My husband and partner Rich had no patience with Darren Aronofsky’s new take on Biblical themes. He hated it! Thumbs down!
But me? I found myself unexpectedly moved…
Despite all the evident flaws in Noah (too much mano-a-mano, too many “special effects”), I nevertheless found myself in tears as all the birds started flying into the ark, signaling that the Great Flood was imminent.
Aronofsky was especially smart when he decided to cast Jennifer Connelly as “Na’ameh” (aka Mrs. Noah) because she grounds Russell Crowe’s performance. Much as she did playing “Alicia Nash” (her Oscar-winning role in A Beautiful Mind), Connelly helps keep Crowe human thru all the sturm und drang required of him on screen.
Click HERE for our FF2 Haiku. (JLH: 3.5/5)
Top Photo: Russell Crowe stars as “Noah.”
Middle Photo: Noah shares an intimate moment with his wife “Na’ameh” (Jennifer Connelly).
Bottom Photo: Connelly with Leo McHugh Carroll as “Japheth” (her youngest son) on her left, and Douglas Booth as “Shem” (her eldest son) and Emma Watson as “Ila” (Shem’s wife) on her right. Missing from this family photo is middle son “Ham” (Logan Lerman).
Photo Credits: Niko Tavernise
Noah co-stars Jennifer Connelly, whose mother is Jewish, and Logan Lerman, who is 100% Jewish.
D’Uh! Ann is absolutely correct! I had just looked at the name “Connelly” & assumed Irish, but according to Wikipedia: “Her mother [Ilene] is Jewish, and was educated at a Yeshiva; Ilene’s family had emigrated from Poland and Russia.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Connelly
Wow!!! I guess sometimes even my JewDar needs a boost. To Ann: Todah Rabah, Sheynem Dank, & Thanks 🙂