The Kids Are Alright
Article by Paul Preston
I’m never one to seek out the work of children in movies. I’m a Movie Guy, I like grown man things. But this traces back to when I was a Movie Kid. Even back in the day when everyone was singing the praises of Demi Moore’s beauty, I was all about Kathleen Turner, ‘cause Kathleen Turner was a WOMAN.
Not surprisingly, over my years of movie going, I’ve cringed at the number of films that have been lessened or outright WRECKED by the performance of a child. I also realize this isn’t always the child’s fault. Even if they’re terrible, it may have been a no-win situation created by the filmmakers, either the script was no help, or the direction was never going to be (see “The Phantom Menace”, a film that no doubt spurred Wikipedia to describe Jake Lloyd as “a former American actor…”).
But something’s happened in the last five years or so. Kids are being asked to pull off carrying the lion’s share of movie after movie and getting it done. Are we in a golden age of directors who know how to motivate and inspire young actors? This, of course, isn’t to say we haven’t had our share of great performances before 2009 – Linda Blair in “The Exorcist”, I mean, JESUS, what a performance! Plus, the cast of “Stand By Me”, Leonardo DiCaprio in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”, Henry Thomas in “E.T.” and Jamie Bell in “Billy Elliot” – but there’s a consistency in the air that has me hopeful. I mean, even when I thought, “Oh, hell…it’s come to this, they’re sticking kids in these Marvel films that have been great adult entertainment for all ages, even THAT kid (Ty Simpkins) held his own opposite RDJ for some memorable scenes in “Iron Man 3”.
I’d like to point out a few great examples, as some of these child performances may have fallen under the radar, and let me lead by saying I’m referring specifically to the modern film era. Kids like Shirley Temple and Jane Withers could certainly carry a picture, but I also think their direction was “Be adorable and…action!”, certainly much less was asked of them than was asked of Anna Paquin in “The Piano”:
TOM HOLLAND, “THE IMPOSSIBLE” (2012) – It’s remarkable to think that “The Tsunami Movie” is Holland’s only major credit, but in a film with Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts, you can’t take your eyes off of Holland as Watts’ son, keeping her alive after the devastating storm rips their vacation village apart. The special effects in “The Impossible” are amazing, containing shot after shot that left me wondering “How the Hell?”, but it’s Holland’s performance that becomes the driving force of the story and truly had me saying of this debut performance “How the Hell?”
JARED GILMAN & KARA HAYWARD, “MOONRISE KINGDOM” (2012) – This film was a hit, as far as Wes Anderson movies are concerned, so you may have seen it, but if not, Anderson was who I was directly referring to when mentioning directors who are blossoming when directing children. Gilman and Hayward are two more debut performances among the usual gaggle of Anderson A-listers. But the movie is about them, and the carry it like Gunga Din. One of the biggest problems with child actors, when they fail, is that they’re usually trying to act like a kid. They’re much better off just being a kid (like Abagail Breslin in “Little Miss Sunshine”. ‘Putting it on’ is immediately noticeable as false. So this makes the debut of these actors especially impressive knowing they come on to the acting scene already rising to the challenge of performing in the quirky style of Wes Anderson! And much was made of the beach scene where the kids shared a first kiss. This scene is especially graceful, as Gilman and Hayward act beyond their years. Well done.
ELLE FANNING, “SUPER 8” (2011) – In a movie that didn’t quite land with me, Fanning’s performance certainly did. She lays bare much emotion in this film that drips of striking truth. Just as she surprises her friends in the film with a tearful monologue, she surprised moviegoers, too. Quite a shock coming from an actress whose sister already impressed in Hollywood. I wasn’t sure whether to expect Elizabeth Olsen or Stephen Baldwin out of her, and was pleased to get the former.
QUVENZHANÉ WALLIS, “BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD” (2012) – Wallis received an Oscar nomination for her performance as Hushpuppy, trying to make life livable in “The Bathtub”, a poorer-than-poor section of Louisiana. But an Oscar nomination may not have been enough to get you to see this film. It only made $12 million at the box office, certainly a hit by indie film standards, but still about nine times fewer people than watched the kids of “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island”. Right that wrong and watch “Beasts of the Southern Wild” at home as soon as you can and catch Wallis’ raw, risky performance.
JACKSON NICOLL, “JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA” (2013) – The thing that was always missing (for me) from a “Jackass” movie was a story. Lo and behold, Johnny Knoxville is up for the acting required to get audiences emotionally involved in a story littered with the dumbass shit for which he’s become famous. It was a great combination in “Bad Grandpa” that succeeds in part because of Knoxville’s interaction with Nicoll, as his grandson. And don’t tell me you didn’t laugh your ass off when Nicoll hit the stage of the beauty pageant in the trailer. Now see the whole movie.
And I could go on – Saoirse Ronan in “Atonement” and “Hanna”, “Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit”, Shailene Woodley in “The Descendants”, kids are getting it done and for the first time in a long time, they have my attention.
