Anna Kendrick, a possible Oscar contender for “Up in the Air,” steals a couple of scenes. | James Verniere, Boston Herald (.com), November 22, 2009 |
Though their screen time is unfortunately diminished in this sequel, there are exceedingly likeable comic turns by Anna Kendrick and Michael Welch. | Mike Schulz, River Cities' Reader November 22, 2009 |
The sparse real acting talent involved is wasted in supporting roles. Anna Kendrick remains relegated to the nothing role of Bella’s gal pal, Jessica. | Neil Morris, The Sanford Herald (NC) November 22, 2009 |
Jessica (Anna Kendrick) – who stole every scene she was in. | Donna Peerce, Examiner.com (St. Louis), November 21, 2009 |
Anna Kendrick gets a standout scene as a classmate of Bella's who suspects she's lost her marbles. | Colin Covert, StarTribune.com (Minneapolis-St. Paul), November 20, 2009 |
Best Lines: Almost anything from classmate Jessica (Anna Kendrick) when talking to dazed Bella during a girl’s night out. | Edward Adams, Creative Loafing (Atlanta), November 20, 2009 |
Fortunately, there are also some snappy quips, mostly delivered by the much better screen version of Jessica (Anna Kendrick). | Allison Krumm, phillyist, November 20, 2009 |
Anna Kendrick as fast talking bubbly Jessica steals every second she is on screen with her irrelevant youthful banter. | Dan Bradley, HD Room, November 20, 2009 |
Last time, I praised Anna Kendrick...as Bella's sassy friend. She's back briefly and certainly leaves you wanting more. | Dana Barbuto Wicked Local (Norwood, MA) November 20, 2009 |
Bella's barely-distinguishable school friends put in occasional appearances, too, with best pal Jessica (Kendrick) bringing spurts of welcome energy to her few scenes. | Kurt Loder, MTV.com, November 20, 2009 |
It also hurt a little to once again see talented supporting actors utterly marginalized in this movie. A prime example is Anna Kendrick, playing Bella's best human friend Jessica, who has one decent scene in New Moon. But wait until you get to see her in a leading role in Jason Reitman's Up in the Air next month. She's unbelievably strong in that part and largely dismissed as a shopping-addicted teen in New Moon. Maybe that's the way her character is written in the book, but it feels like squandered resources. | Steve Prokopy, Gapers Block November 20, 2009 |
The rest of cast including Ashley Greene, Anna Kendrick, and a creepy Dakota Fanning are the true highlights but are unfortunately underused. | Jack Giroux, TheFilmstage.com November 20, 2009 |
Anna Kendrick gets in some good bits of series self-mockery as Bella’s oblivious human best friend | Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly (.com), November 19, 2009 |
Anna Kendrick has some lively moments as school mate Jessica. | David Germain, Associated Press, November 19, 2009 |
Anna Kendrick (Bella’s friend Jessica) was also great in her supporting role. Her dialogue was delivered in a very funny, tension-breaking way. | Tom Clocker Examiner.com November 19, 2009 |
If Bella was mopey before, now she's practically despondent. She blows off her friends, which is a shame for her and worse for us, because Anna Kendrick's portrayal of the wisecracking Jessica, one of her pals, is the best thing about the movie. | Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic (posted at freep.com), November 19, 2009 |
The supporting cast helps matters, too, specifically Anna Kendrick as Bella's wisecracking friend Jessica. | Bob Tremblay, GateHouse News Service (Published in MetroWest Daily News, NE), November 19, 2009 |
Anna Kendrick (soon to be seen opposite George Clooney in Up in the Air) also provides some spark as Bella’s human pal Jessica, who gets to deliver a very funny rant about zombie movies being too hard on people who like to shop. | Jason Anderson, CBC News (Canada), November 19, 2009 |
Anna Kendrick, whose Oscar buzz for her work in Up In The Air is a source of pride for Twilight fans, really delivers on Jessica Stanley. She’s a character, Kendrick has admitted, that hasn’t really grown since Twilight, and Kendrick doesn’t perform the role with any overkill. Her monologues and facial reactions are spot-on, as were they in Twilight, and she once again brings both comedic relief and mainstream reality to the screen in New Moon. | Amanda Bell, Examiner.com, November 19, 2009. |
When Anna Kendrick breezes into view as Bella’s best friend, Jessica, the movie suddenly comes alive. Kendrick, who co-stars with George Clooney in Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air, is a raging talent, and in New Moon she works miracles with a woefully underwritten role. | Brian D. Johnson, Maclean's (Canada), November 19, 2009 |
Just as in the first film, the scenes with Bella's human high school friends-- including a sharp Anna Kendrick-- are highlights. | Katey Rich, CinemaBlend, November 18, 2009 |
The sparse real acting talent involved is wasted in supporting roles. Anna Kendrick remains relegated to the nothing role of Bella's gal pal, Jessica. | Neil Morris, The Independent Weekly (Indyweek.com), Posting Date: November 19, 2009 |
Anna Kendrick also walks away with her one scene as Bella’s tart high school pal, Jessica. (It’s a thankless role but no one will remember after the George Clooney drama “Up in the Air” comes out in a few weeks and Kendrick picks up a supporting actress Oscar nomination. You heard it here first.) Too bad the humans get short shrift in “New Moon,” taking a back seat to overcooked vampire-fu and supernatural Hatfield-vs-McCoy booshwah. | Ty Burr, MovieNation (Boston Globe movie critic writing at www.boston.com), November 18, 2009 |