Author Topic: Minute Detail - IMO The Worst Line Delivery in the Movie (Read 12311 times)

Nicole · « **on:** April 05, 2006, 03:40:40 am »

Okay, so I know we all love to talk about our favourite things about the movie, but lets talk about what we think is the worst line. For me, there are two and they aren't the lines themselves but the delivery of them that I hate. However, one has been discussed multiple times and now makes me laugh so hard when I see it that I almost love it at this point. Of course I am referring to Bobby Soprano (sorry, Twist) and his "I'm gonna be eatin' this food for da next two weeks!". (Bada bing!)

However, there is one that I really don't like and luckily it's not Jack or Ennis. It's Aguirre when he comes to tell Jack about his Uncle Harold in the hospital. He says "Your Ma asked me to come and let you know, so here I am". When he says "so here I am" and looks off into the distance it seems so over the top that it's almost like he's in a play rather than a movie. Maybe it's just me, but I cringe every time I see that scene.

And Paul and Mandy - what the hell are you guys still awake for? I guess I'mI not the only insomniac in this group?

Okay, Paul and Mandy were both here a minute ago - guess they both decided to go to sleep!

montferrat · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2006, 03:42:13 am »

LOL, I'm going already, I'm going....

and I LIKE the way Quaid delivers that line!

vkm91941 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2006, 05:17:01 am »

Let me get my hard hat out before I share this: I really did not like the way Linda Cardellini as Cassie delivers the line...Ennis, girls don't fall in love with fun!...just a little to OTT for me, I felt a quieter more intense deliver would have been more effective.

JMO

j.U.d.E. · « **Reply #3 on:** April 05, 2006, 05:47:59 am »

Quote

Ennis, girls don't fall in love with fun!...

I agree with you on that one Victoria! But then, I don't like the Cassie-character anyway..

I like Bobby when he says his line, maybe more the accent/dialect, than the intonation, but I like it.

It's not this thread's discussion, but I like Alma Jr's lines (when she's 16+ years old) and the Basque (food delivery guy).

~ j U d E

Jeff Wrangler · « **Reply #4 on:** April 05, 2006, 09:06:30 am »

Great idea for a thread!

Maybe after I actually sit down and watch the DVD I'll have something to contribute. ...

littledarlin · « **Reply #5 on:** April 05, 2006, 09:10:34 am »

i hate the line where alma jr says "will you go to the church picnic with us this weekend? please? daaaaaddyyyyyyyy"

i don't know why, it makes me cringe though. it seems dubbed and out of place.

EnnisDelMar · « **Reply #6 on:** April 05, 2006, 09:17:32 am »

The one line that I don't think worked well is "F*ck you" by one of those biker guys...just the way he says it I dunno..

ednbarby · « **Reply #7 on:** April 05, 2006, 09:28:03 am »

Quote from: vkm91941 on April 05, 2006, 05:17:01 am

Let me get my hard hat out before I share this: I really did not like the way Linda Cardellini as Cassie delivers the line...Ennis, girls don't fall in love with fun!...just a little to OTT for me, I felt a quieter more intense deliver would have been more effective. JMO

Yeah, I can see where that's a little over the top. Never thought of it that way, but it's true. I actually thought she did a very good job in the scene with Kate Mara - you know, the "you don't say much, but you do get your point across" one. The way she said, "Not ready to settle down, or I'm just not the right one for him?" or something to that effect is very believable - like she knows she may not like the answer she's going to hear. And then when Alma, Jr., says "You're good enough, I guess" (and by the way, that's when I KNEW that Jr. knows all about her Dad and Jack), she completely misunderstands her meaning, of course, and takes it as a compliment - you can see the relief when she delivers the next line. Very well-done. The more I think of it, it wasn't that Linda/Cassie wasn't capable of subtlety - I think she was always OTT with Ennis - it seemed as if she practically barked at him all the time - because she felt that was the only way to get through to him. You know, like, "If he won't talk to me, at least I'll MAKE him listen."

