90% of Directing is Casting

Or so goes the conventional wisdom. Not entirely true and I would offer up "Smart People," as a counter-example. The movie isn't very good, despite a really good cast. I mean, come on, I'd watch Thomas Hayden Church and Ellen Page reading a phone book together.

Dennis Quaid is normally a solid performer who generally picks good roles. Sarah Jessica Parker won't ruin a movie, particularly an indie movie, so...

What happened? Well, the script was weak, fer sure, but the directing was even weaker. He didn't seem to know how set up a joke or deliver emotional moments. Also, the SJP character didn't make any sense. A few good moments, the best being, Ellen Page's drunken slur to a girl, "What's it like to be stupid?" See...that's funny. Why couldn't the rest of the movie be that good?

It also just wasn't that smart...and that's gotta burn the worst.

ps - Celebrity Death Match - Ellen Page vs. Young Natalie Portman.