The Amazing Spider-Man Andrew Garfield's acting as Peter/Spidey

[Anno_Domini]

I worry slightly that this role is too big for Andrew to play, because he's shown, to me at least, that he has phenomenal talent. He was great in Social Network, but simply incredible in Never Let Me Go. And I mean it, his performance in Never Let Me Go just blew my mind.

But now, put him in the shoes of his lifelong superhero, and he screws it all up. It's not totally shocking if he doesn't pull off this role, but I always hoped he could. Now it seems that he's succumbed to the pressure of the task that is maybe too big for him.

In that 40+ second doorman scene, his acting was over-the-top, almost bad. Even the doorman's acting was better. Here's how it went for me:

Setting: Peter, supposedly a bit jittery as he's going to Gwen's rich or high-class apartment for his first time. (As some of Andrew's advocates suggests here's your benefit of the doubt)

*Doorman steps in front of him*
Doorman: Woh, can I help you sir?
Peter: Ye-no-I'm good- I'm going uhh-um.. *fumbles with his backpack* (Terribly and very conspicuously exaggerated. Who stutters that badly? We're never even half as terrified as he seems in our most anxious days. And he's supposed to be a very intelligent and somewhat confident young man. Already very contrasting from his supposed Spidey persona with all that wit, confidence, even charisma)

carrying on...
Doorman: Are you dropping off or picking up?
*For a couple of seconds Peter squints/gazes at the doorman as if he's trying to read words in size 1 font*
(Again terrible. Who does that? Recall your own countless experiences when you didn't understand something someone said the first time. The most you've got was your mouth hanging half-open before your verbal response. Who squints at your fellow conversationalist as if you're counting the hair strands sticking out of his nose?)
Peter: Am I what? (Wow, the first realistic piece of acting here! So it's in green!)


Now that was just the first few seconds of their dialogue and I can't stand to all of the remaining details, which are mostly bad acting on Andrew's part as well. But, here's the worst part of it all:

Doorman: Your name?
*Peter stares ridiculously for a couple of seconds again.. as if he's asked a riddle only Peter Parker's supposedly genius IQ can answer*
Peter: Peter- sorry- Peter Parker- why? (and as he said that look at his body language and gestures. It's as if he (as mentioned above) just solved the riddle and snapped out of deep thought after figuring the answer to the doorman's enigmatic question: "Your name?")

Put how I criticised about his acting in that 40 second scene along with his badly delivered "you think I'm a cop?" scene and it looks like Peter Parker's going to be more of a spastic ****** with some sort of mental and social problem, rather than the genius with a dynamic personality we've all recognised Parker as.

--

Anyway, I want and hope you guys can counter-argue, convince me otherwise and completely change my opinion because I still hope that everything about the movie, Andrew's acting especially, turns out amazing in the film. If not, maybe it'll still be a good thing going to watch the movie with pretty low expectations eh?

Yes, it may look like I'm over-analysing, but that makes it more of an analysis than less.

Here's a counter-argue.....it was only a 46 second clip

 

[Lily Adler]

Andrew Garfield will fail.

 

[paced]

Here's a counter-argue.....it was only a 46 second clip

Very informative.

Now, I never had a stalker that I don't know, and never wanted one. Don't be that special person to me, creep.

 

[TheSlag]

Is Gwen Stacy's family wealthy? I didn't know that, thought they were middle-class if anything.

He's a Captain in NYC Police Department, I would think they make decent money... high six figures I would imagine and with seniority probably north of 200K+.

Now that is not a millionaire, but maybe his family or his wife's family had money too.

 

[TheSlag]

The doorman was questioning Peter heavily about the backpack, so obviously he was nervous about the doorman finding or seeing the costume.

Exactly... and that clip is being viewed completely out of context within the movie too.

Talk about jumping off a band wagon. t:

 

[El Payaso]

The doorman was questioning Peter heavily about the backpack, so obviously he was nervous about the doorman finding or seeing the costume.

PETER: C-can I just go up?

DOORMAN: Oh, I get it. Why waste time making small talk with the doorman? I should just shut up and do my job, opening the door for you.

* doorman reads newspaper *

PETER: Eeeer.... h-how 'bout those Knicks?