And I have to say I kind of liked the way Randy Quaid delivered that line. To me, he was being OTT as part of the character, if that makes any sense. It was as if Aguirre was thinking, "Here *I* am (and I've seen everything)" - you know, being melodramatic on purpose.

The only line reading that rings false to me in the whole thing, really, is Bobby's. It's not horrible, but he's no Haley Joel Osment. Ya nodamean, Vern?

henrypie · « **Reply #8 on:** April 05, 2006, 10:29:32 am »

I find the whole Uncle Harold scene unnerving (of course, because we're feeling Jack's discomfort) -- but I think the staginess of it is appropriate: the text is about Uncle Harold; the subtext is "Tell you what, I seen you fellas stemmin the rose." So it makes sense that the dialogue feels awkward and false.

littleguitar · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2006, 10:48:12 am »

Of course I am referring to Bobby Soprano (sorry, Twist) and his "I'm gonna be eatin' this food for da next two weeks!". (Bada bing!)

ROFLMFAO!! Oh man, thank you for my first laugh of the morning!!

As for the Cassie line, Vic I completley agree. That line always bugged me. It is way too overdramatic. It is only saved by that amazing look on Ennis's face after she runs out the door. That look is heartbreaking and one of my favorite Heath moments. He saved that scene for me. To tell you the truth, while it's mostly the delivery of that line I don't like, I could also just do without that line in the film

I think it's unbelievable and is really the only time I felt the scriptwriters weren't spot on.

Front-Ranger · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2006, 10:56:42 am »

I've been mulling over Aguirre and Jack and there are several verry odd exchanges between them. First, Jack says Aguirre thinks he can control the weather and keep the sheep from getting struck by lightning. Then, Aguirre rides up after getting an eyeful and says, Not unless you can cure pneumonia. Aguirre perhaps thinks Jack is some kind of alien being and looks on him as an aggressor. He even uses his binoculars to check on Ennis.

sparkle_motion · « **Reply #11 on:** April 05, 2006, 11:46:25 am »

Brandon, I completely agree. Those bikers were HORRIBLE actors. That whole scene seemed forced. I love the Ennis part, don't get me wrong, but not the biker part.

David · « **Reply #12 on:** April 05, 2006, 11:59:35 am »

The only line I didn't like was when Alma asks Enis why Jack can't come in for coffee. "He's from Texas" Alma: "Texans don't drink coffee?"

Yes, I know it got a lot of laughs, but the dialog just seems incomplete. Or maybe just frustrating. If I were Alma I would grabbed him by the apples and slowed him right down! Then maybe she would have gotten a straight answer from him.

TheStudDuck · « **Reply #13 on:** April 05, 2006, 12:24:12 pm »

The couple of lines that I don't like, but actually enjoy how much I don't like them (if that makes any sense)... are the ones where the two herds of sheep have gotten mixed together and they are pulling them apart and Ennis shouts out two lines... something like, "yeah, and what if we wanna work for Aguirre again, hunh?" and "we gotta stick this thing out, Jack!"

The reason they always irk me is because they painfully sound like ad libs... like Heath is desperately trying to be a true actor and be in character at every moment and... yeah, it just seems like way too much for me. Just way too much. All the same, I somewhat enjoy it... but in this weird sadistic way, like it's just so over the top that it amuses me. I don't know.

I'm prepared to get lambasted for my knock at the god that is Heath Ledger's performance... but, hey, that's just a couple of the lines that really don't feel right for me. Just because they sound so much like ad-libs... not like natural things someone would say... just things someone would say when they are attempting to be natural. If you get me.

henrypie · « **Reply #14 on:** April 05, 2006, 12:49:26 pm »

David, I completely agree about "We gotta stick this one out, Jack." It rings ever so slightly false to me.

