Bel Ami

Pattinson has had a phenomenal amount of success based solely on one movie role -- Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga. But it's obvious that his true interests lie in making much smaller, character-driven movies instead of popular commercial ones. That kind of dedication to the craft of acting should be applauded, but the problem is that, for all of his good looks and eccentric tastes in film roles, Pattinson isn't quite up to the task most of the time, and it's clearest in this adaptation.

Even surrounded by fantastic actresses (Thurman, Ricci, and Thomas all do their best with the material and look fabulous in their corseted finerie) and meticulously crafted Parisian interiors, Pattinson falls flat as a man who's so charismatic and irresistible that women flock to him and are willing to commit adultery to be with him. As played by Pattinson, Georges lacks the magnetism and just seems like a petulant young man who alternately whines, schemes, and sleeps with women. Pattinson is uncompelling, which dooms the story, since it hinges on the fact he's a gigolo who's able to seduce pretty much any woman who enters his plane of vision.