Challenge yourselves.

I was having an email conversation with a friend about a certain actress who has lately been seduced into the action/thriller/tough girl type films. While she is still appealing and in some instances very very good, it does nothing to really impress.

Of course I am talking about Jodie Foster.

I loved her ever since my Mum rented me "Freaky Friday". Oh those were the days.
Sure she has a great life with a woman she loves, and children, so she probably doesn't need to pick any really challenging roles, but please Jodie... for me.... challenge yourself.

I would love to see her play a villain in something. She was so good as a soulless corporate type in "Inside Man" but the film was a little let down in the premise of it all. It would be good to see her succeed at playing a more romantic role (perhaps being in a same sex on screen relationship could give her freedom to be honestly intimate) as I have always felt when it can to intimacy with men on screen, it always felt a little forced.

Perhaps this is a problem with actresses who are know for playing tough characters. Sigourney Weaver has not had a lot of success playing softer women. As much as I loved her in "Snow Cake" I can see how people would never be convinced with Ripley playing someone with Autism who likes to eat snow.

Is it us the viewers? Julia Roberts can do relationships with her eyes closed. "Erin Brockovich" showed that you can be hard and loving, but Julia has never ventured into the Action/Thriller genre.

Probably, for me anyway, the role that stands out as beautifully balancing tender romance with tough girl action would be Yu Shu Lien as played majestically by Michelle Yeoh in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". This is a role where the performance consisted of amazing action sequences with tough girl attitude, but was also able to break your heart with its tender longing for love.
Just look at this clip of her as she watches the man she loves with all her heart, but cannot be with. Her eyes say so much.



Perhaps with the Jodie's and Sigourney's of the world men are not something they need to be defined by, especially with the roles they choose, but still I would like to see some tenderness that is not directed at a child, but a partner.

Clarice Starling and Ripley are icons of cinema. Uma Thurman's The Bride is up there too, but her screen success is iffy to say the least (She should work with Tarantino all the time). And yes Michelle Pfeiffer high kicked throughout "Batman: Returns" and was fantastic, but that was more tongue in cheek then serious ass kicking.

Perhaps as western viewers need their women to be either Madonnas, Mothers, Bitches or Whores. Why can they not kiss ass and love tenderly at the same time?