Kieran’s take was baseline salesman sleazeball. It was wormy little shit kid trying to make you think he’s trying to sell you something. Is part of his problem that he seems eternally younger than he actually is? Maybe. I get the feeling like there’s simply not a world where Kieran can convincingly play this character. Like I would never fully believe this whole thing coming from him.
But all I know is that it wasn’t working for me, and lines and actions that landed like darts for Pacino – the part where he TEARS into Williamson for messing up the scam sale – they landed like… nothing? I was going to say thuds, but… they were just… there. Like that person who openly announces the biblical annihilation that they’re about to unleash on everyone in the office, and you just finish your coffee while listening and nodding.
I never got away from feeling like I was simply seeing somebody act like they think a used car salesman acts. It was distracting.