OT: Boston Accents in movies

[LSCII]

Martin Sheen's was awful in the Departed.

That's because Martin Sheen is doing a Kennedy accent, which is not a Boston one. So many actors fall into that trap. JFK was from Mass, so it must be a Boston accent. It's not. The Kennedy's all grew up in NY.

 

[Healthy Wrap]

It's not a movie, but Julianne Moore in 30 Rock is the GOAT when it comes to bad Boston accents

 

[LSCII]

Jason Mantzoukas has the best tips for getting into a Boston accent.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2p5ycg

http://podbay.fm/show/475878118/e/1346396400?autostart=1

Rafi is the best character ever. Love everything Mantzoukas does.

 

[jgatie]

That's because Martin Sheen is doing a Kennedy accent, which is not a Boston one. So many actors fall into that trap. JFK was from Mass, so it must be a Boston accent. It's not. The Kennedy's all grew up in NY.

Plus much of it was an affectation. They were sons of an Irish bootlegger trying too hard to sound like Boston Brahmins. No better than Penn, Robbins, and Bacon trying to sound like street guys from Southie.

 

[Dueling Banjos]

I don't recall, neither am i qualified to, how did Depp do in Black Mass?

 

[hoss75]

Plus much of it was an affectation. They were sons of an Irish bootlegger trying too hard to sound like Boston Brahmins. No better than Penn, Robbins, and Bacon trying to sound like street guys from Southie.

With accents, too many actors don't follow the age old expression that applies to everything from booze, to hot sauce, to the number of wives a person should have.... ' a little goes a long way'.

 

[Glove Malfunction]

Yeah, that's what makes the accent so hard to do. It's not just dropping off R's in an exaggerated way. Certain words are pronounced differently, and sometimes R's are added into words. Like lawr enforcement.

Also, was the kid who played OC in Miracle from Boston?

He's Michael Mantenuto, born in Holliston. A little info. Not sure if he grew up there, or somewhere closer to the city. Edit: he graduated from Holliston High, so looks like he grew up there too.

Accents are weird, my former sister in law has a moderate accent, but my ex wife doesn't have much of one at all (though she sounds like she's from Georgia if you get her drunk enough). They grew up on the south shore.

 

[LSCII]

Plus much of it was an affectation. They were sons of an Irish bootlegger trying too hard to sound like Boston Brahmins. No better than Penn, Robbins, and Bacon trying to sound like street guys from Southie.

Yep. Just terrible. The irony about Mystic River is that the person who did the best with the accent was Laurence Fishburn.

 

[jgatie]

Yep. Just terrible. The irony about Mystic River is that the person who did the best with the accent was Laurence Fishburn.

I agree. Maybe Fishburn was trying to mimic an African-American from Boston, so he didn't hit the accent too hard. In doing so, he hit it right on the head.

Some bad ones in Ray Donovan too, though the guy who plays Terry is pretty good (and he's British). But the rest are terrible. I cringe every time I hear Jon Voight say "Dawwwwn-uh-vin" instead of "Dunna-vin". It's like the actors who say "Bawwww-stin" instead of "Boss-tin".

 

[jgatie]

I don't recall, neither am i qualified to, how did Depp do in Black Mass?

Better than most, but it still sucked.

 

[LSCII]

I agree. Maybe Fishburn was trying to mimic an African-American from Boston, so he didn't hit the accent too hard. In doing so, he hit it right on the head.

Some bad ones in Ray Donovan too, though the guy who plays Terry is pretty good (and he's British). But the rest are terrible. I cringe every time I hear Jon Voight say "Dawwwwn-uh-vin" instead of "Dunna-vin". It's like the actors who say "Bawwww-stin" instead of "Boss-tin".

That's exactly right. The only african american in this area who has a really heavy Boston accent is Wiggie. Most have a very subtle one, if any at all...

Ray is a great show, but I also struggle with having to listen to Voight try to pull off the accent since he fails just about every time. The only people on the show who are okay are Terry, Darryll (since he's from Brockton) and every so often Bunchie. The rest get it wrong every time.

 

[LSCII]

He's Michael Mantenuto, born in Holliston. A little info. Not sure if he grew up there, or somewhere closer to the city. Edit: he graduated from Holliston High, so looks like he grew up there too.

Accents are weird, my former sister in law has a moderate accent, but my ex wife doesn't have much of one at all (though she sounds like she's from Georgia if you get her drunk enough). They grew up on the south shore.

