I like Paul Schneider. Really, that's all there is to it. In every role of his I've seen, however small, his charisma fills the screen and made even the most unpleasant characters appealing. In The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, a movie you will be hearing a lot more about in the future, Schneider's character, Dick Liddil, is a womanizer, a thief and a traitor - but my goodness, I loved him. It was that twinkle in his eye and his knowing smirk that won me over. What can I say, I love a bad boy.
Charles Armitage Brown was no outlaw, but Schneider gave him the same charismatic twinkle that outshone all of his (many) character flaws. In Jane Campion's Bright Star, Schneider plays Brown, the Scottish friend and admirer of John Keats. If 2009 had not been all about Christoph Waltz - and every award-giving organization seems to agree that it was* - Schneider's performance would have been my favorite of the year.
At first, Schneider seems an odd choice to play a Scot, but there's no sign of his natural gentle North Carolinan drawl, used well in quieter performances such as Away We Go and my favorite sitcom, Parks and Recreation. In fact, it's to his credit that the accent began as unobstrusive, which is the real goal of all accented performances, and eventually sounded so good I had to check IMDB to see if he actually was Scottish - or maybe Canadian because for some reason, Canadians do excellent Scottish accents.
Anyway, I bring up the accent for a reason. As Brown, Schneider grew out long, stringy hair and gained weight, which he squeezed into scruffy, wrinkled suits. He's transformed into this man who doesn't care for social graces but only for poetry. He banters with Abbie Cornish's Fanny Brawne, but there's a sharp undertone on both sides. They're more similar than they care to admit - both are slightly out of place in their society, and both hold Keats in the highest esteem. Brown sees Brawne as a threat to his creative relationship with Keats, so he tries to discourage their love. In the world of the period romance, this makes him the villain, although Schneider ensures that you see he's not heartless. Yes, he's something of a womanizer, but he has a poetic soul and he cares deeply for Keats. His motives may be selfish, but that doesn't make him a bad man. It's with this contrast that Scheider excels; for all his bluff and arrogance, Brown's happiness with Keats is being taken from him and he feels lost. As much as you root for true love, you can't help but feel bad for those who are left behind.
Charles Armitage Brown was no outlaw, but Schneider gave him the same charismatic twinkle that outshone all of his (many) character flaws. In Jane Campion's Bright Star, Schneider plays Brown, the Scottish friend and admirer of John Keats. If 2009 had not been all about Christoph Waltz - and every award-giving organization seems to agree that it was* - Schneider's performance would have been my favorite of the year.
At first, Schneider seems an odd choice to play a Scot, but there's no sign of his natural gentle North Carolinan drawl, used well in quieter performances such as Away We Go and my favorite sitcom, Parks and Recreation. In fact, it's to his credit that the accent began as unobstrusive, which is the real goal of all accented performances, and eventually sounded so good I had to check IMDB to see if he actually was Scottish - or maybe Canadian because for some reason, Canadians do excellent Scottish accents.
Anyway, I bring up the accent for a reason. As Brown, Schneider grew out long, stringy hair and gained weight, which he squeezed into scruffy, wrinkled suits. He's transformed into this man who doesn't care for social graces but only for poetry. He banters with Abbie Cornish's Fanny Brawne, but there's a sharp undertone on both sides. They're more similar than they care to admit - both are slightly out of place in their society, and both hold Keats in the highest esteem. Brown sees Brawne as a threat to his creative relationship with Keats, so he tries to discourage their love. In the world of the period romance, this makes him the villain, although Schneider ensures that you see he's not heartless. Yes, he's something of a womanizer, but he has a poetic soul and he cares deeply for Keats. His motives may be selfish, but that doesn't make him a bad man. It's with this contrast that Scheider excels; for all his bluff and arrogance, Brown's happiness with Keats is being taken from him and he feels lost. As much as you root for true love, you can't help but feel bad for those who are left behind.
After Keats' illness worsens, Brown returns, chastened, with his new wife Abigail. The shotgun marriage has forced him to consider the consequences of his actions. At this point, both Brown and Brawne have lost their sparkle. The Bright Star of the title refers to the way Keats described Brawne in his poems, but for the two remaining characters, it also describes how they see Keats. Without him, both are lost and dejected, without their characteristic color and charisma. Schneider plays this version of Brown particularly well. There's no need for him to fight with Brawne anymore because they've both lost something great. The contrast is marked; Brown is not the man he once was, and he never will be again.
*The exception is the National Society of Film Critics, who opted to share the Supporting Actor award between Waltz and Schneider.
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