Boiling Point: Accent the Negatives

Posted by Robert Fure (robert@filmschoolrejects.com) on January 5, 2009

tomcruise_valkyrie

Tom Cruise can’t seem to catch a break these days.  Sure, he’s rich, married, successful, a legend, has a motorcycle, and again is rich, but it’s probably hard to be the Cruisinator.  Take Valkyrie, the recent Christmas release retelling the tale of an assassination attempt against Adolf Hitler by members of the German military.  What was the main talking point about the film, long before it was even finished?  Was it the epic battles?  Bryan “I’m not that good” Singer directing?  An eyepatch?  No.  It was Tom’s lack of a German accent.  Really?  I’m grateful there wasn’t an accent, because most everyone, from A-List actors to Jerry in accounting, are horrible at fake accents.

It seems pretty ridiculous to me to complain about a lack of a German accent.  What’s the basis?  Because it’s factually inaccurate?  Well, I’m going to clue everyone in to a little secret.  Claus von Stauffenberg didn’t speak English with a German accent.  He spoke German.  So claiming there is a historical inaccuracy based on the accent is pure poppycock, because you should be complaining that he’s not speaking German.  Though if that’s the case, just rent Downfall.

How many times can you recall an accent that absolutely sucked donkey nuts?  Probably more times than you recall someone really nailing an accent.  Honestly, the only good accents that pop to mind right off the bat are Christian Bale (Many people never knew he even had an accent), Toni Collette (Her natural dialect is a very strong Australian), and… and… Sorry, can’t think of one.  Daniel Day Lewis, maybe.  Most of the time, they’re horrible.  Like Harrison Ford in K-19 Widowmaker, Leonardo DiCaprio in anything requiring an accent, or, recently, every single person in Punisher: War Zone, where they alternately slipped in and out of accents that were so outrageously bad even real New Yorkers thought the way they talked was annoying.

So I say if an actor can’t nail the accent, it is the director’s job to say “You know what, forget it.”  Just let it go.  I’ve got no problem with Cruise just being Cruise in the role.  His voice isn’t annoying out of character.  It’s not like he’s Matthew McConaughey, surfer dude, playing the role.  When at all possible, most celebrities should avoid accents at all cost.  The cost:benefit ratio is all screwed up.  Very few people get praise for their voice portrayal but dozens upon dozens get reamed upon.  So if you head out to theaters to see Valkyrie, let it slide.  Don’t pay it anymind.  Because hey, if you really wanted accuracy in films, Transformers would make no money, most films would need subtitles, and a lot of them would be boring as snot.  When I hear people rip on Cruise for his lack of an accent, or hear a horribly botched one, I go right past my boiling point.

What do you think of Cruise’s lack of an accent?


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  • I think you make a good point. I also have a huge pet peeve with defaulting to British accents in the case of films that take place in ancient Rome. Why does that make sense?
  • David G
    Its like watching Crouching Tiger... but with English accented actors. Uh-huh.
  • Personally I would rather see the movie in the native language with subtitles. Take Das Boot for example, I though it was a better film in the German dialect instead of the English. It seems to lend more credience to a period piece when the characters are able to speak the language.

    Sort of like dubbing over Japanese films. The dubbed voices never match the originals nor do they carry the same emotion and inflection.
  • Fure I'm with you. I thought it was clever how they started the movie with Claus speaking German and then faded the language and accent out. Overall, it was underwhelming as a film, but Cruise was actually the brightest spot in the movie. And Alericc, I don't think they were looking to make Das Boot 2. This was clearly a movie made by an all-American director in an attempt to make the type of big star war movie like John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart used to star in all the time. Plus Cruise produced it, so he was the star. Just the way of Hollywood my friend.
  • I agree.
  • What of Daniel Craig nailing it in Defiance? I know they didn't speak English with an accent but I feel it brings you into the story a bit more.
  • MichaelM
    I've seen Defiance, and he slips in and out of the accent. I'd have much rather Craig not had an accent, as it seemed distracting, and a bit forced, as it usually does. But to each his own...
  • Brian Rodden
    Gary Oldman can do great accents. I even loved his hillbilly accent in the Fifth Element. He could have done a better job than Cruise and maybe even get that elusive Oscar nod...
  • Ehh. Sometimes I feel like Oldman drops his accents, especially in high emotion scenes. Take The Dark Knight. Listen during when he, Harvey, and Batman are talking on the roof about the Mob and you'll hear his english accent come through.
  • Fure, you have my vote...in whatever position you run for. I completely agree. If they aren't going to do the native language, then don't bother with an accent.
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