One of the reasons I thoroughly enjoyed watching Mel Gibson’s new flick, Edge of Darkness, last night was that his Boston accent is frickin’ impeccable, dood. I mean it – you’d think he grew up on East Broadway as opposed to Sydney, Australia. I for one am glad the Gibber is back after a 7.5 year acting respite which was undoubtedly due to his drink-driving and comments about the chosen people. Talk about a bad night out. Badmouthing Jews in Hollywood will end your acting career quicker than stink-palming one of the Weinsteins.
The fact that Boston has been a hot movie location for the last few years can not be debated. There are many more Beantown-based flicks in the pipeline, too. That’s probably a separate post but I think we can breakdown the whole accent topic a bit further this evening. There have been some good Boston accents lately – Mel Gibson, Ed Harris (Gone Baby Gone), Alec Baldwin (The Departed). There have been some abysmal Boston accents lately – Tim Robbins (Mystic River), Cameron Diaz (Knight and Day… I’ve seen the trailer. Brutal), and the golden statue for worst Boston Accent evah in a feckin’ film goes to… Martin Sheen (The Departed). By a country mile, bruthah!
Affleck and Dicky school some high falootin’ Hollywood prick.
Am I wrong? What good or pathetic Boston accent attempts can you remember? And if anyone mentions Ben, Matt or anyone with the last name Wahlberg I’m gonna have your head examined for being a frickin’ retaaard.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
On Netflix OnDemand, watch the cinematic abortion “Black Irish,” which features some of the worst Mass accents in the history of cinema. A close second? The Showtime series “Brotherhood,” which while set in Providence has a bunch of people who sound more like they are from the Orkney Islands than New England.
I feel Leo did OK with his in the Departed. I think he captured the Lace Curtain aspect well.
Lawrence Fishburn in Mystic River was one of the worst.
Leo’s accent was so good that, like Ben and Matt, he wasn’t even a contender for either list. He’s above the fold. Now that Shutter Island is wrapped he’s probably graduated to “Boston Accent Grand Frickin’ Master”, kid.
Good point – Love Brotherhood, cringe at the accents. It’s a hard one to master, obviously.
Don’t forget the bizarre failed attempt by Rob Morrow in Quiz Show. Does Dicky even have a Boston accent? And Jon Hamm’s recent Sat night live Scott Brown skit was funny but he butchered the accent.
Two excellent additions, Mary. I’ll leave the CCHS classes of 93 & 94 to answer the Dicky question, but I did see the Scott Brown skit. And it was hilarious. As was the Hamm and Buble Pork and Champagne restaurant skit.
I would have to say Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting is amongst the worst! So bad. Though the chick on 30 Rock is pretty hard on the ears too.
Robin Williams’ accent in Good Will Hunting was atrocious! One sentence he’d have it and the next he wouldn’t. But far and away the winner of worst ever was Jeff Bridges in Blown Away. Here endeth my lesson.
Diane Lane “perfect storm” is the winner worst ever
Diane Lane in “The Perfect Storm”. Painful.
I have been watching “Brotherhood” and I have to say, a lot of the accents on that show are pretty good.
For terrible ones, how about Vera Farmiga in “The Departed?” Then again, i’m just pissed off because some dude at BST keeps telling me I look like her … ugh.