DOORMAN: ...What makes you think I wasn't reading the Wall Street page? Oh, I know, because I'm the uneducated doorman. You really think you're better than me, don't you?!

 

[AnneFan]

Andrew Garfield will not fail.

Fixed.

 

[Troy_Parker]

So this is basically another nitpick thread?

 

[paced]

So this is basically another nitpick thread?

More of a b**** thread. Reserve littler things for nitpicking.

If there's something major that can ruin a movie it's the protagonist played and acted below par.

So are you here to defend it against me? I think you are one of those users that really support it right? I won't mind reiterating that I want my mind changed on this matter.

Or was this just another piece of spam that adds to your post count to feed your e-go, conforming to this vast e-culture of SHH that most users here seem to take into practice quite devotedly? This I suspect most likely.

No offense intended. :S

Edit: Hey look the guy below me has some tact that I like, and more importantly, sense.

 

[Thebumwhowalks]

So this is basically another nitpick thread?

Every conversation concerning the trailers and clip have been nitpicking, because there isn't much to pick from until we have seen the actual film.
This thread will evolve as we see more of his performance as PP/SM, it's about his acting, not just about the clip, it's just that the clip is the best indication we have to his skills in the role right now, so that is what is being discussed.

 

[Troy_Parker]

That's cool and all, but if this a nitpick thread (which it seems like it is), I think it'd be best if a mod closed this thread. We've already got a nitpick thread.

If this is to discuss Andrew Garfield as a whole as Peter/Spidey, we've got this thread:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=347076

 

[C. Lee]

Very informative.

Now, I never had a stalker that I don't know, and never wanted one. Don't be that special person to me, creep.

You just came off a week's probation for name calling....you are now perma banned.

 

[Thebumwhowalks]

That's cool and all, but if this a nitpick thread (which it seems like it is), I think it'd be best if a mod closed this thread. We've already got a nitpick thread.

If this is to discuss Andrew Garfield as a whole as Peter/Spidey, we've got this thread:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=347076

Aye, this should be merged into that thread, not closed completely, because it's not fair to the folk who have put work into their analysis.

 

[Thebumwhowalks]

You just came off a week's probation for name calling....you are now perma banned.

I didn't even notice it was the threadstarter who you just banned, too bad he couldn't learn some manners, because his analysis of the acting in the clip was interesting.

 

[Lily Adler]

Fixed.

No! I was being sarcastic (hence the sarcasm emoticon). Now it says he will fail.

 

[UltimateWebhead]

I didn't even notice it was the threadstarter who you just banned, too bad he couldn't learn some manners, because his analysis of the acting in the clip was interesting.

The OP was attempting to make a good point however he was being a complete *****e to people. It's one thing to argue against someone else's opinion and another to be a condescending A-hole.

Eh, whatever. I haven't seen the viral clip but from what I've seen in the trailer Andrew seems to be doing just fine. I don't have any nitpicks or worries about his performance thus far.

 

[Thebumwhowalks]

The OP was attempting to make a good point however he was being a complete *****e to people. It's one thing to argue against someone else's opinion and another to be a condescending A-hole.

Yeah, well, there is a lot of that around here, this guy was just too overt with his bad manners and bad attitude. Most people do it sneaky so they don't get banned.

 

[UltimateWebhead]

Yeah, well, there is a lot of that around here, this guy was just too overt with his bad manners and bad attitude. Most people do it sneaky so they don't get banned.

WTF? Oh. You just edited your post...lol. I saw it before you changed it. t:
Yeah, so, I was just agreeing with you.

 

[Micromind]

Some people still are not convinced about Garfield's acting, but I think Sony could not have got a better candidate, I would not even be supporting this movie if he was not convincing as Peter Parker.

 

[Lily Adler]

PETER: C-can I just go up?

DOORMAN: Oh, I get it. Why waste time making small talk with the doorman? I should just shut up and do my job, opening the door for you.

* doorman reads newspaper *

PETER: Eeeer.... h-how 'bout those Knicks?

DOORMAN: ...What makes you think I wasn't reading the Wall Street page? Oh, I know, because I'm the uneducated doorman. You really think you're better than me, don't you?!

I guess even the AMAZING Spidey can't escape the mind games of THE DOORMAN.