[Alex]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Well, that didn't seem to hurt Star Wars. I'm not comparing the quality of the two; merely pointing out that standard character development and foregone conclusion often have little bearing on the quality of an action or adventure movie.

I'm not a big fan of Star Wars, either.

Hmmm, and I find it quite refreshing.

I find it trivializing.

Both such hypothetical films should be judged on their own merits as movies, but I am gladdened that more people will become aware of a social ill (and perhaps want to learn more about it) via the popcorn movie than from the arthouse flick.

Not many more people, Blood Diamond is barely going to make it to $50 million and so far is doing almost nothing internationally.

And why is that? Are you equally distracted by the likes of Meryl Streep or Cate Blanchett when they do work that involves a fake accent expertly imitated?

I find it distracting when I am very familiar with a person's normal speaking voice is suddenly speaking with a strong accent. Why is that? I don't know, it just is.

For Leonardo Di Caprio I am very familiar with his normal speaking voice. For Meryl Streep that is true as well. That is not so much the case with most Australian and British actors since I generally only hear them talk in movies where they are masking their native accents.

It isn't fair, but for them it works in reverse. Hugh Laurie, whom I mostly know from House is distracting when I hear him interviewed with his normal accent.

Or why not be distracted by the simple fact that you know perfectly well movie star Leonardo DiCaprio is not the mercenary smuggler with a heart of gold?

To each his own, but if an accent is done well ... I don't see any legitimate objection to an actor performing a role that calls for one.

I don't know why. Why are you distracted by subtitles and I don't even notice I'm reading. Just the way it is.

And by no means am I saying an actor shouldn't do roles that call for accents. But when they do, some part of my brain is distracted in thinking about how good it is, how much work they put into it, listening for slip ups.

Did you like Blood Diamond at all as a film, Alex, or were your many judgments against its behind-the-scenes choices simply too great for you overcome?

It was an ok action movie. Very standard violence and advancement plot. There were interesting things around the edges. Extremely middle of the pack.