Big River Lifts Actor's Boat
It's a treat when we can go out to see a movie; even more of a treat when we see a movie that's captioned, subtitled, or in any form remotely understandable! But just because a movie might be accessible doesn't mean we'll always go to see it. A lot of times I'll pass things up, because just like hearing people, I don't like wasting my money on bad films. I like lots of different genres (except for horror- classic horror I'll watch, but a lot of today's horror movies are horrific in the sense of "How could they spend perfectly good money to make THAT?!?!"), so I'll watch a diverse number of films, but I won't pay for dreck.
There's some movies I won't go to see in the theaters, but I'll rent them. Today we went to see one such movie - "A Lot Like Love". I'm not crazy about Ashton Kutcher, but that wasn't the main reason we went to see it. It's because the film has Tyrone Giordano in a supporting role as the brother of Ashton's character. Ty is a graduate of Gallaudet and a friend of my wife's, although I've only met him twice, if that. We went to see him in DeafWest Theatre's production of "Big River" at the Mark Taper Forum, in January 2003, after it had already opened in DeafWest's home theatre in North Hollywood ("Children of A Lesser God" also played at the Taper Forum before it went national- good portent!). In fact, that's Ty on the poster on the home page of DeafWest, even though he's no longer acting in the lead role of Huck Finn.
We've both been to National Theatre of the Deaf performances before, but never to a DeafWest show together (I saw "The Gin Game" years ago in Fremont, with Phyllis Frelich and Patrick Graybill-- very good show!), and certainly never to the Taper. It wasn't cheap, but we got the tickets as a Christmas gift, so we got dressed up and headed out.
It was a fantastic show-- definitely a cut above the average NTD production, and some very good actors. I was especially impressed by Ty's performance as Huck, and Michael McElroy as Jim was outstanding. I'd worked with Troy Kotsur before, and known him at Gallaudet, so I knew he would turn in a solid performance, and I wasn't disappointed. All in all, everyone in the show did a great job, and we left knowing we'd just seen a great show.
Several of the actors were people my wife knew, so we went backstage afterwards to see some folks. I was able to say hello to Troy, and my wife reconnected with Ty. Once all the introductions and catching up had been done, we headed home, and we thought, "That's that." Playing at the Taper is pretty damn good.
Well, if you are deaf, Deaf, or know anything about DeafWest or theatre, you know that wasn't the end. "Big River" lifted everyone's boat, including Ty's, as it headed off to New York and Broadway. We were glad we'd gotten the chance to see the show before it went big-time! Not long after, "Big River" went on a national tour, and bounced around the country, even returning to L.A. for a few nights. At this point, "Big River" is playing in D.C. at Ford's Theater (yes, *that* Ford's Theater!), and I understand has a completely new cast. I have no idea what McElroy or some of the others are up to now, but "Big River" lifted Ty's boat even higher than Broadway. He was now in a feature film, and working on a second one ("The Family Stone" with Diane Keaton, Claire Danes, among others -- I didn't see it in the last issue of Hollywood Reporter at work, so I think it may have finished shooting and be in post-production now, or close to it).
So here we were, with "A Lot Like Love" opening in theaters and a DTS showing in Van Nuys, and we figured we'd go. How often did we get the chance to see someone we knew or had met in a movie?
As far as the film goes, it wasn't something I'd recommend, to be perfectly honest. It's a story that's been done before many times, the best of which is "When Harry Met Sally...", and more recently in "Serendipity". Take my word for it that Billy Crystal and John Cusack are far, far, better actors than Ashton Kutcher ever will be. The plot was rather insipid-- I suppose in this day and age, having an encounter and joining the "Mile High Club" without having really met each other is possible, but it's rather implausible in terms of contributing to a great, long-lasting relationship. I've known people who have jumped in the sack before they even went out on a date, and the subsequent relationship, to say the least, sucked. As far as having each other's phone number/way to contact each other, I found the equally implausible scenario in "Serendipity" to be far more romantic. I also found the dictum of "do everything before thirty" to be a bit unrealistic, not to mention a terrible message to send to people. Is it really necessary to "have it all" before you hit thirty? Is that even possible?