And FrontRanger: I think he looks up the mountain at Ennis through his binoculars very pointedly, to show Jack that he's watching. Everything.

serious crayons · « **Reply #15 on:** April 05, 2006, 12:55:45 pm »

I actually like all the lines mentioned above, except the Bobby one (and the bowl of Trix doesn't help -- I was totally baffled by that interaction for a long time) and the coffee one, which doesn't quite make sense to me either. Why would Ennis say "he's from Texas" in response to an offer of coffee?

But OK then. Speaking of hardhats. Let me preface by saying that I totally subscribe to the Heath-is-God viewpoint, his performance is exquisite, I'd put it against anything done by Sean Penn or Brando or anyone else in the history of movies, he has gone from being an actor I hardly noticed to being my favorite actor, he definitely should have won BA as I've argued many many times ...

But. There are two deliveries of his that I don't like.

I don't like when he says he's dropping the girls off at the grocery store and suddenly briefly sounds Australian. That makes me cringe. I'm not blaming him so much, because I'm sure it's hard to maintain a foreign accent while doing everything else (as Heath has implied in interviews). But with all the care that's taken to every other detail, I don't see why they didn't just redo that scene or the sound or whatever. (Actually that whole scene seems a little bit "off" to me, perhaps because as was discussed elsewhere it was originally supposed to go in a different part of the movie.)

And the other is in the otherwise phenomenal "can't quit you" scene. He obviously is great in every other way in that scene. But I don't like the way he says "if I should come to know them" because he says "them" rather than "'em," which I think Ennis would actually say.

Come to think of it, I'm not crazy about that whole line. I love Ennis getting jealous and angry about Jack's trips to Mexico. But threatening murder seems a bit much, even if we know he wouldn't actually carry it out.

newyearsday · « **Reply #16 on:** April 05, 2006, 01:01:48 pm »

I've always felt that when Jack is talking to Ennis in the "tent don't look right" scene, he kind of falls out of his accent a little bit on the "Well it ain't goin' nowhere. Let it be!" line. Or he is somehow a little inauthentic here. It just feels a bit too staged to me. The positioning of the actors or the way it plays out. But I do love the way he and Heath end the scene, with Heath warming his hands over the fire and Jake smiling so big.

I don't like when he says he's dropping the girls off at the grocery store and suddenly briefly sounds Australian. That makes me cringe. I'm not blaming him so much, because I'm sure it's hard to maintain a foreign accent while doing everything else (as Heath has implied in interviews). But with all the care that's taken to every other detail, I don't see why they didn't just redo that scene or the sound or whatever. (Actually that whole scene seems a little bit "off" to me, perhaps because as was discussed elsewhere it was originally supposed to go in a different part of the movie.)

Wow, I didn't know it was supposed to go in another part of the movie. Is that what people were talking about when we had the point made that he could have made that story up to go and see Jack? B/c as it is, it was before the reunion.

I also cringe a little bit when he reverts to the Aussie accent in the word "shirt" as in--look in the top pocket of my blue shirt" right after the reunion kiss scene.

serious crayons · « **Reply #17 on:** April 05, 2006, 01:19:36 pm »

The shirt line, yes. Why didn't they fix those?

That one they could have easily rerecorded later, because he's not even onscreen when he says it.

>>Is that what people were talking about when we had the point made that he could have made that story up to go and see Jack? B/c as it is, it was before the reunion.

My understanding -- and I may have the details wrong -- is that it originally was going to go post-reunion. Which makes somewhat more sense. On the other hand, that way doesn't make perfect sense to me, either. Why would he only be out HALF the night? Why would he tell her to bring home round steak? If Jack has driven all that way to see him, wouldn't they at least spend the whole night together?

That said, I think otherwise everyone in the movie does a fantastic job of sounding authentically Western, at least to my Midwestern ears.

