24th Hall of Fame

OK, thanks. I liked Barry Lyndon, except for his treatment of his wife (as I already mentioned). His stepson seemed like the antagonist to me.

This made me laugh

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In my experiences, acting rarely, if ever, weighs into my opinion of a film though. When I said "incredibly small", I think the amount of films I've seen that I noticed and really liked an acting performance is somewhere between 5-10 films. The number of acting performances I didn't like are higher, but even that rarely weighs into my overall opinion of the films when rating them. When thinking of things I liked and disliked, I rarely consider acting as a major factor which can influence my rating. It generally disappears from my overall thoughts on a film.

As for restaurants, if the food is just good enough in the sense it does the job fine, but contains nothing special for it to stick out, that can weigh in on the chances of me finishing the food or not finishing the food due to getting tired of it, or it can influence my decision in whether I'll return to the restaurant. Also, tbh, I'm kind of a picky eater in general. I try to only seek out food I love. Not food I think is merely passable as I get bored with that food easily.

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But that's my point. Even though you might think you're not "noticing" it, unconsciously you are. The fact that you're not throwing the remote at the TV every time you watch a film means that the actors are competent enough to present a credible narrative that's allowing you to enjoy the film. So even if you don't end up thinking "that's one helluva performance!", the quality of the acting does amount to the overall quality and enjoyment of the film. It might not be its most notable trait, which is what I think you're referring to, but its still a key trait that's ultimately influencing many of the other most notable traits; whether its the dialogue, the plot, or how well a certain twist or climax works.

Okay, fair. Perhaps, saying I typically don't pay attention to acting when I watch films would be a better way to describe my reaction to acting.

I didn’t care for him, but I didn’t think the movie suffered for it.

I'm glad you said that, as I was wondering if people's dislike for Barry was coloring their viewpoint of the movie. For me I liked the first half much better than the second half.

I do think it has, and that happens. I had a similar reaction to Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? But I just found them unpleasant.

With Lyndon, it was a fascinating movie about a very unilkable man motivated by his own selfish needs. I can’t wait to rewatch it. For the third time.

Barry regularly physically abuses his stepson from when the kid is like 9 years old. If you abuse and humiliate someone for 10 years (while at the same time flaunting your mistreatment of that person's mother), you get what's coming to you if you made an enemy. And that's not even going into the absurd favoritism of the "real son".

I was not without my sympathies for him at times. But he was not a good person, nor was he an interesting bad person. He was mediocre through and through. If that was the point of the film, fine. But I found that his whitebread lameness left the film without an emotional anchor.

As I believe I reported in the original write-up, she then said "Oh, no! You're only halfway done." When I asked if she wanted me to wait for the next time we were together to finish it she was like "HAHAHAHAH NOPE!".

whitebread lameness? Whitebread is an offensive term and you seem to be using it in the negative.

Ok, guys. Before this goes any further, let’s please take a few minutes to think before responding. Let’s not let a poor choice of words derail an otherwise fine discussion.
I’d hate to see this devolve.

Believe me I chose my words carefully, and read the definition of white bread, before posting.

I’m Aware. I just don’t want it to detail this thread

It's cool and I know what you mean.

I'm not sure what culturally that term means to you, but I am using it in this sense:

Though whitebread individuals are usually white, the term is not necessarily racial in meaning - the implication lies more with the blandness, predictability, and banality of plain white bread. Accordingly, "wonderbread" is often used as a synonym.

I'm using it as a synonym for blandness--his race has nothing to do with why I think he's an uninteresting character.

Barry is a flour tortilla you get home and realize you got the bag that says "no salt added". He has no zest.

Understood, it has been a word used in my youth as a perjorative towards me in the past, so there is that. It’s somewhat triggering.
But in this context I get your point you were aiming for.

That sums it up for me too.

Anyway...so back to the movies! Oh I'm suppose to be watching one right now

I have literally never heard it used as a perjorative, and wouldn't use it in casual discussion if I had. The meaning I (for 30+ years) have always heard it used to mean and have always meant it myself is as a synonym for bland, describing both people and non-people. Like "the book was fine, but the plot was kind of whitebread."

I'm happy to refrain from using the term in the future, and from now on will refer to characters like Barry Lyndon as "low sodium pea soup," which I think captures the same vibe.

*shrugs*
In my 40+ years of existence I have.
I’m glad you’re willing to refrain from it, sarcasm notwithstanding.

I am not being sarcastic.

I hear that it makes you uncomfortable and I'm happy to adjust my language in the future.

Any attempted humor in the former post is just me pushing the line that Barry is the worst, not a jab at people asking for sensitivity around the language.