“The actor brilliantly handled the role” — this means nothing. Absolutely zero value. You could insert such a phrase about any actor in any review of any film from the last 100 years.

Take Cate Blanchett in Todd Field’s Tár.

⛔️
“Blanchett played incredibly – her immersion in the role is captivating from the first minutes”

❇️
“You watch Blanchett conducting at a rehearsal – and you believe that this person has been in command their whole life. Not because the script says so, but because she always holds the pause just a little longer than necessary, and it makes you uneasy.”

The first option is an evaluation without foundation. The second option is an observation, not an evaluation, and therefore much more valuable and interesting.

Choose one or two specific details: facial expression, body language, speech tempo, gaze – what exactly the actor is doing.

Ask yourself: what exactly in his/her performance creates the desired effect? Not “played well,” but how exactly, in what way is the “well” manifested.

You don’t need to analyze everything – pick one moment that caught your attention and write about it honestly. Sometimes that’s more than enough to convey your stance on the acting.

#СоветыРедактора@the_rrated