Nicole · « **Reply #18 on:** April 05, 2006, 01:51:03 pm »

Quote from: newyearsday on April 05, 2006, 01:01:48 pm

I've always felt that when Jack is talking to Ennis in the "tent don't look right" scene, he kind of falls out of his accent a little bit on the "Well it ain't goin' nowhere. Let it be!" line. Or he is somehow a little inauthentic here. It just feels a bit too staged to me. The positioning of the actors or the way it plays out. But I do love the way he and Heath end the scene, with Heath warming his hands over the fire and Jake smiling so big.

I actually love that exchange - it makes me laugh. I love Jake's delivery there. Isn't it interesting that we all have such different likes/dislikes about the movie? I love that!

David · « **Reply #19 on:** April 05, 2006, 02:54:09 pm »

Nicole, I agree with you. I love that scene. Heath and jack argue like a married couple, how sweet! Plus that little laugh Jack has at the end. Gotta love it!

Nicole · « **Reply #20 on:** April 05, 2006, 02:57:22 pm »

LOL!!! Oh my god, David "Indiana" S. - you're so asking for trouble. StudDuck is gonna go Ennis on your ass! (Lol, and let me clarify that - I'm talking fireworks scene Ennis, not first tent scene Ennis).

David · « **Reply #21 on:** April 05, 2006, 02:59:55 pm »

Oh Nicole! How great, dirty minds think alike! Ha ha ha!

Nicole · « **Reply #22 on:** April 05, 2006, 03:02:44 pm »

Who me? A dirty mind? I don't know what you're referring to...

Nobody's ever accused me of having a "clean" mind, lol.

delalluvia · « **Reply #23 on:** April 05, 2006, 07:39:02 pm »

Worst line? Yep, little Bobby's mealy mouthed line.

2nd worst IMO? Jack's "Where the hell you been? Up with the sheep all day, I get down here, hungry as hell and all I find is beans..."

Sounded forced, awkward, didn't flow very well.

RingerFanatic · « **Reply #24 on:** April 05, 2006, 07:44:48 pm »

The biker dudes are the worse actors for me. It was so over-the-top...and then when Ennis kicks ass the one guys cowers away and says "I'd rather not" or something like that. It just didn't seem right. I don't know.

And yes, Jack's son was also a weird little fella with bad delivery. They could have found a cuter kid with a more natural delivery. The funny thing is, he really did look like the spitting image of the asshole Stud Duck! lol

Ellemeno · « **Reply #25 on:** April 05, 2006, 07:51:56 pm »

>> I don't like when he says he's dropping the girls off at the grocery store and suddenly briefly sounds Australian.

>> And yes, Jack's son was also a weird little fella with bad delivery.

>> Jack's "Where the hell you been? Up with the sheep all day, I get down here, hungry as hell and all I find is beans..."

>> And the Texans don't drink coffee thing.

i agree with the weaknesses I've cut and pasted right above here. But I really like all those other lines. I like the bikers and how they say it (well, not like them like I want to go hump frogs with them). I like Randy Quaid's little ironic over-the-top-ness (which I think he/Ang chose to keep him from seeming like an evil threat, more like an unknown, unpredictable quantity). I like Cassie's brokenhearted, hurt delivery.

Here's where I think I'll need more than a hard hat, because I know this is sacrosanct with some people - I thought Anne Hathaway on the phone didn't really pull off all her lines. I know a lot of people think she was spot on with the "tire rim" speech, but I thought it looked like something out of a high school play.

dmmb_Mandy · « **Reply #26 on:** April 05, 2006, 07:55:26 pm »

Nicole - I agree, I was not a fan of Bobby's line there.

