If a movie bores me, I tend to watch the
actors very closely. I watch their eyes mostly, they way they shine and burn and fade and flicker with each
sentence. Sometimes, I get to wondering what they're
really thinking about,
deep down inside. On an external level, the
character and the lines are doing the thinking, but if you really look at their eyes, there's usually a hint of something else; a passing thought, a
wish, a memory of
last night's dream, an anticipation for the coming
lunch break, an
itch behind their knee, a little
smile when the mouth shows a
frown.
I like watching their hands, too. So many actors place their insecurities in their hands. They clear their face, their eyes, their bodies, but the hands are the hardest to change. Even a little hesitation of the fingers can tell you a lot about the actor inside.