I was going to write about these Clive Owen photos yesterday, perhaps even see if our Clive had written us a dirty little love note, but I ended up punting on the story until today. Mostly because Clive Owen is just so… aimless lately. Like, I’m still hot for him, and he’s still a gorgeous, amazing man, but where has he been lately? These photos are from the Laureus Sports Awards two nights ago – Clive was the host of the London event. That’s what he does nowadays – he models, he gets paid to show up at events, he hosts sports awards shows. Clive used to be one of the most in-demand English actors out there. Why isn’t he getting more work? Why isn’t Clive making our biscuits tingle on the silver screen every six months?
Clive’s latest is an HBO film. There’s no shame in doing television, especially when it’s a big-budget HBO-style affair. Clive plays Ernest Hemingway in Hemingway & Gellhorn. Nicole Kidman and her jacked lips are playing one of Hemingway’s wives, Martha Gellhorn. Martha Gellhorn was a ballsy, groundbreaking female journalist and war correspondent. Nicole plays Gellhorn like a ditzy romantic heroine. Don’t believe me? HBO released a five minute trailer for the film, and while Clive looks interesting, Nicole looks HORRIBLE. And by horrible, I mean her lips look WORSE than Lindsay Lohan’s. It’s distracting. Plus, there’s a major tone problem. Here’s the trailer – it’s NSFW, by the way. There’s some nudity in there. Unfortunately, it’s not Clive.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I was ready to believe you about Nicol’s acting without even watching the trailer, cause she plays everything like ditzy romantic heroine, but I was pleasantly surprised. I think she did good. Her lips on the other hand- jacked!Her whole face!!! Oh why Nicol, why?!
I agree! I too was pleasantly surprised. And jacked look, well, I will simply chalk it up to trying to look a tad like the journalist!
And BTW, how gorgeous is Tandy Newton’s dress??? Wow!
Thandie’s dress looks truly amazing….Kaiser, can we get some more shots of Thandie in that dress please?
I was really struck by the settings of the story – grey skies on a boat, glittering copacabana, the large architectural buildings used as triage station. I’ll probably watch it despite Nicole’s trout lips.
Oh, and my unending love for Clive.
I love period drama (and Clive)so I will see it, even with Nicole’s lips in a featured role.
Ditto. I like that the focus on Gellhorn is equal, so it’s not just another Hemingway macho fantasy. (Usually in such movies, Hemingway is like the GQ Carrie Bradshaw: all accessories, with guns, bottles and animal heads instead of shoes, purses and boyfriends.)
It does look corny around the edges and Nicole’s fried face and hair are distracting, but I like what she’s doing with her voice work here — it doesn’t look like she’s playing her as a sissy or phoning it in. Also, there seems to be some effort with regard to historical detail.
Some of the bar scenes are reminiscent of Angels with Dirty Faces, the prime model for male bravado in far-flung locations:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9qoTO_gJq8
Gah! I meant Only Angels Have Wings. I always get those names mixed up. TCM’s gonna take away my movie pass.
I hate when movies give SO much away in the trailer.
And I watched it with the sound off.
I saw him last night when he was presenting the awards,i think DJOKOVIC won one.
I was like WTF are you doing there CLIVE!
He never got a great part in a film yet because he can’t carry a movie.
Thandie NEWTON is not getting great movie roles too these days but she’s STUNNING.
Thandie is stunning. I loved her in Crash. She always looks elegant and lady-like.
clive’s performance looks good. kidman’s accent is wonky. looking forward to watching.
Eh. I feel like I just watched the whole movie already, from the trailer. And that was with the sound off! Definitely worth it for Clive but dear god, Nicole’s lips. She used to be a stunning natural beauty. Now that beauty is so forced with that fried hair and those unnatural lips. Such a shame.
Clive will be at the Berlin International Film Festival on Sunday, for the European premiere of Shadow Dancer. So it seems there will eventually be a movie with him this year.
I just read his (EH) bio and this affair/marriage was a big part of it. The trailer looks good. I NEVER would have thought of casting Clive as Hemingway, but it works (except where his accent comes thru) I’d watch that.
I agree tho – why the heck is Clive Owen in so few films lately? He’s so good looking and a fantastic actor!
“Children of Men” is the only good movie Clive has ever done as a lead actor. You could enumerate fine films such as Bourne Identity, Closer, Gosford Park but he was not the star of those films. But I enjoyed Derailed and the one with Maria Bello, Butterfly on Wheel, oh wait, that was Gerard Butler. Yeah, that’s it, that is what’s wrong with Clive’s career, the roles he should be playing are given to Gerard or Daniel Craig. Perhaps, this Hemingway project will change all that.
Croupier, his breakout movie in which he played the lead, was very well-reviewed.
But yes, many of his roles are like the ones he played in Inside Man & Closer: attention-grabbing characters that get tons of screen time & are central to the plot, but are rarely the character the audience is encouraged to identify with (i.e. the hero cop & the main villain may have equal screen time, but the hero will generally be thought the top leading role)
In those movies, he’s more than a supporting actor, but less than a lead – the B lead, if you will.
I liked him in The International and The Boys are Back.
He picks intelligent movies, not schlock, and plays them thoughtfully, not all mugging and smirking like Cloons or Schwarzie, so yeah, that’s why he’s not big in the boondocks.
He has a thoroughly respectable filmography and doesn’t waste his time filming crap. I think this rare feat is to be commended.
Well. This is a first. I never wanted ti bang Hemingway before.
I have always been puzzled as to the hold that Nicole Kidman seems to have on Hollywood. I have seen a few films of hers on tv and not once have been impressed with her work. Maybe her celebrity overshadows her talent… or maybe she just cannot act. I don’t know. This film looks worse than Mildred Pierce did and that is saying something.
Having sad that I may consider watching it only for Clive Owen and Parker Posey. Clive is a very underrated actor that is much better than some of his contemporaries will ever be. I loved Children of Men and thought that that film would be his break out role into the A-list crowd. Hopefully he will get his career back on track.
I love that photo with him and Thandie. I agree that she has the look of a petulant child on some of her movies but I like her.
Aiobhan i’m going to resolve that mistery for you.
Just ask That question to her BFF
Wendy DENG-MURDOCH but don’t get to close to that chick she might break your neck!Lol!
Lol! Thank you for clearing that up for me.
Ohhh, my…Clive Owen in black tuxedo. Can’t think of a better way to start the day. Thank you!
I didn’t see airhead. I thought she was great. Honestly I found her more compelling than Clive Owen and I love Clive Owen. This looks amazing IMO. A little cheesy at parts but overall great. I have a weakness for HBO films though.
Nicoles not talking in a girlish whisper = win!
I feel like I just saw the whole movie in that trailer :- .
The movie looks awful and cheesy, and Kidman’s acting is terrible (not to mention the horrible voice over), but I’ll probably still see it for Clive. I adore him. Often he is the only thing in a movie that makes it bearable (see: ‘Derailed’ as a great example of that).
Oh my…Clive Owen is SMOKIN’!
You’d have to be as chaste as a nun to watch ‘Closer’ and not want to f#&k Clive’s brains out…
…or is that just me? ; )
That “fried hair” many of you are bitching about is a WIG! Perhaps it’s time to use your “fried” brain cells a bit and THINK. The movie has a make-up group who sees to it that the cast has proper make-up. If she has pouty lips – that’s because it’s the look the director wants for the film.
he´s hot in any role, but the best Hemigway I´ve seen was the guy in Midnight in Paris, don´t know his name and I am too lazy to look for it. he was great.
I will certainly give it a look, I like Clive Owen and HBO usually has some pretty break out films.