Portman Lines Up More Roles

I agree that of late she hasn't had a string of great performances (haven't seen V for Vendetta yet). But she was very good in the following 2 films:

- Beautiful Girls
- The Professional

And was fairly good in :

- Cold Mountain

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Kavalier & Clay was an awesome book, I hope they do justice to the film.

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She's sought after because she's talented.

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She had a breakout role in V FOR VENDETTA, and she was strong in her cameo role in COLD MOUNTAIN. Also, she wasn't bad in CLOSER.

But for one example of a strong performance, gotta go with V. Though, acting opposite the amazing Hugo Weaving certainly helped her.

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Her performances are usually good, it's the films that are never better than average. Garden State, meh. Cold Mountain, meh. V for Vendetta, meh. Closer, ick now that one was just plain bad.

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im sorry, i really really liked Portman in V for Vendetta.

though her british accent needs work i admit

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I don't really see how you could say her performance in Closer was just "Eh" when she won a golden globe and was nominated for an Oscar for the part. Maybe check some facts before you sound off about what you really might not know much about.

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Scott: First off, just because an artist was nominated (and in some cases win) awards doesn't necessarily make their performance the best that given year. Award Shows are rife with politics, causing the most worthy canidate not to always come out the winner (as example, I will always use the Emmy's, which ignore shows not on the big three (four now, I guess) networks when nominating and choosing their winners (Kristen Bell and Battlestar Galatica anyone???).

That notwithstanding, I enjoyed the hell out of her performance in Closer. It was my second favorite movie that year (I finally watched the Terminal at Christmas, and for whatever reason (and I watch it again and again and again and try to figure out exactaly why I love it so to no avail), and I felt that Portman's character was the balance that brought meaning to the other character's (poor) life choices.

Closer not withstanding, (and, keep in mind, I'm as much a Star Wars nerd as the rest of them, and I still think her performance in Clones was way underated), I was amazed by Garden State. Intertwined in a story that spoke to me on a level that I'll never be able to acturately articulate was a performance that was as true as any other I've ever seen (I'll be the first to admit that the movie and its story holds some personal signifigance to me (Shit, I spelled that wrong, and miss a spell checker extension in Firefox I used to have). Her introductory scene, and the joy that she portrays, and the honest silliness of the "unique moment" scene I thought made her as a star to me.

Saw V. Twice. Thought that she did a damn good job (A valliant attempt at an accent that did not work is something that I'm admittedly a little too quick to forgive (see: Kevin Costner/Robin Hood for further examples of this failing of mine). Still, though, not as a deep performance as Garden State to me.

I missed the Professional (dating myself, but I was too young to enjoy when it debuted, and still haven't found the time to go back and rectify that mistake). I think her performance against 'Mrs. Robbins' in Where the Heart Is was underated as well.

To summerize, I disagree with the original poster. I think she's got some chops, and look forward to other projects she's in.

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I agree! I've been telling people since 'Closer' how upset I was with her performance. Her laughing was fake, her emotions were fake. I've only ever liked her in 'The Professional'.

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I'll take Keira Knightly over Portman any day. Give Keira all of Portman's roles, just as I'd say give Rosario Dawson all of Halle Berry's roles.

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Heat, The Professional, she WAS good in Garden State... that's all I can think of right this sec...

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Oh please, of course she's talented. Stop acting like she's Keanu Reeves.

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