feeling listless

Film I’ve written before about my utter bemusement at the inability of the sparky Monica Potter to progress her career. A seriously underrated actress, given the right material she can be every bit sparky and charismatic as Sandra Bullock. She’s handicapped somewhat by looking like a blonde Julia Roberts, so I suppose for a casting director to choose her could look like they couldn’t get the pretty woman. I really enjoy her work and it would be nice to see her in something of greater substance some time soon (although I fear her finest hour will still be Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Lawrence as I’m With Lucy looks to be skipping a British release altogether despite the presence of John Hannah).

Part of her problem is appearing clunkers like Along Came A Spider in which she plays the partner of Morgan Freeman as he investigates the kidnapping of a young girl. The story and particularly the ending is utter hogwash, making no sense in relation to the rest of the film and offering no kind of satisfying conclusion to the story. Freeman’s character is a photocopy of the man he played in Seven, an injured old soul looking for redemption. That the film is at all watchable is mostly down to his presence as he utters every word with such a great sense of importance and humour it’s impossible not to believe him. But Potter is stuck in a role which is at time fragmentary and difficult to pin down. As the film progresses it’s obvious she’s trying her best, but like an actor in 24 she’s having to play each moment as it comes, and as becomes clear isn’t given a good enough script to cover all of the angles she’s asked to. But at least it’s better than Patch Bloody Adams.