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■■III111lllllll III I 11
THE BATTALION
Tuesday, January 15, 2002
n the Bedroom
arisa Tomei and Nick Stahl discuss working with
'irector Todd Field and their roles as Natalie and Frank
By I.izette Resendez
THE BATTALION
Marisa Tomei, star of In the
edroom. had no idea what she
vas getting into.
“I didn’t really think it was
oing to be as much as a challenge
s it was when 1 got there,” Tomei
aid. “1 would do a scene where it
as emotional and would require a
t of concentration and think.
Okay, that’s out of the way, the
ard scene is out of the way,’ but
e next day there would be anoth-
r hard scene. I didn’t really realize
ow much I immersed myself in
at world.”
While the Academy award-win
ing actress has had plenty of prac-
ce preparing for roles in major
levies such as My Cousin Vinny,
'hat Women Want and Untamed
'eart, Tomei had to spend time
ith a woman from Maine who
las similar to her character,
l^atalie, in background and person-
lity. Tomei spent several days
gaming new habits, speech and
iody language.
”1 didn’t have anything or any-
ne to really draw from personal-
Tomei said. ”1 had asked
■Director Todd Field] if there was
|nmeone that he knew, if he could
nd somebody who might be sim-
ar to my character’s background
. he found someone who was
illing to befriend me.”
I Tomei’s co-star, Nick Stahl,
ttst seen opposite Katie Holmes
in Disturbing Behavior, also
spent days at sea as a fisherman
to prepare for his role as Frank.
While he grew a deep respect for
the way of life, he admits it was
grueling work.
“[Fishing] is a really different
world.” Stahl said. “1 came away
with a real respect for the profes
sion. It’s a really tough job. kind of
a lonely job as well. I had really
done nothing like that before.”
Stahl started acting as a child
and has had to adjust with
changes in roles as he matured,
while juggling a normal boy’s
life and acting.
“It was difficult at times. You
have a certain set of roles that
you're up for as a kid, but as you
age, it really changes.” Stahl said.
“When I was 14, 1 didn’t work for
almost two years. It’s an awkward
age to begin with.”
Despite Tomei and Stahl's com
bined experience in film, they both
said working with director Todd
Field was rewarding.
“I’d say it’s exciting to work
with someone who has no precon
ceived ideas, with a lot of fresh
energy, clean point of view, ready to
express himself or herself,” Tomei
said. “I only had the script, which I
thought was really good, and a cou
ple of conversations with Todd
which showed that we approached
work the same way.”
Stahl said he was not only
drawn to the film by Todd Field,
but also by the script.
“Todd Field did an amazing job
mr
'M
PHOTO COURTESY OF MIRAMAX FILMS
but it was more the story as a
whole that was kind of the domi
nating force in wanting to do [the
movie],” Stahl said. “If people
don’t want to go to a film to expe
rience emotion, I guess they should
just go see the newest teen flick
out. [fn the Bedroom] really
attempts to make a statement,
which is more than a lot of films
that I’ve seen attempt to do.”
While the film's full plot was
a secret. In The Bedroom won
the Special Jury Prize at the
2001 Sundance Film Festival
and several nominations for
Best Film by numerous film
associations, including the 2002
Golden Globes.
In the Bedroom gave Tomei a
chance to work with Sissy
Spacek, one of her favorite
actresses, as well as an entire cast
of experienced actors.
“I was blown away (by each
actor),” Tomei said. “It was like a
certain trust that we had with each
other. We knew we all cared very
much about our craft.”
Spacek, who plays Frank’s
emotionally-charged mother, has
also been nominated for several
awards.
Spacek was voted Best Actress
by the 2001 American Film
Institute, 2001 Los Angeles Film
Critics Association, 2001 New
York Film Critics Circle and
2002 Broadcast Film Critics
Association.
CONTROL
I
The Strokes
Is This It
RCA Records
The sound of a music box
grinding to a halt is the
suitable introduction to the
ragged splendor offered up in The Strokes' lat
est release, Is This It. In an age where the sole
intent of many bands is to sound more
enraged than the previous brooding blokes,
the resulting avalanche of mundane, pseudo
'heavy' pulp is a far cry from authentic disso
nance. It is refreshing to see a band that cap
tures the crazed energy of the night craved by
bored masses looking for kicks.
Is This It is not an album to be dissected or
scrutinized to the nth degree, like Bob Dylan's
Blonde on Blonde or Jimi Hendrix's opus Electric
Ladyland. In fact, intense concentration would
sacrifice The Strokes' best contribution to the
rock world: the honest feeling of worn-out
insomnia rising out of the ashes of late night rev
elries. Every time the music begins to lull in tired
exhaustion, vocalist Julian Casablancas, seeming
ly on the verge of collapse, and the band kick in
with maddened, gnarled guitars and driving
rhythms in an attempt to choke the last bit of life
out of the rapidly dying night.
The Strokes' sound will surely be affixed with
catchy critical descriptions, something to the
effect of a punk-inspired energy with pop sen
sibilities. Oh, how the mainstream loves its
pop sensibilities and other clich^d rhetoric. The
bottom line is that songs like "The Modern
Age," "Someday" and "Last Nite" tickle the
same brain sectors that inspire hazy, late night,
early morning acts of foolishness. (Grade: A-)
—Eric Brentz
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