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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think that Russell Crowe was actually good...

78 replies

MantaRayBay · 10/08/2015 20:50

... in Les Miserables? I know it's a running joke that he couldn't sing (well they joked about it in Modern Family, I think), but I actually thought he sang well and was well cast...

Have you ever gone against the grain in your opinion of a performance?

[First time poster, please be gentle!]

OP posts:
Spurtle · 10/08/2015 20:52

Not seen it, but was absolutely in love with him in . . . um, that film I can't remember the name of. He's a cop, Guy from neighbors is a cop . . ?

Panzee · 10/08/2015 20:52

YANBU, but then I thought he was good in Robin Hood, so what would I know? :o

Seriouslyffs · 10/08/2015 21:02

I agree. It was a great performance.

LunchpackOfNotreDame · 10/08/2015 21:07

He ruined my favourite song ever written in a musical. For that I cannot ever forgive him.

Icimoi · 10/08/2015 21:08

YABU. He really wasn't good.

Weareboatsremember · 10/08/2015 21:10

LA Confidential spurtle? I loved that film!

Weareboatsremember · 10/08/2015 21:12

And fwiw, I thought he was good in Les Mis too. I loved his song on the rooftops and felt that he wasnt overly earnest, unlike many other cast members I'm looking at you Hugh Jackman

SorrelForbes · 10/08/2015 21:12

LA Confidential I think spurtle ? Played Bud? Excellent stuff. Bloody terrible in Les Mis. Rather good in Gladiator.

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 10/08/2015 21:12

Russell Crowe was my 'dream fuck' back in the day of LA confidential, Gladiator and ' The Insider' (despite the weight) , I really fancied him.

Still think he's worth a punt.

StrattersDairyProductPervert · 10/08/2015 21:15

He was amazing in Gladiator.

SnapesCapes · 10/08/2015 21:17

I spent all of Les Mis praying he'd take off his clothes and wear that little dress he wore in Gladiator. He is splendid.

Egosumquisum · 10/08/2015 21:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EvilTwins · 10/08/2015 21:21

He was awful in Les Miserables. Anyone who has ever heard or seen someone trained in musical theatre perform "Stars" surely can't think he was any good. Javert is supposed to be a tortured character, torn between his own black and white ideas of morality and the evidence in front of him that Valjean, a "bad" man can seemingly have a good soul. Russell Crowe performed it without an ounce of feeling and did "Stars" like a paint-by-numbers formulaic rhyme. The only really really good performances in that film were Samantha Barks and Anne Hathaway.

SnapesCapes · 10/08/2015 21:24

I thought Wolverine played a decent Valjean tbh, especially the last song with the line 'to love another person is to see the face of God'.

Spurtle · 10/08/2015 21:51

Yes! LA Confidentail. My dream man. Star

electricflyzapper · 10/08/2015 21:54

Never seen Les Mis but I have youtubed his version of Stars and agree it was underplayed to say the least.

Loved him in Master and Commander though. I really thought he became Jack Aubrey and cannot imagine the character played by anyone else.

Joolsy · 10/08/2015 21:56

Yes, I thought Madonna was excellent in Evita. I thought she'd be awful, judging by past performances!

Shakey1500 · 10/08/2015 21:57

Ye Gads, he was ALL kinds of shit in Les Mis. Shock

ChwatFeechers · 10/08/2015 22:02

At his absolute best in L.A Confidential & Gladiator. Haven't seen the film adaptation of Les Mis.

gabsdot45 · 10/08/2015 22:05

The only really really good performances in that film were Samantha Barks and Anne Hathaway.

I have to disagree with you there. Eddie Redmayne was amazing.

Russel Crowe was alright and he's not a bad singer. I thought he 'acted' the part very well.

And Hugh, Oh Hugh, I would leave DH for you........

Griphook · 10/08/2015 22:06

Yabu, he's utter shit, terrible, Les mis as a film had such promise, and was a real let down.

Anne Hathaway and jarvet are very good and carry the whole film!

The inn keeper is played as some type of loveable rouge when really he was prepared to kill jarvet and is a horrendous man.

And I've always had a problem with why fantine didn't just lie and say that her husband had died when the factory ladies accuse her of having a child out of wedlock

FishWithABicycle · 10/08/2015 22:07

Yabu.

bikeandrun · 10/08/2015 22:09

I loved him in les mis, his javert seemed very real. I have actually read the book ( well most of it) and it was Russell crowes javert on my head.

bikeandrun · 10/08/2015 22:13

Griphook, its called a plot, if fantine stayed in the factory, the story would sort of grind to a halt. Blame Frances greatest writer if you don't like it!

Shakey1500 · 10/08/2015 22:20

I also thought Madonna was better than expected in Evita. Wish she'd bow out gracefully now though and give it a sodding rest Hmm