Now, I've never been a terribly deep thoughts kind of person and I'm not about to get all film critic on you now, because it would quickly become apparent to all of us, that I don't know what I'm talking about. All I can say about any movie is whether I liked it or not and if I feel strongly about it either way, I might go into detail, but otherwise I like to paint with a nice broad brush. I liked this movie, overall. Yeah, I thought the psychiatrist's (Stellan Skarsgård) story line didn't seem completely fleshed out and I didn't love how they wrapped up the end, but overall, these things did not bother me enough to make me not like the movie.
Of course, the acting by everyone was great. Chandra Wilson as the jealous, bitter sister gave us a tiny bit of levity and provided a couple of laughs while Phylicia Rashad was the seemingly-in-denial, wrought mother - though I don't think I could ever see her and not think, "Mrs. Huxtable!" (at least just at first. I mean, seriously!). As I said, both were great; I only wish there had been a bit more of them.
I can't remember ever having seen a Halle Berry movie in theaters-and I hesitate to admit this next thing because it makes me sound totally shallow- but I have to say from time to time I couldn't help being distracted from the performance because I couldn't stop myself from thinking how beautiful she was. Good lord, she really is. A screen-sized Halle Berry is hard not to take notice of. Despite being distracted by her ridiculously good looks, I paid enough attention to know that the Oscar buzz surrounding her is warranted. We'll see what comes of it though.
In any case, she showed up after the film for the Q&A, and and again I freely admit my shallowness overtook me. I struggled to pay attention to anything she said for the first ten minutes because I couldn't get over how beautiful she was and could not stop thinking that I was somehow, impossibly, in the same room with her. I'm female and I'm straight, but as I've no doubt made clear, I can appreciate hotness in a woman when presented with it, what can I say? Anyway, I was about five rows back from the stage, though a bit off to the side, but even from there I could see she she's got perfect skin. Must be nice. In any case, though the person I went to this screening with said he was nervous for her having to come out and face a crowd that had just watched her film, she seemed perfectly at ease. She got a standing ovation and seemed flattered but a bit embarrassed.
She talked about how she'd been trying to get the film made (off and on) for twelve years, and how everyone in the cast was her first choice and she was surprised that they'd all agreed to be in it. It shot in twenty five days and though the budget didn't allow for too much "fancy" stuff, they did have plenty of Ding Dongs around (a reference to something in the movie). She talked about how being a mother has helped with her acting, but how that doesn't affect the roles she chooses to take.
A woman asked her about any advice she might have for someone who is of mixed race (in this case, the woman who asked was asking for her 12 year old daughter who was there) and how they should approach casting situations. Berry basically said that early on she decided she identified with being African American and that's just what's always felt right for her because of how she looks, and that the daughter in question should do what felt right for her, that there's no right or wrong and no matter what, she's beautiful as she is. I'm not judging and I do agree that people should absolutely do what's right for them, but the way she spoke made it sound as though she almost does not acknowledge (for lack of a better word) being half white. Out of sheer curiosity, I would love to ask Berry's mom, who is white (and from what I understand, raised Berry mostly on her own) what she thinks about all that.
Anyway, when the Q&A wrapped up, there was a rush to the stage to get pics and autographs and for a moment I was a little scared for her. She took a few pictures, signed a couple of things and then they managed to get her away from the over-eager crowd. And there I stood thinking: Good Lord, I was just in a room with an Oscar winning actress! Not many movie-loving, non-celebrity folk get that opportunity and I know that, so I was not about to take it for granted.
In the end, Halle Berry did not pick me out of the crowd to become BFF's as I imagined she would before I got there, but I'm sure that's only because she was rushed by so many people so soon after the Q&A that there was just no time. Yep, that's what it was. That aside, it was a really good evening and I'm happy that I got to go!
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