Kutcher may be great on TV, but he doesn't translate well to the silver screen. As long as he keeps the company he does, look for him to be in the public eye, but don't expect him to be on any all-time lists of great actors.
Amanda Peet has some potential, but whatever talent she might have is wasted here. She definitely does have interesting looks, and maybe some secret Kennedy genes. She has that whole Maria Shriver look going. She has some chemistry with Kutcher, mostly during the car trip scenes, but if it's a good car trip romance you want, look again to John Cusack- "The Sure Thing" is an example that works better than this movie.
The only other cast members that have potential futures here are Gabriel Mann, who plays Peet's ex in the film; Kathryn Hahn, who plays Peet's best friend; and Ty Giordano. Mann was in "The Bourne Identity" and "The Bourne Supremacy" and has an element of screen presence. I think you'll see him again. Hahn has already appeared in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", among other movies. I don't see her being top A-list, but I think she has what it takes to be a solid supporting or character actress, especially in comedies.
Ty is photogenic, and while he wasn't given much to do in the movie, he definitely can act. I think doing theater is much harder than doing film; on film, you can sort of blend into whatever's happening in the movie, and if you're in any sci-fi or fantasy stuff, you can let the special effects help you get away with murder. Often mere screen presence is the key thing-- witness Arnold Schwarzenegger-- a B-list acting type who's made it big in many A-list action films. But in theater, the setting is much more intimate, and in some theaters, you're quite close to the front rows. Additionally, you have to establish a rapport with your audience and make them believe you are the character you're playing. It's not easy-- it's why it's called *acting*, and is why acting is a *job*. When I saw "Big River", Ty convinced me he was Huck, even though he was nearly a good fifteen years older than the character is supposed to be. He has what it takes to be a good actor; he just needs the appropriate role and screen time to establish it for those who were not fortunate to see him in "Big River." All of the supporting characters, Ty included, were sort of accessories to the main story-- they could easily have been discarded, and no one would notice. That's how weak the script was for "A Lot Like Love". Here's hoping his role in the new movie is bigger and gives him a chance to show what he can do, and that it lifts his boat even higher.
There's some movies I won't go to see in the theaters, but I'll rent them. Today we went to see one such movie - "A Lot Like Love". I'm not crazy about Ashton Kutcher, but that wasn't the main reason we went to see it. It's because the film has Tyrone Giordano in a supporting role as the brother of Ashton's character. Ty is a graduate of Gallaudet and a friend of my wife's, although I've only met him twice, if that. We went to see him in DeafWest Theatre's production of "Big River" at the Mark Taper Forum, in January 2003, after it had already opened in DeafWest's home theatre in North Hollywood ("Children of A Lesser God" also played at the Taper Forum before it went national- good portent!). In fact, that's Ty on the poster on the home page of DeafWest, even though he's no longer acting in the lead role of Huck Finn.
We've both been to National Theatre of the Deaf performances before, but never to a DeafWest show together (I saw "The Gin Game" years ago in Fremont, with Phyllis Frelich and Patrick Graybill-- very good show!), and certainly never to the Taper. It wasn't cheap, but we got the tickets as a Christmas gift, so we got dressed up and headed out.
It was a fantastic show-- definitely a cut above the average NTD production, and some very good actors. I was especially impressed by Ty's performance as Huck, and Michael McElroy as Jim was outstanding. I'd worked with Troy Kotsur before, and known him at Gallaudet, so I knew he would turn in a solid performance, and I wasn't disappointed. All in all, everyone in the show did a great job, and we left knowing we'd just seen a great show.
Several of the actors were people my wife knew, so we went backstage afterwards to see some folks. I was able to say hello to Troy, and my wife reconnected with Ty. Once all the introductions and catching up had been done, we headed home, and we thought, "That's that." Playing at the Taper is pretty damn good.