And about last night (this morning), haha, yeah I was up late. I'm always up late. I don't have early morning classes, they're all in the afternoon, so usually I'm up til 4 or 5 am, I'm a night person

Überlibran · « **Reply #27 on:** April 05, 2006, 08:28:25 pm »

I fifteenth (I gave up counting how many agree) the notion of lil' Bobby Soprano's line being delivered awkwardly. And also, Jake's whooping (the WOOWEE! when Ennis shoots the elk) makes me cringe every time I hear it. *ducks from the Gyllenhaalics*

RouxB · « **Reply #28 on:** April 06, 2006, 12:02:48 am »

To admit that anything coming out of Heath Ledger's mouth is less than perfect will no doubt make me lose sleep BUT the fight scene between Ennis and Alma when the girls are swinging just makes the little hairs on my arms poke up. I'm leaving lots of room for being wrong.

serious crayons · « **Reply #29 on:** April 06, 2006, 01:08:19 am »

(re Randy Quaid) >>which I think he/Ang chose to keep him from seeming like an evil threat, more like an unknown, unpredictable quantity

Well put, Ellemeno. In fact, this is a bit OT but I like that none of the people who seem somewhat threatening ever actually do much real harm: Aguirre, Jimbo, John Twist (well, except for hoarding the ashes), Alma (threatening because of her knowledge). The only exception is, of course, Ennis' dad. I like this approach because, the dad aside, there are no villains. But also because it keeps the conflict on Ennis' internal struggle rather than on some genuine external danger. It's more interesting and complex.

OK, sorry. Back to bad deliveries. Ummm ... can't think of any others. I know what you mean, Ellemeno, about Lureen's phone conversation -- it seems a bit stilted when she's describing the accident. But I like it anyway, maybe because the stiltedness adds to the mystery (is she lying, or what?). Even better I like the sad little squeaks she makes as she puts two and two together. Especially after Ennis discloses that they were on Brokeback together in 1963 -- long before she met Jack! Squeak.

henrypie · « **Reply #30 on:** April 06, 2006, 01:17:42 am »

Here's a little confession:
I STILL have never been able to decipher what Bobby says. I know, of course, because it's been such a topic of conversation around here, but I only hear what I've been taught he says, not what he says, ya know?

Isn't the rotten little actor's name Jake Church?

My husband got ordained by an internet church so he can marry a couple of friends of ours in June. We are permitted to sub-name our church, if I'm not mistaken. I'm thinking maybe Jake Church. Okay, Church of the Holy Jake. Or Jack.

southendmd · « **Reply #31 on:** May 23, 2013, 10:49:47 am »

Wow, all this in two days in April 2006!

*bump*

CellarDweller · « **Reply #32 on:** May 23, 2013, 11:06:20 am »

Quote from: Nicole on April 05, 2006, 03:40:40 am

However, there is one that I really don't like and luckily it's not Jack or Ennis. It's Aguirre when he comes to tell Jack about his Uncle Harold in the hospital. He says "Your Ma asked me to come and let you know, so here I am". When he says "so here I am" and looks off into the distance it seems so over the top that it's almost like he's in a play rather than a movie. Maybe it's just me, but I cringe every time I see that scene.

I agree with this....never liked that line, it came off to me like he was playing 'hero' "Your family needs help, here I am."

Granted Aguirre wasn't the type to play hero, but that's how it came off to me.

serious crayons · « **Reply #33 on:** May 23, 2013, 07:16:09 pm »

I probably aid this the first time I responded to this thread, but the worst delivery in the movie is when's Heath's accent slips and he says "guhls" instead of "girrrls." I so wish they would have fixed that, which doesn't seem like it would have been a big deal.

Front-Ranger · « **Reply #34 on:** May 23, 2013, 07:41:41 pm »

There are one or two other times in the movie where someone says, "So here I am." I think one is where Jack shows up after Ennis sends him a postcard telling him the divorce is final. It seems there is an overarching meaning to the phrase, so in that context, I don't think it's a bad line delivery.

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Author Topic: Minute Detail - IMO The Worst Line Delivery in the Movie (Read 12311 times)

vkm91941

EnnisDelMar

TheStudDuck

dmmb_Mandy