A few weeks back, I wrote about seeing actors I like in something different. I enjoy watching actors branch out from what they're known for and not get typecast. Even if the film isn't the most commercially successful, I like seeing them do something outside what I believe to be their audience's comfort zone.
I first remember seeing Chris Evans as skateboarding action star Lucas Lee in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
Immediately after that he became Captain America and, as a part of the
Marvel Cinematic Universe, became a massive star raking in billions of
dollars at the box office. And in spite of the fact that Steve Rogers
passed his star-spangled vibranium shield on to Sam Wilson a.k.a. Falcon
(played by the great Anthony Mackie), when you hear the name Captain
America... let's be honest... we still picture Evans as Rogers. In fact
I'm willing to bet that when most people hear the name "Chris Evans,"
the first thing they think of is Steve Rogers, Captain America, and the
MCU (although there was a student in my class named Chris Evans so I
tend to think of him first).
In
fact, I only recently realized that Captain America was not the first
Marvel super hero that Evans portrayed onscreen. Even before he did Scott Pilgrim, he played Johnny Storm in the first two Fantastic Four films, which I've still never seen. (SPOILER ALERT: I did enjoy Evans's cameo as Storm in last summer's epic Deadpool & Wolverine. I won't elaborate further as there was a lot to unpack in that film.) Between Cap and Scott Pilgrim,
and discovering that he had been in Marvel movies before, I immediately
began to associate Evans with big budget action films based on comic
books. And we won't even get into last fall's Red One, which I did thoroughly enjoy, but it was another big action film with a lot of CGI, this time with a holiday feel.
When
I see so many of these films, I really want to see these actors in
something other than another action film. I like to see them stretch a
bit. And I've been really impressed by some of the non-super-hero films
that Evans has done over the last decade and a half. This week's film
is one of my favourites of his and I think he did an amazing job with
it.
In
this movie, Evans plays Frank, a boat mechanic who is essentially
acting as a single parent to his niece Mary (played by McKenna Grace).
When he enrolls her in school, it becomes apparent to Mary's teacher
Bonnie (Jenny Slate) that Mary is a gifted student who is probably too
advanced for the class. In spite of this, Frank wants Mary to have a
normal childhood--something he believes his late sister and Mary's
mother would have wanted. Eventually, word gets to Frank's mother
(Lindsay Duncan) about what's going on and she decides she wants custody
of her granddaughter in order to help Mary reach her full potential.
This
is one of those little, under-the radar kind of movies that I'm proud
to say I actually got to see in a theater when it was initially
released in 2017. Written by Tom Flynn, directed by Marc
Webb, and co-starring the great Octavia Spencer, this week I recommend Gifted.
Until
next week, stay safe, be good to your neighbours, and please remember
that if at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for
you.
Yours in peace, love, and rock and roll!
The Reverend Will the Thrill
No comments:
Post a Comment