On Bedhead’s recommendation, I ended up reading Gillian Flynn’s Dark Places a while back. I had thoroughly enjoyed Gone Girl, so Bedhead thought I would like Flynn’s earlier books. While I thought Dark Places was creepy and actually pretty scary, if I was comparing Dark Places to Gone Girl, GG comes out as the stronger, more well-written story. Soon after Gone Girl became a huge publishing phenomenon and David Fincher signed on to direct the film, Hollywood decided to also try their hand at Dark Places.
Right out of the gate, there was a big miscast with Charlize Theron in the lead role. Charlize is simply nothing like the “heroine” of the story, Libby Day. She’s just not – Libby is supposed to be small and trashy. Even when Charlize plays dirtballs, there’s still something regal about her, you know? Like, some actresses just can’t play “trashy,” in my opinion. Anyway, the international trailer for Dark Places was just released yesterday and… I still don’t know what to think. Beware: there is some NSFW language, but otherwise this is fine.
Nicolas Hoult plays Libby’s friend, which makes some kind of casting sense. Christina Hendricks as Libby’s mom? Hm… I don’t hate it or love it. Chloe Moretz as Ben’s girlfriend… interesting. I don’t hate that.
I assume Charlize was cast because she’s one of the few actresses that can “carry” a movie, at least according to Hollywood executives. But this trailer isn’t really convincing me that she’s Libby. We’ll see!
Some photos of Charlize out with Jackson this week. She took him to his dance class (adorable).
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
I envy Jackson’s shoes. No comment on the trailer.
Um….I thought to “carry,” a movie, meant to put butts in seats on the strength of your name alone on the marquee, which Charlize Theron has never done in life.
Charlize is the opposite of Libby! The whole book talks about how tiny and scrappy and homely Libby is and whoever cast Charlize needs to get a dictionary to look up those words. Anyone who has read the book knows how the teensy stature of Libby comes into play in a significant way! Putting a tank top and hat on someone doesn’t make them trashier or shorter. Nicholas Hoult, however, is exactly as I imagined that character!
+1- they could have at least changed her appearance somewhat. This is the exact opposite of what I pictured Libby to look like & I think it affects how you experience the character.
Theron cast herself. She’s the producer of the movie and it’s supposed to be her passion project.
So true! What were they thinking?!? It doesn’t fit the story at all.
Jackson is the cutest! Live the hightops!
Exactly. I haven’t been able to wrap my mind around her as Libby since casting was announced. In my head, she was this tiny girl I went to elementary school with who (as an adult) perfectly fits Libby’s description.
At least Nicholas Hoult is good casting. And Jackson has great shoe game.
Eh For some reason the book was really focused on Libby Day’s huge rack, but it’s not an important plot point so Charlize is fine.
Libby Day is supposed to be troll-like, isn’t she? And very short. I imagined her as almost a little person. I really enjoyed that book. I hope this isn’t too much of a mess.
However, Nicholas Hoult seems absolutely perfect.
Short yes, but I don’t think she was considered unattractive. Christina Ricci maybe?
I was envisioning Ellen Page throughout the book.
I love the Christina Ricci idea, that could have been perfect. Although it seems she’s been away from the scene for a bit, so the studio execs probably wouldn’t think she could carry a movie nowadays.
I think Charlize is too old for the Libby character (from what I can remember from the book). I kind of wonder if Ellen Page wouldn’t have been good in this role.
Ellen Page. Well done. Great idea! (Perhaps you should consider a job in casting.)
Ha! I just responded up thread… Ellen Page is totally who I envisioned the entire time. Tiny, scrappy….
I agree, Ellen Page would have been great.
Or even Kristen Stewart – Libby would totally fit Kristen’s acting style.
On what planet is Christina Hendricks cast as Charlize Theron’s mother? Now I need to read this book.
It’s in the past. Half of the book is set during her childhood and half is set present day.
That’s a big miscast too in my opinion. The only thing Christina Hendricks has in common with the mom is that she has red hair. She’s described as painfully thin / malnourished looking, with limp red hair, and watery red eyes. At one point she’s described as having the face of one of those white rats with the red eyes. Stunning, voluptuous Christina Hendricks… not so much.
Ugh. Charlize is not Libby! I just finished reading the book and I cannot see Charlize pulling it off. Especially the events at the end of the book. Le sigh.
I like who they cast as Ben (I think that was his name) but it’s because I really like that actor. I also think Nick Hoult is properly cast.
