Accents and importance

Rating: Null/10 (18 February 2006)

Although the film story line was superb I found that Johnny Depp's accent led my mind to wander away from the film in a subconscious attempt to work out where he was "trying to be from" - there was no specific area more a sort of mix of various regional accents - better than the typical US actor's "English" and certainly better than Dick van Dyke as a cockney. I suppose a US actor was used so that films would sell better in the US - shame. Heather Graham was supposed to be Irish and her accent was anything but that - shame again - why not use an Irish actress? It would have made the film more believable. I love Robbie Coltrane but I associate him with comedy films/"comic relief" - so his presence, along with the atrocious accents, meant that it was impossible to take this film seriously. It's a great pity as it could have been so much better without these unnecessary distractions.