Trailer Trash: Thumbsucker: An excellent cast and...Keanu Reeves?

Um, haven't seen The Cell have we? - :)

"my two favorite Vince's - Vincent D'Onofrio, and Vince Vaughn (In the same film? Are you kidding me? Someone has heard and answered this girl's prayers!)."

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The Cell, oh, you're right! I'd pushed that film far, far, back in the recesses of my memory, because it freaked me out so much. But yes, both V's were in it, and thanks for pointing that out.

Not only that, they're also both in the upcoming film "The Break-Up", too! More Vincent and Vince goodness!

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"Maybe he'll prove me wrong" - Funny, ALL the other reviews I've read from people who have actually seen the film are lauding Reeves' performance. You are unique in that you've spent 3/4 of your column giving Reeves a lousy review before actually seeing the performance. Your "hoping against hope that Reeves will actually be good in it" is a backhanded compliment from someone obviously who is a closet fan, but is afraid to admit it in print because it has always, always been en vogue to perpetuate the notion that he is a plank of wood. I "hope against hope" you muster up the courage to give him the credit he's due AFTER you've seen the film.

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Hey, great! Absolutely well done! Trashing someone who's hilarious before you've seen the whole thing. Now that's a first (I guess) - but it seems that slamming Keanu Reeves is always oh so easy. ... and then toning it down, becoming a timid little mouse and saying he might not be so bad after all. He got more applause and laughter in Sundance and Berlin than Lou Taylor Pucci who ended up with the prize on both occasions.

Get yourself off to Edinburgh or Toronto and then recant.

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Thumbsucker is actually a big disappointment. Pucci is on his way to some better things, perhaps, but this movie is extremely overrated. There are a few great moments featuring Vaughn, but otherwise it has that same feel as Garden State. You know, the one that feels straight out of a cheap indie film playbook. I'll give it credit though for making the rest of the audience laugh, even though the rest of the audience was full of idiots.

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mmmm.. i thought Keanu was both funny AND sexy in "Somethings gotta give" and reading reviews of people who have actually seen the movie,it seems to also be the case in Thumbsucker.
The entire cast has been given good reviews,so to single out Keanu (without having seen it) is weird.
btw i am hoping it will be another "Garden State"..loved the humour in that movie!
Will be interested in reading an actual movie review next month..

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I love your enthusiasm. Don't trash Keanu just yet because he plays a truly different kind of character this time around. Once you see the film you'll understand why he speaks the way he does. Just got the pleasure of seeing this film last night at a screening. All I can say is move over America, this film is going to take you for a great ride. Everyone is amazing. I'm glad Scarlett dropped out, or whatever the true reason was, because Kelli Garner is terrific as Rebecca. What a true star this young woman is.

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Who are you, and why should we give one iota of what you think of a trailer or an entire movie? Don't answer that - it was a rhetorical question.

If you don't care for Mr. Reeve's acting doesn't appeal to you, well, okay. But, as Jackie wrote above, Mr. Reeves received positive notices for his perfomance when the film was screened at the both the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals.

It is also interesting to observe that you used his name in the title of your article -- not above prejudging his performance AND using his name to promote the article?

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It's not as if Keanu's the worst actor ever. People just need to learn to take him for what he is. I like his acting because in his non-action flick roles he is one of the few actors that never over acts.

Give me his subdued "hey, this is me reading my lines" over half of al pacino's crazy, mid-film rants any day.

ps. I love Pacino, but if he's not in a huge, over the top Pacino style role, then he overacts and it ruins the movie.

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Dear Kim,
Why bother going into it hoping against hope that Reeves will actually be good in it. You've already decided that he's going to suck in it.

I find it odd that you, like so many others, are eager to jump on the Keanu bashing bandwagon. Why? Have you actually ever paid attention to him in a film and not just his good looks? I suggest you take a good look at Keanu the hardworking actor and not just Keanu the sex symbol.

He does have talent. Start with Devil's Advocate and tell me he didn't act his tail off. I find it hard to believe that someone who has made 55 films, has no talent. Looks only take you so far.

Maybe you missed those 200+ articles on how co-star after co-star praise him for his professionalism, say he's talented and a perfectionist who's hard on himself and works harder than 95% of the current Hollywood A listers.

Every person he's worked with has 100 times more respect for him after working with him. Wanna know why? Because they all went into it with the same attitude you have.

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Some movies sell tickets simply because Keanu's in
them. He isn't afraid to portray unusual characters
and does a lot of research before filming. As for
your general disdain of his talents, I don't think
it makes him cry on the way to the bank.

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What is it with you so-called "critics" anyhow ?

It seems to me you are lost enough for words so you have to fall back on that old habit of beating up on someone some other critics have a negative attitude towards.

