I beg to differ.
The author points out the same arguement we in the entertainment business always love to make on slow writing days. "It's just not like it used to be." We'll watch a classic movie, like my favorite, Casablanca, and wonder who would take the place of Rick in a remake or something. We can never find that perfect person and then we'd quip, "yeah, there just isn't any star like that any more."
I've caught myself making the same comment on numerous times.
The fact is, that's just not true, folks.
When a performer is skilled, they take the written page and make it come alive, complete with the quirks and complexities that make a character become a person.
Case in point: Jurassic World.
I really wanted to hate this movie.
The world is a bad place right now. A really bad place. We, the American people, are under the thumb of corporations. I know it sound like a manifesto, but hear me out. Everything is about making that bottom line and making money, for, like four white dudes who have so many houses, we'll never find them. They own the government and they own the media. And? It means that creativity is shafted for money making. Indie films exist. But if you want to see them, they have to go under the radar. The only movies that are greenlit have to make money. That means sequels or reboots. You can see it on Broadway. Tourists won't waste their dollars on the new musical. They know nothing about it. But if the musical was based on a movie they already saw? Sure!
Hollywood sees this. This summer's releases are all reboots. Or franchises. I want so badly to hate them all.
I really, really do.
But I can't?
Because of a leading man.
And the article states that there's just not any good men left.
I saw a brief clip from Jurassic World and, like my buddy, Joss Weadon, I saw it as sexist and deserving of derision. I saw charicatures spouting dialogue that was cut from a Lee Majors film in the 70s. It hurt my heart.
See, I had seen the original movie in 1993 with a dude I was totally crushing on. And I had read the original book as well. But I put those hopes and dreams to bed. And started the full-blown hating on this "World."
My love for filmgoing overcame me. Nothing has been playing. Everyone on social media was swooning over this movie. I laced up my popcorn and headed out to the multiplex.
A-hating I would go! A-hating I would go!
And then Chris Pratt zoomed onto the screen. I had noticed him prior in my beloved Parks and Rec. He took a one-note character of schlub and made him into something zany enough that I was reminded of so many Marx brother zingers. Almost surreal, heady jokes, that he sold on his chrisma alone.
And I noticed something.
He was a leading man. Good looking, but able to sell a 'superheroes in space' saga with a certain kindness that the whole 'orphan' bit helped us connect with him. His range is a bit limited, but I'm slowly starting to realize there's something more there in his potential.
Jurassic World gives more credit to him.
You just watched that terrible scene. That poorly written scattershot, sexist sequence.
But it dries up as soon as it spews out. In fact, the spectacle of the movie really does carry the weight of this flick. Is it good? Sorta. It's fun and so very loud, you might even notice that you've been here before with the same characters yelling the same things. I've always pointed out that with the increase and ease of special effects, decent writing is paramount. There's no decent writing here. It's truly a B-movie.
Look at Chris' character, Owen. He was in the Navy. And now he's training dinos. Exactly WHY is he on Isla Nublar again? Does anyone know? Or do we care because he's just doing the things we need him to do for a variety of action sequences? Pretty much. But Mr. Pratt is talented enough to move above the wobbly presentation and make us want to go on the journey with him. This, my friends? This is what makes a leading man.
Is the movie? Very much so. Jolts and surprisingly little bloodletting, even though we see many, many redshirts get munched upon. Only one spews any kind of gore. Exactly how does that work? Oh, Universal needed kids to go see the movie, so, edit, edit, edit. But, yes, I did find myself tense. Not because I really cared if anyone in particular died (several should have), but because I had no idea how the complicated action sequences would pander out. That's okay. It's been the salt-and-pepper of every martial arts movie.
It does work on the big screen, where the dinos are comparable to their size and, well, since many of you, dear readers, don't live near a Universal Studios theme park, such things might fulfill the void of a roller coaster. Nothing really to see, just lots of ups and downs.
So, basically, Jurassic World is a very expensive B-Movie, built for the drive in. You cannot help but NOT like it. It's built to put butts in seats. But, in the end, no new ground has been covered.
My friend, who posted that original article did ask, "so, Roo, what do you think are the true American male leads, then?"
Here are some performers that are worth visiting every time they're on the screen.
Matthew McConnaughey
Denzel Washington
Channing Tatum
Robert Downey, Jr.
Vin Diesel (yes, I said it)
Tom Cruise (as much as I hate him, he is magnetic and can act...he just takes shitty roles)
Jim Carrey (an INCREDIBLE performer but Americans are too stupid to see him outside of anything but comedy)
Ben Affleck (he is something of a Masshole and tends to, like Tom Cruise, handle the press very poorly)
Matt Damon
Michael B Jordan
Miles Teller
Antonio Bandaras
The list goes on and on. And you have an opportunity to see one of these leading men as he rises. I hope his success continues. I'd like to see him do more.
Peace
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