I put a spotlight on three actors this year. 2010 was, I believe, a breakout year for young hunks Chris Evans, Ryan Reynolds and James Franco. I had never thought much of any of these jokers until last summer when all three had stunning I-own-the-screen roles. Chris Evans appearance was brief but very memorable as Evil Ex #2 in Scott Pilgrim v. the World. Ryan Reynolds and James Franco both had to carry entire movies from a stationary position, playing trapped men in Buried and 127 Hours, respectively. This was very confusing. Previously, I knew all these men as likeable throwaways, not unlike Tom Cruise, pre-Born on the Fourth of July.
So what is it? Are these guys for real or not? Was 2010 to signal a Fourth of July fiesta for these leading men, or are we back to Risky Business as usual. Let’s look at what they do in the near future. You know what’s weird? In 2011, they all had the same year. All three have starred in an underwhelming big budget summer romp – Evans was Captain America, Reynolds was Green Lantern and Franco was the Planet of the Apes. Wait a minute. You know what I mean. And all three have now played buddies in poorly reviewed sex comedies – Evans in What’s Your Number?, Reynolds in The Change-Up and Franco in Your Highness. No, Franco wasn’t a super-hero like the others, but you couldn’t actually have scripted a greater parallel among the trio.
And, to a man, they were all better as the buddy than as the money guy. Weird. Here’s how I rate their 2011 work:
James Franco, B-. I’m not going to discuss his credibility as doctor, father-figure, or medieval prince. Suffice to say, the answer is varying degrees of “no.” As the script called for, James twice was, more-or-less effective at getting out of the way of a big ape. James yielded screen time and presence to a chimpanzee in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Funny how we’ve done a 180 with Ape movies, huh? In the original, there were nothing but apes and all we cared about was human Charlton Heston. Today, less. Then James got out of the way while a simian Danny McBride loafed his way through Your Highness. I can’t say either film “wowed” me, but Mr. Franco certainly didn’t ruin either.
Chris Evans, C+. Chris has an annoying habit of assuming that you’ll love him just because he showed up. For you young and talentless-but-handsome actors out there, Chris is an excellent role model. Playing his game won’t get you any Jane Austen adaptation, but it might get you noticed. In Captain America, I ceased caring about Steve Rogers the minute he became Chris Evans. That’s not good. On the other hand, he actually had a bit of a presence in What’s Your Number? Now this means something. Poorly made rom-coms all jumble in my mind. Every single one these days stars Katherine Heigl opposite some amorphous amalgam named Ashton/Gerard/Bradley Duhuffalogen. Far as I can tell, the male lead hasn’t really mattered in a romance since Four Weddings and a Funeral. The fact that I might remember this role (especially the Madison Square Garden moment) means something. Don’t know what exactly. Something.
Ryan Reynolds, D+. Ryan is almost certainly the best pure actor of the three, so this is a disappointment. I didn’t give a shit about Green Lantern, nor did anybody else. In The Change-Up, he actually made a pretty good Jason Bateman; in both roles, however, I feel like Ryan forgot the prime directive of the Michael Cera acting school: it is better to be liked than appreciated. When you haven’t got Grade A material? Go for being liked. Ryan failed twice.
Captain America: The First Avenger review can be found here
Rise of the Planet of the Apes review can be found here
The Change-Up review can be found here
What’s Your Number? review can be found here
