I hope this isn't an augury, but no sooner do I lament the
lack of decent parts in Amanda Bynes' recent career than
she announces she's retiring from acting at 24. I actually think that a hiatus might be smart. She can go off, have a life, decide if acting is what she really wants, and come back when she knows exactly what kinds of parts she'll enjoy playing—and maybe even when she's aged past being a sexpot starlet. On the other hand, if she decides that she really doesn't enjoy acting, then I wish her well. Movies would probably be a lot better if they were made solely by people who were absolutely sure that the craft of them was what they loved doing best.