Is anyone else alienated? [Stay Close spoilers]
Starbucks (I’m a gold member, or however it’s called now) just emailed me a message to watch this, with the subject like “Did you like Stay Close on Netflix”? I’ve always had my security controls relatively high on my computer, so I don’t get a lot of “directed at me” ads, and I always opt out of direct mails from companies I’ve purchased from. Long-time readers will remember that I despise being treated as a market.
And I’m almost done with Starbucks; I was a regular (like five days a week) until the pandemic, but the closing of the storefronts made the drivethroughs unusable and nowadays when I need an actual café, I’ve discovered another one that better meets my needs (this is a long story; I became a Starbucks regular in Tampa primarily because it was open late and I could camp there, but I wrestled with that for a long time). And since June, I’ve been able to work at home. I miss people watching, but it’s not the season for that.
It would be one thing if this came from Netflix, but apparently Starbucks and Netflix are now cooperating. Uch. Time to cancel Starbucks. I’ve already turned off all direct marketing from Netflix (it was pointless anyway; they recommended either things I had in my list or stuff I would never watch in a million years).
So, I don’t like this kind of marketing. I don’t like Richard Armitage asking Harlan Coben marketing questions. I don’t like them sitting in a room together unmasked. I fast forwarded through most of it (Harlan Coben, Nicola Shindler), hoping I’d get something from Armitage on the creative process, but it was crumbs.
One thing I did learn: the whole Kayleigh / Carlton Flynn plot was pasted on to the novel. That does explain a few things.
Richard Armitage, you do NOT have to do this stuff.
Me + Richard Armitage 
Not alienated as much as a bit perplexed. Why is RA there at all other than to pat HC on the back? Seemed somewhat gratuitous. And what’s with the slouching? Is that RA’s way of making himself (even) smaller than HC in stature and importance? Notice how he laughed off the idea that he is “the star” of SC? I’m used to RA’s self-effacing manner by now, but this seemed over the top. Or did he just not care?
I’m of the opinion that any day we have a chance to hear RA speak is a good one, but as interviews go, this didn’t do anything for me. Something was off.
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He was a half hour subway ride away from them, so he was probably the closest. But there’s no reason they couldn’t have Zoomed in other actors.
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Your last line there kind of says how I’ve been feeling for awhile. After The Hobbit and The Crucible I really expected him to do more some rather more meatier, meaningful projects. But, those were MY expectations of course. He chooses his projects for his own reasons. (I am one of the few who did like Pilgrimage – well, not really the movie as a whole, but I did like his performance in it. He played nasty really well).
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I guess what I thought was that spate of indie films would get him a spate of better indie films. Although who knows now if the indie film as such will survive.
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I noticed the slouching too and initially thought it was to make himself smaller than HC but then realised he actually is smaller than HC so that was completely unnecessary. He’s a people pleaser and throws himself into promoting shows like no other so it doesn’t surprise me that’s it’s him here doing this, rather than Cush Jumbo or James Nesbit. On the plus side I like the wide smile he’s been wearing in this the Lorraine interview – that’s the RA I find attractive. But I agree it’s disappointing that a man of his talent is still at this place. It seems to me like he does all the right things, has no obvious defects ( like being impossible to work with or has a addiction) and yet doesn’t have a career like (eg) Cumberbatch or Damien Lewis. It’s baffling.
Starbucks isn’t big here is Oz. There used to be one in the CBD in Sydney but it closed and I don’t know if it went anywhere else. Australians are coffee snobs and love an independent. When I go ‘home’ to the UK I realise how Australian I’ve become because I spend most of my time yearning for a decent coffee and completely exasperated by all the chains in Britain. I would avert my eyes if I passed a Starbucks!
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Totally agree about the smiles (maybe that’s because he’s not “in” a role now?).
For me the choice of coffee outlet is very heavily place-dependent. When I have had the option to go independent and get what I need (Berlin, Austin) I do that, and when I haven’t (Missouri) I don’t. Tampa was a border case because there were many shops I liked better than Starbucks, but none of them was open after 6 p.m. And Starbucks rewards one for being a regular. Similar situation here, although there are fewer independents. The workspaces at Starbucks were and are unbeatable. The best coffee in town imo is at a place that always has a ten-party line for a table anyway, and the second best place is 20 mi roundtrip. The thing a lot of people say about Starbucks, including the independents, is that it’s a gateway — it got a lot of people to start drinking coffee more seriously, and eventually they migrate to the independents.
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The hugging and kissing freaked me out
After almost two years of not even hugging within my family I was shocked by his performance
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So true.
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Ugh. I didn’t watch the clip. I did watch Stay Close, and disliked it as much as the other one. I’m tired of sloppy seconds Armitage. Maybe the priest will having me looking twice again?
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I hope. I also hope it’s not a total pain in the ass to see it.
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Here we go, waiting another 6-12 months for something to watch….
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😦
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RA did mention in one interview that he was doing SC publicity with Coben. Perhaps it is because they are both Stateside – and they also seem to be in the middle of a bromance.
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They do. Although I’m sure Armitage knows on which side his bread is buttered, too.
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I was taken aback by seemingly no distancing measures and hugging but I didn’t feel alienated. Well, I do always feel a bit alienated by HC but Richard seemed relaxed here and genuinely seemed to like the interviewer (whom I didn’t know but I have since learned was a lauded actress on Orange is the New Black, which I have never seen). I might have liked this better had it been a one on one interview with only Richard.
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HC’s personality is so big that it takes up a lot of the room in any interview.
I have not seen OITNB either but I feel like I’m the only one!
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Well, you’re not! 🙂
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