There's one reason I decided to see this film, and that's Elizabeth Olsen. Her performance in the 2011 film Martha Marcy May Marlene made me a huge fan. It was a portrayal that showed so much talent. She also gave one of the most fantastic portrayals of undeniable fear in the less successful Silent House. So really, I wanted to see Olsen in a different light, in something that wasn't as dark as those films.
The first act of Liberal Arts was really rough. A lot of it wasn't hitting correctly, it just felt so awkward and false. It all felt too "written", the jokes and the dialogue didn't come across all that sincere. But there was still something oddly likable about the characters, so I kept with it. Good thing I did, because I actually liked it overall. It's certainly nothing memorable and it surely has several script flaws, but again, there was something so likable about it all. One problem is Josh Radnor. I think that overall this was a success, and like I said, his directing and writing, while nothing amazing, did the job. But, I never bought his performance here. There's nothing outright bad about it, but to my surprise, there's no real charisma to the way he plays Jesse. He's either too dull or he comes across with fake earnestness one too many times.
But alas, what really helps the film is the ensemble cast, all pretty great. Jenkins is, well, Jenkins (a compliment) and Zac Efron a blast, showing me that perhaps he has real acting talent. John Magaro's character could have come across like a total failure, but, I bought it and he was effective. But alas, not to be a fanboy or anything, but what Radnor lacks in screen presence Elizabeth Olsen makes up for. You can't take your eyes off her, the way she delivers lines and how she comes across like someone who has been doing this for countless of years. There's a unique quality to her that makes her believable even without having to do much. I have only seen three performances from her, but already she's one of the people I will be following most closely in terms of careers. Let's hope she has a successful one.
The first act of Liberal Arts was really rough. A lot of it wasn't hitting correctly, it just felt so awkward and false. It all felt too "written", the jokes and the dialogue didn't come across all that sincere. But there was still something oddly likable about the characters, so I kept with it. Good thing I did, because I actually liked it overall. It's certainly nothing memorable and it surely has several script flaws, but again, there was something so likable about it all. One problem is Josh Radnor. I think that overall this was a success, and like I said, his directing and writing, while nothing amazing, did the job. But, I never bought his performance here. There's nothing outright bad about it, but to my surprise, there's no real charisma to the way he plays Jesse. He's either too dull or he comes across with fake earnestness one too many times.
But alas, what really helps the film is the ensemble cast, all pretty great. Jenkins is, well, Jenkins (a compliment) and Zac Efron a blast, showing me that perhaps he has real acting talent. John Magaro's character could have come across like a total failure, but, I bought it and he was effective. But alas, not to be a fanboy or anything, but what Radnor lacks in screen presence Elizabeth Olsen makes up for. You can't take your eyes off her, the way she delivers lines and how she comes across like someone who has been doing this for countless of years. There's a unique quality to her that makes her believable even without having to do much. I have only seen three performances from her, but already she's one of the people I will be following most closely in terms of careers. Let's hope she has a successful one.