Wednesday, January 18, 2006

From "Dick frightens me" to "You don't go up there to fish"

Upon reaching that eureka moment of PSH is better in Twister than Capote, I got to thinking. Installment No. 2 of "They Were Better in..." features apple-pie-faced Michelle Williams, the first Dawson's Creeker to court Oscar (which is different from courting an Oscar nominee). Yes, in Brokeback Mountain, Williams frets quietly over her husband's emotional distance. It's a small, genuine performance deserving of the attention. However, let's not forget Dick, in which Williams plays mousey Arlene Lorenzo, one half of a teenaged duo (with Kirsten Dunst) that become secret youth advisers for Richard Nixon. Williams exhibits a wonderful flair for absurd comedy, making Arlene's burgeoning teen crush on Nixon both ridiculous and full-hearted.

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