Monday, November 10, 2003

HE'S SO HOT RIGHT NOW: It's morning in America, and $32.1 M worth of our moviegoers decided that they wanted to see a movie just because marathon runner Will Ferrell was in it.

Sometimes, America gets it right.

What distinguishes all of Ferrell's work is the complete sincerity he demonstrates in each of his performances -- his characters may all be nuts, but none of them realize it. They all believe in themselves, from Jacobim Mugatu to Frank the Tank to his off-kilter Bob Woodward in Dick. There's no winking, no irony from him -- he trusts the viewer to add that perspective by himself, and to realize that the character must be taking crazy pills or something.

Ferrell exemplifies what Mike Nichols said of actors in his recent group interview (itself a must-read) on his much-awaited HBO adaptation of Angels In America: "There is something to be said for the idea that one of the actor’s main jobs is to make the best possible case for the character."

Indeed, Ferrell said it himself in a recent Onion A.V. Club interview:
O: One thing your parts have in common is that you have absolute conviction toward the character you're playing. There isn't a lot of winking.

WF: No, no. That's what I think works the best, and what I think makes the best comedy—something that's completely committed and more approached as an acting exercise, as opposed to being worried about whether to be funny or not. The comedy comes from the context.

I am excited to see this movie.

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