There's a fair amount of internet buzz surrounding the casting of Cameron Diaz in the movie adaptation of Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper. And the bees are angry. She's too young appears to be the collective refrain emanating from the hive. Let me add my voice to the drones. I just finished the book and can't stop thinking about it. If you haven't read it, stop pretending to work, walk away from the computer, and RUN to Barnes and Noble or your local library. If you're punching a clock and can't leave, get thee to Amazon now. Do not pass go. I promise your boss isn't looking.
I didn't know until today a movie was in the works. I was taking a break between reading legal briefs today, and visited La Picoult's website (which is fabulous, by the way - she's witty and real) because I couldn't get the book out of my head (if you've read it, you understand. if you haven't, GO READ IT!). The site had a one sentence blurb encouraging me to watch for the film, starring Cameron Diaz. My thoughts went something like this:
Cameron Diaz? She's way too old to play one of the daughters. Girlfriend is cute and perky, but even surfing every day can't make her look 16, especially without the Timberlake arm candy. I wonder how much fat is in this giant plate of peanut butter crackers I just made? Crunch, crunch - gasp - cough cough cough - she couldn't be playing the mom, Sara, could she? No, there's no way. She's too young. She's too cute and perky. I've lost my appetite. Might as well go back to legal briefs. Oh, wait a minute. She must be playing Julia, the young-ish guardian ad litem who used to have pink hair and falls in love with the snarky lawyer. The world makes sense now. Mmmm...peanut butter straight from the jar is dee-lish.
And then I ruined a perfectly lovely day. I mosied on over to the nice people at http://www.imdb.com/ and there it was. Cameron Diaz as Sara Fitzgerald with Jersey hair. Apparently Joan Cusack is part of the cast, too, but her role isn't listed. She's up near the top, though, so I presume maybe she's playing Julia? Joan Cusack is fantabulous, but she's too old for Julia. These two ladies should do a Freaky-Friday switcheroo and make everyone happy. Joan has the gravitas to play Sara Fitzgerald, and it's high time she sunk her teeth into a complicated role. Let me be clear - Cameron is not a bad actress. I rather like her (though I'm starting to wonder if her booty has it's own pay or play contract - it finds a way to shake or dance in every flippin' film it's in....) - but she's not right for the role. There's the age issue, but there's more. Sara is not cute or perky...Sara is a devastated mother faced with hard choices and, frankly, not entirely sympathetic. I found myself angry at her during much of the book, and that's not an emotion I generally associate with Cameron. Sally Field would have been perfect in her day. Or Meryl Streep (oooh, I got goosebumps just thinking about that). Also, I'm not sure the role can or should be played by anyone who has not birthed or adopted a child. No amount of research can prepare you for the feeling of motherhood - for the pain and joy of wearing your heart outside your chest.
Cameron may surprise us all. She may pull it off and establish herself as a "serious" actress, but much like the Olympian I'm watching as I type this...she has some big hurdles to clear.
Oh, and p.s. - in case you're jonesing for my thoughts on the rest of the cast...Abigail Breslin as Anna seems okay, I guess. I've only seen her in Little Miss Sunshine, but I thought she was pretty good (the movie, on the other hand was overrated - the "little indie that could" of that particular year . . . ). Alec Baldwin as the snarky lawyer, Campbell, is a perfect fit....10 years ago. Jason Patric as Brian Fitzgerald, as the anchor, the most understated, heartbreaking character in the book....I'm somewhat ambivalent. I don't think he's perfect, but the choice doesn't send me into fits of rage. However, Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Denny Duquette from Grey's Anatomy) as Brian would be, in a word, divine.
I didn't know until today a movie was in the works. I was taking a break between reading legal briefs today, and visited La Picoult's website (which is fabulous, by the way - she's witty and real) because I couldn't get the book out of my head (if you've read it, you understand. if you haven't, GO READ IT!). The site had a one sentence blurb encouraging me to watch for the film, starring Cameron Diaz. My thoughts went something like this:
Cameron Diaz? She's way too old to play one of the daughters. Girlfriend is cute and perky, but even surfing every day can't make her look 16, especially without the Timberlake arm candy. I wonder how much fat is in this giant plate of peanut butter crackers I just made? Crunch, crunch - gasp - cough cough cough - she couldn't be playing the mom, Sara, could she? No, there's no way. She's too young. She's too cute and perky. I've lost my appetite. Might as well go back to legal briefs. Oh, wait a minute. She must be playing Julia, the young-ish guardian ad litem who used to have pink hair and falls in love with the snarky lawyer. The world makes sense now. Mmmm...peanut butter straight from the jar is dee-lish.
And then I ruined a perfectly lovely day. I mosied on over to the nice people at http://www.imdb.com/ and there it was. Cameron Diaz as Sara Fitzgerald with Jersey hair. Apparently Joan Cusack is part of the cast, too, but her role isn't listed. She's up near the top, though, so I presume maybe she's playing Julia? Joan Cusack is fantabulous, but she's too old for Julia. These two ladies should do a Freaky-Friday switcheroo and make everyone happy. Joan has the gravitas to play Sara Fitzgerald, and it's high time she sunk her teeth into a complicated role. Let me be clear - Cameron is not a bad actress. I rather like her (though I'm starting to wonder if her booty has it's own pay or play contract - it finds a way to shake or dance in every flippin' film it's in....) - but she's not right for the role. There's the age issue, but there's more. Sara is not cute or perky...Sara is a devastated mother faced with hard choices and, frankly, not entirely sympathetic. I found myself angry at her during much of the book, and that's not an emotion I generally associate with Cameron. Sally Field would have been perfect in her day. Or Meryl Streep (oooh, I got goosebumps just thinking about that). Also, I'm not sure the role can or should be played by anyone who has not birthed or adopted a child. No amount of research can prepare you for the feeling of motherhood - for the pain and joy of wearing your heart outside your chest.
Cameron may surprise us all. She may pull it off and establish herself as a "serious" actress, but much like the Olympian I'm watching as I type this...she has some big hurdles to clear.
Oh, and p.s. - in case you're jonesing for my thoughts on the rest of the cast...Abigail Breslin as Anna seems okay, I guess. I've only seen her in Little Miss Sunshine, but I thought she was pretty good (the movie, on the other hand was overrated - the "little indie that could" of that particular year . . . ). Alec Baldwin as the snarky lawyer, Campbell, is a perfect fit....10 years ago. Jason Patric as Brian Fitzgerald, as the anchor, the most understated, heartbreaking character in the book....I'm somewhat ambivalent. I don't think he's perfect, but the choice doesn't send me into fits of rage. However, Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Denny Duquette from Grey's Anatomy) as Brian would be, in a word, divine.
1 comment:
I got all wrapped up in the peanut butter and how dee-lish it is! (Tee heee hee). Seriously, I haven't read the book, but thanks to the commentary herein, it is on my must-read list. I love a good book.
Bonnie Worthington
Author, Engine Ed's Colorful Train
http://www.EngineEd.com
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