The Stanley Kubrick movie that Scarlett Johansson detested: “I hated it so much”
From a young age, Scarlett Johansson has graced our screens with a mixture of roles. Appearing in indie classics and blockbuster hits, the actor cemented her name in the industry before she was even an adult. However, it was her breakthrough role in Ghost World that allowed Johansson to receive critical attention and secure more prominent roles.
At the age of 17, she appeared in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, playing an isolated American living in Tokyo who befriends a struggling movie star also finding himself alone in the big city. The movie won an Oscar and remains a classic of the 21st century; for Johansson, it allowed her to prove that she was capable of mature roles, subsequently leading to jobs in movies such as Girl with a Pearl Earring, Match Point, Scoop, The Prestige, The Other Boleyn Girl, and Vicky Christina Barcelona.
Johansson’s career only continued to get more successful as she secured her place in the most profitable franchise: The Marvel Cinematic Universe. Playing Black Widow, she has starred in several movies as part of the MCU, allowing her to become the highest-grossing female actor of all time. Still, she has balanced her time with the kinds of indie and less mainstream gems she became known for, appearing in titles like Her and Under the Skin.
It was the latter, by Jonathan Glazer, that caused considerable controversy due to Johansson’s role as an alien who appears human, using her appearance to lure men and destroy them. Her character drives around Scotland scouting out victims before leading them into a dark void. It’s an incredible film, although it was met with strong reviews on either side of the coin.
Johansson would rather that people had something to say, though. She told The Guardian, “I would way rather not have middle ground. I would way rather fail in someone’s eyes than be that sort of tepid… that’s the worst.” This led her to talk about the way she reacted to Stanley Kubrick’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut.
The movie was released in 1999, with Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise starring as a couple whose relationship is tested after the former’s character reveals that she has contemplated having affairs. Kubrick takes audiences on a bizarre journey through masked orgies and corruption, which some people loved, and other viewers absolutely hated.
Johansson was initially part of the latter camp. “I remember going to see Eyes Wide Shut and I saw it like three times in the theatre and the first time I saw it, I hated it. I had a visceral reaction to it I hated it so much. And then I was like, I have to see that movie again, I hated it so much.”
Something suddenly changed for the actor. “And then I loved it. I think in some ways I hated the emotional experience, it’s like a visceral reaction. There’s passion behind it. I can’t ever totally fault a film that I absolutely hate.” Sometimes, a film can cause such a strong response in the viewer that, even if you think you don’t like it, you can’t stop thinking about it. For many, that’s the sign of really good art.
