JENNIFER LAWRENCE STEPS INTO THE HUNGER GAMES RING

I only read this book recently and while I was reading it i kept thinking of Winters Bone funnily enough. Its not the casting that bothers me however its the choice of director, Gary Ross. This is the man who wrote the Lassie remake and directed Pleasantville, none of which had kids brutally killing each other.

The book as written is bleak and brilliant, this choice of director means its going to be safe, coffee table, geriatric dogshit.

Her acting in Winter's Bone in general and especially in the scene where 

 was fucking phenomenal. I don't know if she can follow that performance well but I'll make it a point of not missing it if she does.

Which is a verbose way of saying that's she's great and I'll watch this.

I've never had the celebrity casting I've done while reading a book pan out into the actual movie adaptation. Should make the film enjoyable for me. She's perfect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bendrix 

I've never had the celebrity casting I've done while reading a book pan out into the actual movie adaptation. Should make the film enjoyable for me. She's perfect.

 Yep.  This is about as dead-on as Hollywood casting gets.  Steinfeld was just a shy too young and, more importantly, young-looking, to play Katniss.  She, however, would be a good pick to play Rue. 

Ross is the X factor, as I've liked some of his previous movies, he is an absolute mystery as an action director, and this film just screams for an visually kinetic director.  I was holding out hope that someone like Kathryn Bigelow would have landed this, but I guess we'll see how it shakes out.   Still excited for the film. 

Well, perfect other than that Katniss is described as olive-skinned with black hair, underfed, 16-years old but looks younger. Blonde-haired, fair-skinned, 20-years old but looks older Lawrence fits to a tee.

I'll hope for the best, and she is a talented actress. But I can't help feel that casting a bunch of  20-somethings takes a lot of the bite out of the storyline of government waging its war through children. My fear is they cast older because of the love triangle issues and I'm hoping that's not a sign of that being given more prominence in the films.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malloy 

Well, perfect other than that Katniss is described as olive-skinned with black hair, underfed, 16-years old but looks younger. Blonde-haired, fair-skinned, 20-years old but looks older Lawrence fits to a tee.

 

I'll hope for the best, and she is a talented actress. But I can't help feel that casting a bunch of  20-somethings takes a lot of the bite out of the storyline of government waging its war through children. My fear is they cast older because of the love triangle issues and I'm hoping that's not a sign of that being given more prominence in the films.

By your barebones reduction of who Katniss is, Demi Lovato is better suited to play the part than Lawrence. Good luck with that.

I get what you're saying about the war allegory being diminished, but this is hardly the first time Hollywood has cast twentysomethings in adolescent roles. The movie won't fall apart because of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bendrix 

I get what you're saying about the war allegory being diminished, but this is hardly the first time Hollywood has cast twentysomethings in adolescent roles. The movie won't fall apart because of it.

 

 

Right, and I think they could get the point across in the supporting casting.  I think the audience will get the point if you skew younger for some of the other combatants and put a spear through their guts.

I like the casting.  Not too familiar with the director, but the material is strong enough where this could stand above some of the more recent YA adaptations.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malloy 

Well, perfect other than that Katniss is described as olive-skinned with black hair, underfed, 16-years old but looks younger. Blonde-haired, fair-skinned, 20-years old but looks older Lawrence fits to a tee.

 

 

Hair dye and makeup can take care of some of that.  Casting a role like this is rarely ever 100% spot-on in terms of look, but if the producers saw something in her, I'm willing to overlook her lack of olive skin. 

Gary Ross answers a few of EW's questions about the casting of Lawrence (and other aspects of the film):

http://community.livejournal.com/racebending/300625.html