Idina Menzel receiving positive notices for "Ask the Dust"

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 11:25pm

While I was looking through Rotten Tomatoes, I found out that "Ask the Dust" comes out on Friday. There aren't many reviews up yet, but most of them mention Menzel in a positive light. Here are a few:

"With Donald Sutherland and Dame Eileen Atkins popping in now and again to mark time on the queue in paycheck purgatory, it falls to Idina Menzel, as the mentally unhinged Vera Rifkin, to inject some life into the proceedings. Towne treats her like a slab of meat too (the literal scars her character bears are shown only once as a kind of shock-tinged throwaway gag), but Menzel's theatrical training helps her to get out from under the creator's reductive kino-eye. She doesn't quite fit into this hermetically sealed Los Angeles (recreated on South African soundstages and locales by production designer Dennis Gassner) and that's a blessing in disguise. Ask the Dust takes flight whenever she's onscreen, which makes her sudden removal in a cheaply visualized earthquake (seemingly brought on by the killer worms from Tremors) all the more upsetting."
-Keith Uhlich, Slant Magazine

"Some of the most touching scenes belong to Farrell and Idina Menzel (Rent), as Vera Rivkin, a tortured Jewish woman who's both physically and mentally scarred."
-Emanuel Levy, EMANUELLEVY.COM

"Idina Menzel ("Rent") is heartbreaking as the wounded soul who sweeps into Arturo's room like a Santa Ana, all devouring gaze."
-Sheri Lindin, The Hollywood Reporter


Sounds exciting for her. I'm interested in seeing the film, if only for Menzel.

[Allie]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 11:33pm

That's great!

I can't wait for this movie. I want to read the novel, too. And yay, Colin!

[ashley0139]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 7:28am

Wow- I haven't seen one commercial for it.

[jasobres]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 7:38am

The trailer is available on apple.com/trailers. She is only in one scene and she has dialogue as well.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 10:07am

bumpadabumpa

[swerve]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 11:39am

one more:

"Menzel practically trembles with vulnerability; it makes you want to see her in films more often."

AP review Updated On: 3/8/06 at 11:39 AM

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 3:26pm

Niiice.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 4:15pm

Wow -- well, if this movie does well, here's to her career really taking flight!

[TheHumanTorch]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 4:18pm

good for her... that makes me really excited

[broadway_baby4]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 4:46pm

Yeah good for her! Her career is really going to be taking off soon with this movie, all the press she's doing for it, and soon a new album on a big label. She's probably going to be more than a broadway name in the near future

[TheaterAddict7652]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 6:32pm

I'm so happy for her! Congratulations, Idina!

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 6:39pm

It seems as if the film itself isn't very good, but the performances are wonderful.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 7:03pm

The book isn't supposed to be very good either. I wonder if Idina will abandon Broadway. I don't think so, judging her career moves it seems like she's intent on doing everything.

[bella cantato]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 8:54pm

Idina will inevitably come back to Broadway. Music is her first love and even if she shoots right into the A-list crowd, hardly anyone stays there forever, and so she'll be back.

[Overthemoon6]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 8:58pm

I'm so excited!

[swerve]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 10:12pm

An interview with Robert Towne, he talks about Idina quite a bit:

"it’s a hell of a fifteen minutes" Updated On: 3/8/06 at 10:12 PM