Monday 31 August 2009

Nicole Kidman: When she's good, she's really good

The imminent release of Dead Calm on Blu-ray as well as some new photos today from John Cameron Mitchell's Rabbit Hole got me thinking about Nicole Kidman who I first noticed, somewhat predictably, in Phillip Noyce's aforementioned high seas thriller and was completely bowled over by. (What can I say, I've always had a thing for redheads.)

After Dead Calm, Kidman went Hollywood (and blonde), married Tom, did a bunch of movies, divorced Tom, won an Oscar (for The Hours) and has amassed an interesting CV of variable quality. There have been some great performances (including To Die For, Birth, Dogville, The Others, Eyes Wide Shut, and Moulin Rouge) and some less than stellar turns. (For the record, I gave up on The Hours after 30 minutes and so can't comment on that particular one, I haven't seen Australia and I wasn't a fan of Cold Mountain.) I interviewed her many years ago in Cannes for To Die For and found her witty and very personable, and thought she was fantastic in that movie.

Rabbit Hole, which is adapted by David Lindsay-Abaire from his Pulitzer Prize winning play, stars Kidman, who also produces, and Aaron Eckhart as a couple coming to terms with the death of their young son.

“It was about grief, which fascinates me,” reveals Kidman of her attraction to the material. “Loss and love seem to be themes that run through my work. [This film is about] a marriage and the way that people fuse through pain, that you can either be pulled apart or you can come together. In the same way that Birth was about loss of the loved one who’s your partner in life, this is the most profound loss, and it’s the worst place to tread. And so my nature tends to be to explore something that I’m terrified of."

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Loved Kidman in BIRTH. Incredible film! Easily my fave performance of hers, followed closely by EYES WIDE SHUT.

Mark Salisbury said...

It's such a great movie. And her performance is simply wonderful. I've always loved that shot where the camera pushes in on her face while she's at the opera (at least I think it's the opera, could be the theatre, can't remember exactly).

I wish Glazer would hurry up and make another film.

Stram said...

I'm glad to see that her next movie's going to be good, because Australia was such a disappointment, to me anyway (and I don't even talk about The Golden Compass...). But Kidman+Eckhart sounds very good! I can't wait to see her in Marshall's Nine too.

Mark Salisbury said...

I'm very much looking forward to Nine too. They actually shot some of it at a cinema close to where I live.

Unknown said...

Glazer's working on a new film called UNDER THE SKIN. Info, here:

http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2009/05/jonathan-glazers-under-skin-adaptation.html

Mark Salisbury said...

He's been working on that since I last interviewed him, which was just after Birth premiered at Venice. Although I actually think it might happen soon because a friend of mine has been working on it.

Have you ever read the book? It's very good. If very strange.

Unknown said...

I can't say that I've ever read the book but if this is indeed his next project I may just have to pick up a copy. thanks for the tip.

Mark Salisbury said...

You're welcome.

Gerard said...

Margot at the Wedding? Possibly my favourite Kidman turn of recent times. It irks me that she endures such backlash on my end - like you say, when she's good, she's really very good...

Mark Salisbury said...

Still haven't seen it. I know I should. And I will. I promise.

Gerard said...

It's quite good, and worthwhile just for her.

Unknown said...

Yeah, MARGOT AT THE WEDDING is a keeper. Plus, it also features Jennifer Jason Leigh. Always a good thing. ; )

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