Sunday Similar Standards: Amy Adams

Welcome to a new semi-regular weekly feature here at Movies with Abe. On those weeks where reviews are sparse, I’ll be taking a look at an actor or actress whose body of work boasts many roles that may not be as diverse as those taken on by other actors or actresses. This is hardly a judgment on their abilities; rather an analysis of the kind of parts they play so well.

Amy Adams
This charming actress and three-time Oscar nominee usually appears as a sweet, often overly innocent young woman with a sunny outlook on life. She’s mostly unprepared for excessively serious events, and has trouble dealing with the fact that people aren’t as nice as they’re supposed to be. Generally, she just keeps on trucking, and her positivity and good nature tend to win out.

Junebug (2005): Her Oscar-nominated breakout performance featured her as a bubbly, extremely pregnant woman who had plenty of energetic thoughts to share with those around her.

Enchanted (2007): She wasn’t just idealistic in this role, she was actually a fairy tale princess transported to the real world and less than ready to face the harsh realities that might await her while she wasn’t singing.

Sunshine Cleaning (2008): She even put on a happy face when she started up a business dedicated to cleaning up after dead people.

Doubt (2007): Being a nun is good fun until the priest is accused of malicious conduct, and you’re the one caught between a more senior and discerning nun and the priest himself, hardly up to the task of handling this difficult situation.

Julie & Julia (2008): A follower of Julia Child gleefully determined to cook all of her recipes, no matter how challenging and daunting the project.

Though I haven’t seen The Muppets, Leap Year and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, it seems that her roles in those films fall under this same category.

Anything different?

Yes! Her third Oscar nomination came for an unusually fiery and fierce performance as the girlfriend of a boxer with seven intimidating sisters. Playing against type has never produced such rewarding results!

What’s next?

A role in the adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” and playing Lois Lane in Zack Snyder’s Superman update, “Man of Steel.”

The verdict?

She’s wonderful in all of her parts, and she’s clearly capable of trying something new, as “The Fighter” proved. She’s simply lovely, and therefore it’s a delight to see her in any film, even if it’s likely that she’s going to be the most sympathetic character.