comment #1

Craig Kennedy says ...

Jeff, you're entitled to your opinion of Murphy and his Dreamgirls performance, but surely your tunnel vision isn't so extreme that you're unaware that large numbers of intelligent, reasonably minded people (in fact probably a majority) disagree with you.

Right or wrong, articles like this can't possibly be a surprise...can they?

comment #2

Chris Molanphy says ...

Why would anyone do this? Maybe because he believes it?

No offense, Jeff, but I think you hate this piece because it's so articulate. It makes the best case possible – for those of us who enjoyed Murphy in 'Dreamgirls' – why he deserves adulation and, maybe, even an award.

I especially appreciated Rainer's citing Bill Murray in 'Lost in Translation,' because (on a much smaller scale) I enjoyed Murphy's 'Dreamgirls' performance in much the same way I enjoyed Murray's. The rap on Murray in 'Tranlsation' was that the part was basically tailored for him and his strengths. And that's what made it remarkable – Murray sunk deep into the role, playing off his wry persona and revealing layers of gravitas beneath that persona, deconstructing himself in the process. Murphy does much the same thing as Early: is the part a total lay-down for him as a onetime James Brown imitator? as a sometime cheesy-pop star? Sure, and yes, but that's just the baseline of his performance: Murphy takes this gift of a part and plumbs a tier or two deeper. If you don't feel anything in the moment Rainer describes when Murphy/Early reaches for the heroin, you're missing something.

I'd still vote for the stunning Jackie Earle Haley over Murphy if I had a vote. But if Murphy wins as predicted tonight, what Rainer describes here is the reason why.

comment #3

Terry McCarty says ...

The cynical response would be to suspect Turan's on his way out and Rainer wants to be second string after Carina.

comment #4

rocco says ...

If Murphy wins tonight, Jeff, be a man...post a note of congratulations, and let it end with that. Assholes excel in every walk of life, and there's so much more to it than occupying oneself, or their internet nook, with such refuse.

On the other hand, that's exactly what I'm hoping you DO NOT say...I hope you don't come on here and write "c'est la vie...I tried...life is beautiful despite Murphy winning, blah, blah"....show some dignity and keep it tight. Sometimes less is more, and your restraint will carry much more weight than your defaming crusade.

If, by some chance, the Academy hands the award to Imogene Coca...uhh, Alan Arkin, rather...go ahead and gloat for a few sentences...then go out and make a decent donation to a charity of your choice...and don't tell anyone...you've got to do something to counterbalance all that hate...