Andie MacDowell on As Good as Dead, Remaking Footloose and What You Missed on Lone Star

Andie MacDowell's latest feature, As Good as Dead, is a relatively radical departure in the model-turned-actress's nearly three-decade career: As Helen, the vengeful widow of a powerful white supremacist, MacDowell literally limps into New York City on the hunt for the man who ambushed her family in the South years earlier. Burned and scarred over exactly 54 percent of her body, Helen and her grown son join a ruthless killer (a scene-stealing Frank Whaley) in tormenting Ethan (Cary Elwes), a photographer who may or may not know who attacked whom that fateful day -- and who should pay.

The pulpy, gritty indie landed on DVD last week, but what MacDowell's been up to in the rest of 2010 -- remaking Footloose with director Craig Brewer, shooting unaired episodes of the doomed Lone Star for Fox, and apparently more than a few sleepless nights -- proved just as worthy of discussion with Movieline, which spoke to her earlier this week.

So I watched As Good as Dead, which is like this urban thriller meets Southern gothic meets Hitchcock meets... I could keep going. What was your take on the genre hybrids -- and where you fit in?

I have to tell you: For me, it was an opportunity to do something I had never done before, and to play a very unusual character. There are very few characters, too -- it was a very character-driven story, so that was a lot of fun. I'm not usually a big fan of something so dark, so it was an interesting experience for me.

You have to also play the role with burn make-up over half your face. Definitely not a way we've ever seen you? Were you apprehensive about your appearance?

No, I was actually looking forward to that. Every day, we had to put the scar on -- which was time-consuming, but it was fun to play a character who wasn't considered beautiful. For me, that was more interesting than playing someone where it was about their beauty. It was interesting to play an imperfect person.

Well, she's a beautiful woman who is scarred. How, if at all, did it impact your psychology -- seeing yourself in the mirror, knowing what's gone on in her life?

It just added to the darkness of the performance -- being able to have the opportunity to change like that. Walking with a limp was interesting; the conservative clothes, the limp, the scar and all of it were interesting pieces of her transformation.

There's something a little... off about the mother-son relationship in this film. Something unnatural.

Oh, that's true.

What kind of back story did you attribute to Helen and Jake?

You know, we came up with some concepts -- nothing concrete. I think they lived a highly dysfunctional life. I would say insanity -- that kind of group mentality that is insane and driven by fear and complete darkness and potentially some... disturbing relationship between them. It could be there. It could be there. But definitely family dysfunction.

Frank Whaley's character is so monstrous in this, yet he's also the source of some truly effective dark humor. Or am I just sick?

No, no, I think you're right.

How important is it to have a guy like that bringing that kind of levity to a shoot as grueling as this looked?

Frank's performance is what everybody was feeding off of. I know I was. I mean, not to take away from what Cary had to do; he was strung up the whole time, and miserable. That was a very difficult job. But I don't know. I think everyone was feeding off of Frank's leadership; the journey of the movie was there, I think. At least for me.

If I may change the subject, December marks the 20th anniversary of Green Card, which, along with another of your films, Four Weddings and a Funeral, was one of the last modern romantic comedies to receive serious awards-season consideration. What's happened to the genre's prestige since then, and what do you think might restore it?

That's an interesting question. First, I want you to tell me, because you're a movie critic, what you think, because I'm fascinated by the question. Can we have an open dialogue about this rather than just make me answer it?

Absolutely. I think there's a formula there--

Do you think they're not doing as well now? You know more about the business right now than I do.

Some are more underrated than others. I actually liked The Proposal.

So is it that they're not the big hits they used to be?

No, they're often huge hits. The Proposal made a fortune. I guess I'm wondering what happened to the acclaim they found among critics and awards voters.

So they lost their substance.

Yeah, maybe that's it.

I think a lot of times what happens in the business -- especially in scary times like this -- is that people worry too much about success. They have so much money tied to success, and a lot of times, creatively, we suffer. I think when the economy is in a safer place, maybe, people don't worry so much about making money, and they really take the time to tell good stories. I don't know if that has something to do with it.

And a lot of times it's the wrong formula. I learned that from [writer-director] Peter Weir more than anybody else, because I remember when he was making Green Card. He was very concerned about the testing. He didn't like that process at all. He was old school. He believed in writing a great script, directing a great movie, and making it yours and not listening to a formula. Right now they test everything, and they have formulas. And they can lose the craft of great writing and great directing that way. That's what I think. I think if you're constantly trying to please some sort of speculative audience, you lose creativity. That's what Peter Weir believed, and I think he's right.

Are there any contemporary romantic comedies that you think get it right?

Oh, my God, would you help me here? I don't go to enough movies. And I didn't sleep very well last night. I'm going through menopause, and it's been tough.

I'm sorry!

It's not something you're going to have to suffer with, but let me tell you, it's not a lot of fun.

I'll take your word for it.

Let's see, what are some good... My kids probably go to all the romantic comedies now.

There was (500) Days of Summer. Did you see that?

I didn't see it.

The Proposal was underrated, seriously.

Those are two I need to go see, I guess.

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