Breakthrough Performances: Five to Look Out For
From:NY Times
Date:May 7, 2006
By KAREN DURBIN
Simon Baker
"The Devil Wears Prada" (June 30) is a fashion-savvy chick-lit comedy based on the 2001 romanic clef by Lauren Weisberger, a former assistant to Anna Wintour, the famously astringent editor of Vogue. It enthusiastically belongs to its female players, particularly Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, the dark power of the movie's title who edits Runway magazine, and Anne Hathaway as her shellshocked new assistant, Andrea Sachs. The Australian actor Simon Baker, below, plays Christian Harper, a staff writer for New York magazine and the sort of "real" journalist that Andrea, who was editor of her college newspaper, aspires to be. Still, men are incidental in this movie. Which makes Mr. Baker's ability to steal almost every scene he is in all the more impressive.
This comes as a surprise after Mr. Baker's last film, "Something New," a bittersweet comedy about interracial romance in which he played the heroine's controversial white lover, but managed to be so low-key and recessive that he even lookedphysically slight on screen. There is nothing slight about Mr. Baker in "Prada," even though his role is secondary. Amid the over-the-top fabulosity of
the movie's fashionistas, his Christian is the one wholly believable character. He's the kind of smooth, ambitious journalist who does serious work if the assignment calls for it but will happily sell his soul, brain and maybe even his body for a shot at big-time bucks and glamour.
Mr. Baker imbues him with humor and sexy charm, but it's the actor's canny way of conveying a laid-back authority without condescension that makes Christian irresistible. For a time at least, he snows Andrea and us, too, even though we really should know better. He also gets the movie's best line. "She's a sadist," he says of Miranda, "and not in a good way."
fromNY Time .
Date:May 7, 2006
By KAREN DURBIN
Simon Baker
"The Devil Wears Prada" (June 30) is a fashion-savvy chick-lit comedy based on the 2001 romanic clef by Lauren Weisberger, a former assistant to Anna Wintour, the famously astringent editor of Vogue. It enthusiastically belongs to its female players, particularly Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, the dark power of the movie's title who edits Runway magazine, and Anne Hathaway as her shellshocked new assistant, Andrea Sachs. The Australian actor Simon Baker, below, plays Christian Harper, a staff writer for New York magazine and the sort of "real" journalist that Andrea, who was editor of her college newspaper, aspires to be. Still, men are incidental in this movie. Which makes Mr. Baker's ability to steal almost every scene he is in all the more impressive.
This comes as a surprise after Mr. Baker's last film, "Something New," a bittersweet comedy about interracial romance in which he played the heroine's controversial white lover, but managed to be so low-key and recessive that he even lookedphysically slight on screen. There is nothing slight about Mr. Baker in "Prada," even though his role is secondary. Amid the over-the-top fabulosity of
the movie's fashionistas, his Christian is the one wholly believable character. He's the kind of smooth, ambitious journalist who does serious work if the assignment calls for it but will happily sell his soul, brain and maybe even his body for a shot at big-time bucks and glamour.
Mr. Baker imbues him with humor and sexy charm, but it's the actor's canny way of conveying a laid-back authority without condescension that makes Christian irresistible. For a time at least, he snows Andrea and us, too, even though we really should know better. He also gets the movie's best line. "She's a sadist," he says of Miranda, "and not in a good way."
fromNY Time .
posted by nikita | 10:56 PM
<< Home