Well, if you are deaf, Deaf, or know anything about DeafWest or theatre, you know that wasn't the end. "Big River" lifted everyone's boat, including Ty's, as it headed off to New York and Broadway. We were glad we'd gotten the chance to see the show before it went big-time! Not long after, "Big River" went on a national tour, and bounced around the country, even returning to L.A. for a few nights. At this point, "Big River" is playing in D.C. at Ford's Theater (yes, *that* Ford's Theater!), and I understand has a completely new cast. I have no idea what McElroy or some of the others are up to now, but "Big River" lifted Ty's boat even higher than Broadway. He was now in a feature film, and working on a second one ("The Family Stone" with Diane Keaton, Claire Danes, among others -- I didn't see it in the last issue of Hollywood Reporter at work, so I think it may have finished shooting and be in post-production now, or close to it).
So here we were, with "A Lot Like Love" opening in theaters and a DTS showing in Van Nuys, and we figured we'd go. How often did we get the chance to see someone we knew or had met in a movie?
As far as the film goes, it wasn't something I'd recommend, to be perfectly honest. It's a story that's been done before many times, the best of which is "When Harry Met Sally...", and more recently in "Serendipity". Take my word for it that Billy Crystal and John Cusack are far, far, better actors than Ashton Kutcher ever will be. The plot was rather insipid-- I suppose in this day and age, having an encounter and joining the "Mile High Club" without having really met each other is possible, but it's rather implausible in terms of contributing to a great, long-lasting relationship. I've known people who have jumped in the sack before they even went out on a date, and the subsequent relationship, to say the least, sucked. As far as having each other's phone number/way to contact each other, I found the equally implausible scenario in "Serendipity" to be far more romantic. I also found the dictum of "do everything before thirty" to be a bit unrealistic, not to mention a terrible message to send to people. Is it really necessary to "have it all" before you hit thirty? Is that even possible?
Kutcher may be great on TV, but he doesn't translate well to the silver screen. As long as he keeps the company he does, look for him to be in the public eye, but don't expect him to be on any all-time lists of great actors.
Amanda Peet has some potential, but whatever talent she might have is wasted here. She definitely does have interesting looks, and maybe some secret Kennedy genes. She has that whole Maria Shriver look going. She has some chemistry with Kutcher, mostly during the car trip scenes, but if it's a good car trip romance you want, look again to John Cusack- "The Sure Thing" is an example that works better than this movie.
The only other cast members that have potential futures here are Gabriel Mann, who plays Peet's ex in the film; Kathryn Hahn, who plays Peet's best friend; and Ty Giordano. Mann was in "The Bourne Identity" and "The Bourne Supremacy" and has an element of screen presence. I think you'll see him again. Hahn has already appeared in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", among other movies. I don't see her being top A-list, but I think she has what it takes to be a solid supporting or character actress, especially in comedies.
Ty is photogenic, and while he wasn't given much to do in the movie, he definitely can act. I think doing theater is much harder than doing film; on film, you can sort of blend into whatever's happening in the movie, and if you're in any sci-fi or fantasy stuff, you can let the special effects help you get away with murder. Often mere screen presence is the key thing-- witness Arnold Schwarzenegger-- a B-list acting type who's made it big in many A-list action films. But in theater, the setting is much more intimate, and in some theaters, you're quite close to the front rows. Additionally, you have to establish a rapport with your audience and make them believe you are the character you're playing. It's not easy-- it's why it's called *acting*, and is why acting is a *job*. When I saw "Big River", Ty convinced me he was Huck, even though he was nearly a good fifteen years older than the character is supposed to be. He has what it takes to be a good actor; he just needs the appropriate role and screen time to establish it for those who were not fortunate to see him in "Big River." All of the supporting characters, Ty included, were sort of accessories to the main story-- they could easily have been discarded, and no one would notice. That's how weak the script was for "A Lot Like Love". Here's hoping his role in the new movie is bigger and gives him a chance to show what he can do, and that it lifts his boat even higher.
posted by Mr. Sandman | 5:13 PM
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