Every Strange Robert Pattinson Movie Accent Explained

Every Strange Robert Pattinson Movie Accent Explained

Contents

Why does The Devil All The Time star Robert Pattinson love odd accents so much, and what will it mean for the actor’s Batman incarnation?

You Are Reading :[thien_display_title]

Every Strange Robert Pattinson Movie Accent Explained

Why does The Devil All The Time star Robert Pattinson love odd accents so much, and what will it mean for the actor’s Batman incarnation? Robert Pattinson has come a long way since the days of Twilight, and the actor has tried out countless interesting accents in his screen career as he has transitioned from teen superstar to indie darling. Nowadays the actor balances his time between big-budget blockbusters like Matt Reeves’ upcoming The Batman and more unconventional, small-scale far like The Witch director Robert Eggers’ recent release The Lighthouse.

But one thing is consistent across the actor’s CV, and that is his peerless commitment to accents. Many, many accents. Even in projects he initially hated like the Twilight series, Pattinson has thrown himself into each new role with aplomb as proven by his interesting, unconventional, and in some cases, downright bizarre accent work. From David Cronenberg’s frosty thriller Cosmopolis to Netflix’s sweaty Southern gothic psychological thriller The Devil All The Time, Pattinson has committed thoroughly to each accent for each character he’s portrayed over the years.

The actor’s performance in The Devil All The Time has received a mixed reception, with some calling his theatrical drawl a highlight of the dark potboiler, some comparing his delivery to that of an Atlanta rapper, and some saying both statements are true. But although some critics felt Pattinson’s performance hurt The Devil All The Time, the drawling preacher is only the most recent of many ambitious accents undertaken by the actor, whose diverse range has seen him portray everything from an English cad to a stock market billionaire, to a demented New England lighthouse keeper, to a scummy small-time New York hustler.

Bel Ami

Every Strange Robert Pattinson Movie Accent Explained

Unfortunately for Pattinson, not every film can be a hit despite the actor bringing a new accent to it. 2012’s Bel Ami received a muted reception from critics despite solid supporting work from Christina Ricci, Kirstin Scott Thomas, and Uma Thurman as the actor’s many love interests. However, while the soapy material didn’t give Pattinson a lot to work with, his English accent here is superb and un-showy, possibly because the actor does in reality hail from London. Best to start slow.

See also  Teen Wolf 5 Times Stiles Acts Like A Typical Teenager (& 5 Times He Was Wise Beyond His Years)

Cosmopolis

Every Strange Robert Pattinson Movie Accent Explained

The same year Bel Ami fell flat with critics the muted thriller Cosmopolis soared, proving there’s more to David Cronenberg than body horror and exploding heads. The film became an early indie hit for Pattinson as he exited the Twilight series with his reputation as a thespian intact (probably because the Twilight series didn’t deserve the critical hate it received, but that’s a fight for another day). One of Pattinson’s best turns, the actor plays speculator/billionaire Eric Packer as the exact inverse of his fellow soulless New York businessman/satirical literary thriller protagonist Patrick Bateman. Where Bret Easton Ellis’ anti-villain is as brash as the source novel’s prose, Pattinson’s terse and clipped American drawl is as subtle and quietly seething as Cosmopolis creator Don DeLillo’s austere writing and David Cronenberg’s cold, sharp direction.

The Rover

Every Strange Robert Pattinson Movie Accent Explained

And another swift gear change, as 2014’s The Rover saw Pattinson attempt his first ambitiously unfamiliar American accent. It’s not immediately obvious where Pattinson’s naive Reynolds hails from in the United States, especially since like the Mad Max franchise The Rover is actually set in post-apocalyptic Australia. But the actor gives a solid approximation of a southern accent while also adding some tics that imply his character may have some learning limitations without caricaturing or overplaying the part. This one could have been a disaster, and it’s one of Pattinson’s first successful risks.

The Lost City of Z

Every Strange Robert Pattinson Movie Accent Explained

There’s not a lot to say about this solid-but-unspectacular 2016 Charlie Hunman vehicle, the supposedly true story of a British adventurer which sees Pattinson play his companion, Henry Costin. It’s another serviceable English accent, though this one is a little more antiquated and mannered, but (like the film it’s featured in) there’s nothing stand-out about Pattinson’s vocal work here.

Good Time

Every Strange Robert Pattinson Movie Accent Explained

As if aware he might lose the crowd with a predictable turn, Pattinson returned to ambitious accents with 2017’s brilliant, bracing cinematic panic attack Good Time. Like the Safdie Brothers’ more recent release Uncut Gems this stellar thriller sees its lowlife hero’s life go from bad to rapidly, nightmarishly worse as his best (and maybe very selfish) intentions lead to all manner of disaster. As bank robber/bad brother Connie, Pattinson’s New York bark calls to mind Dustin Hoffman’s heartbreaking Ratso in Midnight Cowboy and the actor offers a similarly superb, moving, but brutally hard-to-watch performance in this deserved Palme d’Or contender.

Damsel

Every Strange Robert Pattinson Movie Accent Explained

Damsel took Pattinson from the sublime to the ridiculous. This 2018 Western comedy sees Pattinson play a lovelorn pioneer and the role comes with an appropriately goofy, over-the-top squawk of a southern accent. Owing more to Tex Avery cartoons than John Wayne films, this one is agreeably silly and fits the film’s offbeat tone, but it’s understandably not the most convincing accent the actor has ever managed.

See also  NASAs SpaceX Crew2 Mission Successful As Dragon Splashes Down Safely

The Lighthouse

Every Strange Robert Pattinson Movie Accent Explained

Much like his acclaimed debut The Witch, Robert Eggers’ 2019 sophomore effort The Lighthouse leaves the heavy burden of its period piece accuracy on the shoulders of its small cast. Fortunately, Pattinson and Willem Dafoe are more than up to the challenge, and this two-hander succeeds admirably as a tense, terrifying mind-melter as the two actors play off each other while portraying a pair of increasingly unhinged lighthouse keepers driven mad by isolation. Pattinson’s New England accent mixes a flat, vaguely Celtic influence with clipped English consonants, resulting in a believable-if-theatrical performance that fits the film’s gothic gloom and old-fashioned style perfectly.

The Devil All The Time

The recent release that inspired this article, this southern drawl is among the most controversial of Pattinson’s onscreen accents. It’s imperfect but in fairness to the actor, the fact that he’s playing a larger-than-life preacher and The Devil All The Time’s personification of corrupt, dishonest authorities means the character is intended to be accustomed to public performance. This element is important to note when comparing his broad, cartoony performance to the more muted, naturalistic efforts of Sebastian Stan and Jason Clark in the same film. So while this one doesn’t deserve the plaudits of Pattinson’s stellar Good Time and The Rover performances, it’s at least a lot more fun than the likes of Bel Ami and The Lost City of Z. After all, what’s a (very dark, violent) melodrama with some drama?

So, what will all these odd accents mean for Pattinson’s forthcoming interpretation of Batman? The character’s growly voice has already been subject to a pair of completely different cinematic interpretations, with Michael Keaton opting for a stern deadpan where Christian Bale committed to a guttural, almost-animalistic gruffness. Only time will tell what Robert Pattinson’s Batman will decide to do to Bruce Wayne’s vocal stylings as the trailer’s first glimpse made his version of the voice sound surprisingly subdued compared to both George Clooney’s campy charm and Ben Affleck’s digitally enhanced depth. But this many interesting and original accents under his belt, the performance is guaranteed to be an interesting one despite how seemingly normal this early clip appears.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/robert-pattinson-weird-accents-performances-movies-explained/

Movies -