As for Charlize, I disagree that she can’t do trashy. Didn’t she win an Oscar for doing a character who was a bit less than regal? That being said, she doesn’t have the proper aesthetic for this character.m
Absolutely horrible miscasting for Charlize as Libby. In the book, Libby is UNDER 5 feet tall, is very very thin with a giant rack, pale, and has bright red hair that’s dyed blonde, with her roots showing through making her skull look like its on fire. She’s supposed to be uneducated, trashy, aggressive and kind of mean. The opening line of the book is “I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ. Slit me at my belly and it might slide out, meaty and dark, drop on the floor so you could stomp on it. It’s the Day blood. Something’s wrong with it. I was never a good little girl, and I got worse after the murders.” Do you picture regal, tall, statuesque CHARLIZE when you read that? I sure don’t!
Libby is also supposed to be missing a finger and a few toes. I thought they’d remove the finger digitally in the movie, but it doesn’t look like they did.
I read Amy Adams was originally supposed to play Libby and then she dropped out and Charlize stepped in . I could at least imagine Amy better fitting Libby’s physicality.
Yes, Hollywood will take liberties in casting but I feel that with casting Charlize, they may as well have just closed their eyes, pointed randomly to a list of actresses and said “OK sure, we’ll go with her.”
Horrible casting. Hollywood is more interested in making money by casting well-known names trying to act, rather than casting actors who fit the story. It’s about the story, people! I don’t think i’ll watch this movie, just on principle. And I honestly haven’t found Charlize good in anything since she’s won her Oscar? She’s a bit of a one-hit wonder, imo.
CT is totally miscast! Also, the trailer looks terrible! I really liked Dark Places when I read it! I also thought of Ellen Page to play the part of Libby…This movie needs a really dark vibe…too bad Fincher hadn’t directed this one…and changed the cast!
I always though C would be better as Camille in Sharp Objects, than Libby. Bad choice
Yes! When I first read that Charlize was cast as the lead in Dark Places, I thought “umm, you mean Sharp Objects?”. She would be perfect in the film version of Sharp Objects-tall, blonde, beautiful and chilly.
Yes, I totally imagined Charlize as Camille and Jessica Lange as her mother.
Forgive the Hendricks miscast because I want her in more stuff. But I thought Amy Adams would have been a great Libby. Ellen Page and others suggested are too young looking. The whole thing actually looks horribly acted. I bet Moretz will be the best and creepiest part of the movie.
Yes to Hoult and Moretz, no to Charlize. Despite her good acting skills -let’s not forget Monster guys- she is not right for this specific role. Too bad. I liked this book.
This book was pretty dark, even darker than Gone Girl. Libby’s character is the opposite of Amy’s in every way. I don’t remember her physical appearance as much apart from the badly dyed blonde hair. But I do remember her personality–a severely depressed, pathetic, lazy woman living off of a trust fund of donated money with zero ambition to move on with her life, almost like she enjoys torturing herself with her grisly past. I feel like Charlize’s character in Young Adult (not a fan of the movie) was sort of similar to this but Libby’s character is way more complex than that. Also I feel like the trailer gives away a lot of the mystery! Oh well.
I was partly right about who committed the murders when I got to the end of the book. I dunno, after reading Gone Girl I’ve been able to sort of predict Flynn’s books. Same with Sharp Objects.
I like CT for pushing around the money people of Snow White but I seriously think she is overrated. Her acting does not change much story to story, she is statuesque but there are a lot of lesser known actresses out there that are too.
She’s rolling on her badass street cred a lot but at some point that will end.
She and Christina Hendricks are physically miscast. Of course there have been many good movies made that weren’t faithful to the book or look of the characters. This is just a standard thriller. It’s not a big deal
I disagree that she can’t do trashy and can’t help but look regal. That applies to Cate Blanchett, but Charlize? Have you not seen Monster? Charlize also relates to this character. She had a similar tragic background.
This book was good!!! I was terrified as i turned each page! And Charlize, while a great actress is all wrong for this part. Libby is a red head and busty! I was envisioning Rachelle Lavefevre(perfect!) or Anna Kendrick(young, but spunky) for the role. Amy Adams is too old and too thin. Rachelle would have been great, but she isn’t a household name and after Gone Girl they really needed a name to carry this film.
Chloe Moretz is perfectly cast though, she has the edge that Diondra has. Although Bijou Phillips as a teenager is how I imagined Diondra.