Talent Jug - Casting Calls and Auditions

There is absolutely no evidence of Sean Penn in this movie.  It is the strangest thing; I kept looking for trace evidence, personality Pennisms, something that identifies Penn except for the characteristic face and familiar name.  Honestly, I couldn’t find it.  I really tried. It’s like he channeled.  Maybe he knows Shirley MacLaine. He literally morphed into Harvey Milk. Wonder Twin Powers activate–shape of Sean Penn, form of a transcendent performance.

Oh c’mon, I don’t exaggerate.   We’ve all seen good acting. Sure good acting, great acting, we’ve seen it, but when you transform your entire being so convincingly that there is no spark of true persona left, now that’s brilliance.  Even Meryl Streep in Doubt — who was great by the way — still had familiar Streepisms.  She often does this twitching and wiping of her nose.  I watch a lot of Streep films. These are Streepisms.  Even if I see no evidence of Streep anywhere, I can grasp one or two familiar mannerisms. But all I could find in this film was ‘Milk’, 100%, not skim, pure ‘Milk’.  For these reasons I would venture to say this was by far Sean Penn’s best performance to date.  Truly, Penn was better than I have ever seen him.  But then again…I never did see him, did I? I am so confused.

I need to rent What about Bob? Now, there’s a nice light movie in which Richard Dreifuss clearly plays Dr. Leo Marvin and Bill Murray plays Bob.  I am simple folk.  These great, character actors just completely turn my brain into mush. They’re too good and that means I have to think. Ouch it hurts…it’s all too much…

–  Heather Langone

Article Source: http://backstage.blogs.com/blogstage/2008/12/desperately-seeking-sean.html