I'm undecided on the subject of remakes. On one hand, they are a sign of all that's wrong with Hollywood — its laziness, lack of imagination and desire to make an easy buck. On the other hand, I can find nothing wrong with a talented group of people bringing a good, new idea to preexisting beloved characters — this kind of creativity can result in greatness on several levels. It just depends on who's involved.
One remake I'm truly looking forward to is the upcoming NBC series Prime Suspect, starring Maria Bello and co-starring Aidan Quinn and Kirk Acevedo. Brought to us Peter Berg, the actor turned director of Very Bad Things, Friday Night Lights and Hancock, this new take on Prime Suspect is an Americanization of the British series that made the masses finally sit up and take notice of the incomparable Helen Mirren.
In Prime Suspect, Bello plays Jane Timoney, a talented, hard-nosed detective who transfers to a male-dominated precinct under questionable circumstances and finds herself fighting for respect and the chance to prove she can do her job. Timoney is tough, opinionated and flawed — in other words, a perfect role Maria Bello.
My affection for Bello rivals my love for Carla Gugino, and if you've been around here for any length of time, you know those are strong words. Bello is a tremendous actor who, like Gugino, has been kicking around under the public's radar for years. She's done a little bit of everything and had some pretty big movies, yet she's never broken through. Coincidentally, the same could be said for Helen Mirren before she starred in the original Prime Suspect.
Mirren began her career in the 1960s and, though she'd appeared in everything from Shakespeare to Bob Guccione's Caligula, she remained a relative unknown until 1991, when she took the leading role in Prime Suspect. Bello's career arc is similar to Mirren's — Bello has been paying dues, working her way up through the ranks. After several stints on television in the early '90s, she graduated to film. She's done consistently wonderful work in everything from Coyote Ugly to A History of Violence, but she's still underappreciated by the general public.
While Mirren's talent cannot be underestimated, Prime Suspect is a proven starmaker. In fact, Kyra Sedgwick has had great success with The Closer, a series merely "inspired" by Prime Suspect. Hopefully, Berg and company are the right team to make this reimagining work, because if anyone (besides Carla Gugino) deserves wider recognition, it's Maria Bello.
PRIME SUSPECT was brilliant. But a part of it's greatness was derived from the fact that at the time that sort of female-led police procedural had not really been seen before. At least, not one as relentlessly grim and with a flawed, conflicted protagonist.
Nowadays you can't walk through a room with a television turned on without seeing a stern, competent and smartly-dressed female detective. So I don't see how this series, well-produced through it may be, can even hope to match the impact and grittiness of the original.
Still, Maria Bello is awesome. It's great to see her get a really good showcase role.
Still, Maria Bello is awesome. It's great to see her get a really good showcase role.
I agree. I hope this series doesn't share the same fate as Carla Gugino's Karen Sisco, her shot at a tough cop character. That was a great show that provided a wonderful actress a showcase role, yet died a quick death.
__________________
A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it's not open.
i miss Karen Sisco! I love Carla Gugino - so underrated and kicked to the curb every time. Give that woman a decent role!
Prime Suspect has always been one of my favorite shows and Jane is a fantastic role for the right woman (and Maria Bello seems like she's going to be solid). I hated how they ended the original, though. She deserved a more - it seemed she went out with a whimper.
(Also, noting that they got Maggie Smith's son, Toby Stephens in a role as well - as her boyfriend? in the new one. Adore him. I was getting afraid he was going to languish in eeeevil smirking villan roles. Glad he's got something good.)
i miss Karen Sisco! I love Carla Gugino - so underrated and kicked to the curb every time. Give that woman a decent role!
Prime Suspect has always been one of my favorite shows and Jane is a fantastic role for the right woman (and Maria Bello seems like she's going to be solid). I hated how they ended the original, though. She deserved a more - it seemed she went out with a whimper.
Definitely an Eviltwit with taste and breeding.
__________________
A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it's not open.
I'm undecided on the subject of remakes. On one hand, they are a sign of all that's wrong with Hollywood — its laziness, lack of imagination and desire to make an easy buck. On the other hand, I can find nothing wrong with a talented group of people bringing a good, new idea to preexisting beloved characters — this kind of creativity can result in greatness on several levels. It just depends on who's involved.
I like Bello too, and I expect I'll give this a shot. I hope that the show doesn't have the annoying music everywhere that the trailer does.
I highly recommend the original Prime Suspect. It is awesome. Best cop show I've seen, except for the Wire.
P.S. The name of Helen Mirren's character is Jane Tennison.