**Chapter 220: Turning the Tide**

Clearly, Kate did not read the script carefully.

Or perhaps, she simply read it without truly understanding the context behind the dialogue, and naturally, she didn't grasp the relationships between the characters.

The foundation of acting is a state of emotion; if you can't understand the context, there's no sense of immersion, and the performance lacks a solid base.

This is exactly what we see here.

Kate turned around, without any mix of embarrassment or joy, just surprise, as if she had bumped into a friend on the street.

The emotion is off.

"Oh, Peter, what are you doing here?" Kate looked at Anson in surprise.

Anson raised the newspaper in his hand and gestured toward Kate, "I just finished an interview. What about you?"

Kate blinked, raised her chin, and displayed a shy but joyful expression, "I'm about to go for an audition!"

The emotion is still off—

Kate should be Mary Jane at this moment, dressed in a waitress uniform with a trench coat draped over her shoulders. She just finished her shift at the restaurant and didn't expect to be seen by Peter Parker. The so-called audition was just an excuse to cover up her awkward situation, a little white lie.

However, Kate seemed to truly believe she was going to an audition.

Anson: ???

Hello, Miss, are you sure you understood the script?

This is the moment that tests Anson. If he can't stay in character, this screen test will turn into a disaster, a complete disaster.

Anson needs to stay calm.

"Audition?" Anson pretended not to notice the waitress uniform, even though Kate's trench coat was wide open, making it hard to ignore. He genuinely expressed happiness for Mary Jane, "You're starting to act?"

Kate beamed, "Yes. I found a job. In fact, I just got off work."

Anson, with no suspicion, showed a joyful expression, his bright blue eyes sparkling, "That's awesome! You did it, your dream has come true!"

Sam Raimi noticed the details—

Although, because of the camera angle, Anson's face couldn't be seen directly, the angle of his cheek could still be seen as he gazed intently at Mary Jane.

Focused and affectionate.

Still shy, still hiding his crush carefully, but unlike before, he finally dared to look Mary Jane in the eyes.

Sam was a bit curious about what kind of light was shining in Anson's eyes at that moment.

Originally, in this scene, Mary Jane should have been trying to cover up her awkwardness, but accidentally got caught, and unexpectedly found that Peter Parker didn't mind, so she chose to let it go.

But now, Kate did not cover up or panic, and as the scene was about to go off track, Anson's reaction gave the scene a new meaning:

Because Mary Jane didn't cover up, Peter Parker noticed her waitress uniform from the beginning, but instead of thinking Mary Jane was lying, he believed that she could work as a waitress while still going to auditions to pursue her dreams. There was no conflict between the two, and he fully supported Mary Jane.

This pure support, without any mixed interests, pulled the scene back on track in a different way and added a new layer of interpretation to the scene.

It's precisely these small details that gradually build up the character, as if we can truly see Peter Parker growing up, maturing, but still keeping his pure heart.

In that case, it doesn't seem too bad.

So, where is the problem?

According to the original concept of the script, this scene not only showcases Peter Parker's growth but also sets the stage for Mary Jane's change in mindset—

If the movie is truly going to move the audience, then Mary Jane cannot just be a pretty face; even in the simplest and roughest terms, she needs a character arc.

This is also why they hoped to see the sparks fly between the two actors.

Now, in Anson's performance, Peter Parker has become more three-dimensional and vivid; however, Kate has turned Mary Jane into nothing more than a pretty face.

But since Anson managed to salvage the situation, the audition should continue. Sam also didn't forget his role.

He needs to play a passerby, specifically the restaurant owner. He shouted at Peter Parker and Mary Jane, "Hey, superstar! Your cash register is short six dollars. Next time, it'll be deducted directly from your paycheck."

What a buzzkill.

Kate looked at Anson in front of her, her smile still lingering at the corners of her mouth, but gradually becoming stiff and somewhat uneasy. She then lifted her eyes and pretended to look at the sky, seemingly unaware of whom the voice was calling.

However, this scene seemed a bit out of place—

In an instant, it turned into an "American Pie"-style teenage romantic comedy, with Kate appearing like a cheerleader, ignoring the existence of the Cinderella-like protagonist.

Here, the complex emotions of Mary Jane, full of contradictions, lost their space for expression because of Kate's action of looking up. Even if Kate didn't want to display the details and nuances through her eyes and expressions, trying to hide her emotions, bowing her head would fit the situation better than looking up—

Lowering her head, in some sense, represents shame and embarrassment; while raising it carries a certain amount of pride and stubbornness.

And Kate's expression also carried some arrogance.

Details, details full of the breath of life and rich with emotional context, it's precisely these details that breathe life into a character within a limited space.

Clearly, Kate has completely gone off course.

Sam didn't get a response, but he still didn't give up, "Sorry, Miss Watson, I was talking to you. Hey!"

Kate could no longer keep up the act and turned her head to look at Sam, impatiently shouting back, "Yes, Enrique, okay, I heard you."

Sam rolled his eyes, still speaking in that annoying tone that could drive anyone crazy, "Better not let it happen again! Try rolling your eyes at me one more time!"

Kate no longer paid attention to him and turned to look at Anson.

Anson—Peter Parker had been watching Mary Jane the entire time, without surprise or panic, just a gentle look, like a safety net, waiting for Mary Jane to land.

Kate looked a bit impatient, her eyes dodging for a moment, and then she finally realized her waitress uniform. The front of her trench coat, which had never been closed, was fully open, revealing everything to Anson. She awkwardly tugged at the coat and helplessly sneaked a glance at Anson, "Dreams? Hmm?"

Because of the off emotion earlier, when the lines reached this point, the context was entirely off, and Kate's emotions from before and now couldn't connect effectively.

As a viewer, the performance in front of them was truly a disaster.

Maybe not every audience member is so professional that they can pinpoint what's wrong with the scene; but the audience has eyes and brains, and they can't immerse themselves in this scene or dialogue, so naturally, the movie loses its appeal. This is the failure of acting.

On set, it was hard to watch—

More embarrassing than a movie, it was comparable to a car crash.

However.

Sam was serious, Ian was serious, and Laura was just as serious.

All of this, everything, was because of Anson.

With his own strength, Anson not only made this scene barely watchable but also breathed new life into the character of Peter Parker, making it impossible to look away, and naturally, the curiosity about how Anson would respond grew—

With no lines, with all the initiative on Mary Jane's side, how would Anson bring this disaster back on the right track?

note...

please give power stone to motivate me post