Those critics are so unfair and SO WRONG about Keanu, and his acting abilities ! As I see it, he's one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. He may not be real expressive in the face, but then who the hell cares, if he gets his message across ? As far as I've experianced he DOES get his message across , and DOES touch me. Don't give us all that old crap about his facial expression ( or rather lack of it )---that's not a big deal---look at Clint Eastwood- he never twitches a muscle ever; he's just Clint Eastwood, whatever movie he's acting in. John Wayne was the same way. Still , the public recieved them wholeheartedly.
Of course Keanu can act !! He has years and years of sucessfull movie performances to prove it. How good he was in "A walk in the Clouds" ! Even E& R , the formost top "critic in the country was impressed. Look at the great job he did in "Speed" ! Many were impressed with "My Own Private Idaho " also. He has done a lot of emoting in all his shows ! I wish you critics would give him a break, and start to appreciate him. GET OFF HIS BACK and give him the credit that is really due to him ! If he's NOT talented what in God's name is he doing still functioning so well in his profession? He makes a lot of money for a lot of people besides his own self, also ! BE FAIR !!!!

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I have no idea who or what "Cinematical" is, but anyone who professes to be a professional film critic on a worthwhile website, and can't even spell DIALOG or DIALOGUE (depending on if you want American or British) is not really worth my time to read.

The comments about Keanu Reeves just confirm that. First and last visit to "Cinematical".

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You need to watch the movie, before making assumption.

And use a fecking spell checker.

Gawd!

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I'm not so bothered who the actor is - seems to me you either love or hate Keanu, and I can't think what he might have to done to provoke such extreme reactions - what bothers me is that as a critic, you're slagging off a performance you haven't even seen yet. When you've seen the film, I might take you seriously. Until then, reviewing a few snippets out of context is facile and worthless. I'm seeing the film at its UK premiere, I'll make my mind up then.

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Keanu Reeves is the most beautiful man in the universe which might be why he never gets the respect he deserves. People dote on his exotic good looks more than on his acting ability. Hell, I can't even respect him because whenever I see him onscreen all I think about is wanting to fuuck the hell out of him!

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Kim Voynar : " Vincent and Vince goodness "? ???

Who let you out ? You got to have been in some kind of confinememt for some time to have your standards of attractiveness in men become so ordinary ( plain, common, BLAH ) . You probably got excited at the first men you saw and those Vinces were right there on t.v. the first time you turned it on after your prison term.

Compared to Keanu Reeves, those "Vinces" are about as elegant in male beauty as hot dogs .

Oh I know--there are many quite handsome young male movie celebrities out there ; new ones every year. Some of them are really quite fetching in thier good looks--; Johnny Depp, for example. Leonardo DeCaprio may fill the bill for some. BUT- you know what ? The trouble is they are boy-men, not really tall, dark, and handsome according to age-old standards. No Clark Gables ,Tyrone Powers or Gregory Pecks among them! Nope-; for the most part they are gone, gone, gone with the wind !

But there is one that comes close to those standards today and he is Keanu Reeves, and he's a man too-, not a boy-man who looks like a high school senior.

There are also women today who can appreciate a male with dramatic extraordinary looks, rather than just "cuteness".

Keanu-: tall, dark, slim, handsome, talented (acting, singing, musical instrument player, dancer ,unarmed combat performer-)-FASCINATING !!

By the way- have you ever looked at some of his good photos ? Here's a promise : look at them, and you will feel your female spirit fluttering it's wings.

Of course, remember, his role in "Thumbsucker" deliberately has him looking differant than his usual self, so don't start harping about that. It isn't the real him.

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I have yet to see the movie "Thumbsucker". However, I have seen other Keanu Reeves films. I am appalled by your remarks that compare him to your daughter's Barbie doll and that you can't wait for his "acting skills" to catch up with his sexiness. I am so sick and tired of critics like you that harshly criticize and stereotype Keanu's acting. What makes Keanu's acting unique is that he doesn't overemphasize his characters. His acting is not "over the top" or overdone like some actors/actresses do. He plays the role as it should be done. Also, action films like the Matrix are not the only films he does well in. Keanu has proven to be very moving and emotional in movies like "Sweet November" with Charlize Theron.
Critics like you need to layoff Keanu. I think it gives you great pleasure in Keanu-bashing for every film he is in just to make him look like he's stupid and you're smarter than him. I do not listen to you guys anyways. I go see movies for myself and make my own opinions.

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You girls are proving this author Kim's point that Keanu is nothing more than a pretty-faced lousy actor. All you talk about is his dreamy good looks. You see his pretty face on the big screen and you fall under his spell and are not being objective to the fact that the dude can't act for shit!

Apparently Kim isn't the only one who feels this way...

Here are 2 links to other articles that tell it like it is when it comes to Keanu's acting by stating that he only got where he is by his pretty face. Check them out for yourselves...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6940807/

http://www.fametracker.com/fame_audit/reeves_keanu.shtml

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*looking up at all the other comments*

Well doesn't look like I have to say much of anything. Others have said it all. Perfect.

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