This was one of the few things I've seen her in where I actually liked her performance. She normally irritates me unbearably, but here I thought she worked well.
Her character wasn't sympathetic, but that was intentional. The only character I felt any sympathy for was Abby.
You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

I think it was a little of both, but it really ruined the movie. If she had died, it would have at least made the movie tolerable, but I was instead left sickened by it.

i usually like emily mortimer, but i just noticed recently that whenever her character is exasperated, she just becomes really annoying with the loud voice & the desperate little-girl-throwing-a-tantrum-at-the-grocery-store face & body language. both in this movie & in newsroom.

She's the most annoying heroine of any recent film that I can recall (except the heroine of The Loneliest Planetset, similarly, in the former USSR). Absolutely unsympathetic. The movie is great because of its plot. In some ways, it's an interesting companion-piece to the great (great GREAT) "The Return."

maybe because she reminds them of a snerd?

Why do people hate mortimer so much?

I find Emily annoying in everything she does. I watched this as was completely annoyed at how she manages to keep her secrets and he goes on supporting her after everything she does and the lies he tells, some of which he's aware of.
Would love to see a film where the husband manages to keep all his secrets and has a wife as supportive as woody was. Just for a change.
I watched this then thought I'd stick on another film I'd recorded so the night wasn't a complete waste and guess what? SHE'S IN THAT TOO!!!
At least in the ghost and the darkness she gets eaten by a lion, even if it was a dream.

YES! just finished watching this and she annoyed the hell out of me. the whole thing could have been avoided if she just told the truth. idiot! thanks for ruining the movie because all i wanted to do was throttle you!

I thought her acting was fine, but her character was stupid.

how woody keeps getting work is baffling.
Can't go wrong with taupe."- Wynn Duffy

Both Emily and Woody were poorly cast for this movie. I don't think they did a horrible job, they just didn't quite fit. Kingsley was excellent, that one girl at the end that gets the goods was the worst casting of them all. I'd rather watch The Spanish Prisoner than see this again.

I also thought Woody Harrelson was a little over-the-top.

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Funny, I was going to post the same thing. Her unnecessary and annoying smoking habits turned me off cold. I don't know the policy on Russian RR cafe cars, but puffing away in close quarters while people are dining seems rude no matter the time or country.

Her acting is mediocre. Smoking is so unattractive on anyone, but she looked downright disgusting doing it. Something about it. Ugh.

I totally agree! She is such a horrible actress.