South Shore sounds closer to RI than Boston accent-wise. And RI accents are the worst. It's like they took the bad parts of a Boston accent and smashed it together with the bad parts of a NY accent. Just insufferable.

 

[jgatie]

That's exactly right. The only african american in this area who has a really heavy Boston accent is Wiggie. Most have a very subtle one, if any at all...

Ray is a great show, but I also struggle with having to listen to Voight try to pull off the accent since he fails just about every time. The only people on the show who are okay are Terry, Darryll (since he's from Brockton) and every so often Bunchie. The rest get it wrong every time.

Yeah, Wiggie grew up in Eastie, he couldn't help but pick it up. I've got a friend of mine who's African American, but his accent is straight outta Dorchester. He's also a huge Bruins fan. He was pissed back in 2011 because "All my boys who used to make fun of me for liking hockey now want to borrow my jerseys!"

 

[Kate08]

That's exactly right. The only african american in this area who has a really heavy Boston accent is Wiggie. Most have a very subtle one, if any at all...

Ray is a great show, but I also struggle with having to listen to Voight try to pull off the accent since he fails just about every time. The only people on the show who are okay are Terry, Darryll (since he's from Brockton) and every so often Bunchie. The rest get it wrong every time.

Abby's accent is horrendous. It doesn't help that her voice goes right through me anyways, then add the accent on and my ears start bleeding.

 

[Kate08]

I agree. Maybe Fishburn was trying to mimic an African-American from Boston, so he didn't hit the accent too hard. In doing so, he hit it right on the head.

Some bad ones in Ray Donovan too, though the guy who plays Terry is pretty good (and he's British). But the rest are terrible. I cringe every time I hear Jon Voight say "Dawwwwn-uh-vin" instead of "Dunna-vin". It's like the actors who say "Bawwww-stin" instead of "Boss-tin".

Yup. Same thing with "Meffa". It's "Medfid".

 

[LSCII]

Abby's accent is horrendous. It doesn't help that her voice goes right through me anyways, then add the accent on and my ears start bleeding.

She was great in Deadwood, but I really hate having to listen to her in Ray.

 

[LSCII]

Yeah, Wiggie grew up in Eastie, he couldn't help but pick it up. I've got a friend of mine who's African American, but his accent is straight outta Dorchester. He's also a huge Bruins fan. He was pissed back in 2011 because "All my boys who used to make fun of me for liking hockey now want to borrow my jerseys!"

That's hilarious!

 

[jgatie]

Gone Baby Gone was pretty good, though Casey Affleck laid it on thick in the best line of the movie:

Cheese, if you ever disrespect her again like that, I'm gonna pull your ****in' card!

The best was the girlfriend Dottie, but they picked her up right off the streets of Southie.

I remember you from high school. I see you're still a little conceited, huh?

 

[jgatie]

That's hilarious!

Oh he used to catch hell, but he kept on rocking the black and gold! Knew the game, too. Grew up near Adam's Village.

 

[Seidenbergy]

I cringe watching back old home movies of me and my sister growing up on Columbia Rd in Dorchester. Thankfully, I managed to drop 99% of it by college.

 

[hoss75]

Gone Baby Gone was pretty good, though Casey Affleck laid it on thick in the best line of the movie:

Cheese, if you ever disrespect her again like that, I'm gonna pull your ****in' card!

The best was the girlfriend Dottie, but they picked her up right off the streets of Southie.

I remember you from high school. I see you're still a little conceited, huh?

Casey Aflleck can do accent naturally. He's a majorly underrated actor.

 

[jgatie]

Casey Aflleck can do accent naturally. He's a majorly underrated actor.

I always thought that movie proved two things: Casey Affleck is a much better actor than his brother, and his brother is a much better director than he is an actor. Though I have to admit Ben has gotten better at acting lately.

 

[Montecristo]

Jeremy renner did the best Boston accent in a movie. Christian bale did a great one too.

 

[BNHL]

I wasn't gonna go there but as someone who grew up on the border of JP/Roxbury and attended Boston English,I can tell you that the black community has it's own dialect and inflection and most couldn't pin it as the traditional Boston neighborhood sound,to be kind.

 

[Ladyfan]

Just watched "The Finest Hours"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Finest_Hours_(2016_film)

on Netflix, and enjoyed it. Saw it in the theater as well.
Chris Pine is the lead, and does his best Boston Accent.
There are several movies where people try to do a Boston Accent.
Wondering, for those from Boston, do they generally do a good job or
is it a hack job?

Miracle on Ice. Michael Mantenuto who played Jack O'Callahan. His accent was real.