SkimIt
Lindsay Lohan failed to impress as Elizabeth Taylor and subsequently her career remains troubled. What was meant to serve as Lohan's big comeback to acting suggests that it is time for Lohan to rethink her career. Lohan's take on Elizabeth Taylor was laughable, and I can't understand who cast her and more importantly why. There are many actresses who could have played the role more convincingly, and the fact Lifetime insisted on using Lohan is simply mind-boggling.
Liz & Dick starring Lindsay Lohan and Grant Bowler aired on Lifetime network November 25, 2012.
Did Lifetime Understand Who Liz Taylor Was?
The only thing I can fathom is that Lifetime selected Lindsay Lohan for the role because they were clueless as to who Elizabeth Taylor really was. If they thought Lohan had "become" Taylor, and then heavily promoted the film the way they did, then they have no idea what a legendary beauty the Oscar-winning actress truly was. Lohan's casting as Elizabeth Taylor reminds me of the NBC flop of casting Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman. Viewer outrage was so great; NBC canceled the show before it ever premiered.
Lifetime would have done well to halt production and recast as soon as Lindsay Lohan pranced on set as a child playing dress up with her grandmother's clothing. Nothing about Lohan was genuine or authentic and her gaudy, costumed appearance only accentuated her lack of acting skills.
Elizabeth Taylor was a voluptuous beauty who exuded class, grace and feminine beauty until she departed this earth. Lohan has none of these qualities. Lohan's claim to fame was as a cute, freckled, child actress starring in Disney films. I'm willing to bet that if Lohan were to start her career today she'd never land a job in the industry. To have someone of Lohan's limited abilities attempt to portray one of the greatest screen legends of the 20th century was an unacceptable tragedy. I shudder at what Taylor would have thought had she known they selected Lohan to portray her. I imagine she would have been outraged.
Lifetime Calls Liz & Dick Biggest Television Event of the Year
The only thing worse than Lohan's attempt at playing Elizabeth Taylor, was Lifetime's arrogance while promoting the disastrous biopic. Lifetime actually touted the movie as the biggest television event of the year. First, the year's biggest television event is most likely not on Lifetime and if it were, I'd have to say that Rob Lowe's transformation as Drew Peterson far surpasses Lohan as Taylor. Maybe biggest television disaster of the year would have been more appropriate.
Grant Bowler Better as Richard Burton
While the entire ensemble seemed miscast, I have to say that True Blood's Grant Bowler made a much better Richard Burton than Lindsay Lohan did Liz Taylor. As the film focused solely on the couple's tumultuous on-again, off-again relationship, I expected to feel more chemistry between Bowler and Lohan. I was disappointed as not only did Lohan fail to channel Taylor, but she also failed to connect with her co-star.
Liz & Dick May be a Miss, But it May be a Ratings Hit
While everything about Liz & Dick was horrible; from the dialogue and acting to over-the-top costuming, there's a great chance that people tuned in just to see how awful it really was. Lindsay Lohan does not draw viewers due to her talent as an actress, but because she is a train wreck. Who knows, maybe Lifetime did make the biggest television event this year, simply because people were interested in seeing the damage.
There are many actresses that can handle stepping into the shoes of others and do so convincingly. Lohan isn't one of these actresses.
When I watch a movie based on a real person, I want to be convinced. I want the actor to establish that he or she has become the character so effectively I'm awed by the performance. For example, Jamie Foxx playing Ray Charles or Meryl Streep taking on Margaret Thatcher. Now I know Lohan is no Streep, but the role has to at least be somewhat convincing. This was not Lindsay Lohan becoming Elizabeth Taylor. It was Lindsay Lohan playing Lindsay Lohan in heavy costume. I highly recommend that if Lindsay Lohan wants to stay in this business she enroll in acting classes. That is, if she can stay out of jail long enough to attend.
