Actor Russell Crowe called out Millennials and Generation Z for their short attention spans this weekend when a social media troll criticized his 2003 Oscar-nominated film “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” for being too slow.
“Lots of folk complaining about lack of sleep during the Pandemic,” the Twitter user wrote. “May I recommend Master And Commander starring the usually captivating, attention-grabbing Russell Crowe. I’ve never made it past the ten minute mark. You’re welcome. And thanks Russell.”
The tweet not only sparked a reaction from Russell Crowe, but a fierce one at that, as he criticized “kids these days” for not appreciating something that requires patience.
“That’s the problem with kids these days. No focus,” he responded. “Peter Weirs [sic] film is brilliant. An exacting, detail oriented, epic tale of fidelity to Empire & service, regardless of the cost. Incredible cinematography by Russell Boyd & a majestic soundtrack. Definitely an adults movie.”
That’s the problem with kids these days.
No focus.Peter Weirs film is brilliant. An exacting, detail oriented, epic tale of fidelity to Empire & service, regardless of the cost.
Incredible cinematography by Russell Boyd & a majestic soundtrack.
Definitely an adults movie. https://t.co/22yjNtQRbg— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) January 17, 2021
People immediately came to Crowe’s defense and praised the film for the many qualities he listed.
“Couldn’t agree with you more Russell…the man has no taste & no conception of what constitutes a really great movie,” said one user.
“How sad. I was 16 when it came out: saw it with my dad, left the theater, and went straight to the record store to buy the soundtrack. One night in college got into a lecture hall and watched it on the big screen. At 33 the poster is hanging in my house, still a family favorite,” said another user.
“I’ve seen MASTER & COMMANDER at least a dozen times. It’s completely captivating. And I would argue it isn’t just for adults. I shared it with my young daughters and they were transported to a time and place they had only read about. It became alive and real. It’s a masterpiece,” said another.
Russell Crowe has never been one to shy away from speaking his mind. In 2014, for instance, he stepped into some controversy when he advised older actresses to stop complaining about not getting youthful roles, telling them to “act your age.”
“To be honest, I think you’ll find that the woman who is saying that [the roles have dried up] is the woman who at 40, 45, 48, still wants to play the ingenue, and can’t understand why she’s not being cast as the 21-year-old,” said Crowe. “Meryl Streep will give you 10,000 examples and arguments as to why that’s bulls***, so will Helen Mirren, or whoever it happens to be. If you are willing to live in your own skin, you can work as an actor. If you are trying to pretend that you’re still the young buck when you’re my age, it just doesn’t work.”
“I have heard of an actress, part of her fee negotiation was getting the number of children she was supposed to have lessened,” he added. “Can you believe this? This (character) was a woman with four children, and there were reasons why she had to have four children – mainly, she lived in a cold climate and there was nothing to do but fornicate all day – so quit arguing, just play the role!”