bland and detached. The 80's version was so natural. You believed everything they were going through. The cemetery scene was a cinematic masterpiece. You laughed and cried with them. With this new version, you laughed and cried but for the wrong reasons.