Can a role in a romantic comedy help launch an actor or actress's career?
I think it most definitely can.
Not that I'm an expert on acting or anything like that, but I have notice some very good acting in romantic comedy by actors and actresses. I believe that we're a golden age of acting, where the power of the actor and actress is a height and premium like no other time before. I, E.C. Henry, la-ove actors and actresses. They never fail to amaze me in how well they perform. I can't remember the last time I saw a movie and said the acting was bad. MAYBE a Jean Claude Van Damme or Dolf Lungren movie, BUT other than that I'm drawing a blank. Most of the movies that I see that underwhelm usually fall short in the story department, NOT in the acting.
Wanna prove your chops actors and actresses out there? Then I say prove them in a romantic comedy. Why a rom-com, and not say or horror or a sci-fi movie? Well-p, lets focus on a romantic comedy. The name itself states: romance and comedy. Romance implies that an actor or actress can portray elements of romance, what it means to love and pursue someone, what it means to be flirty, and on the flip-side what it's like to feel the devastating loss of love, which is implicit in the meets-looses-gets dynamic of a romantic comedy. The comedy side of the ledger implies that an actor or actress can be funny. This is no small feat because being funny in a scene can mean a lot of different things: 1) you're the fall guy, the butt of the jokes, 2) you're the wise-cracker, the high and mighty reining witt, 3) you're a key support who chimes in at just the right time, and in just the right way so as to maximize a comedic set-piece.
There is a lot to acting. Being able to distill the emotional subtext of a scene is a skill. And I'm see that more and more. Marvelling at the skill of an actor or actress in mastering the subtext of moment, then putting a fresh spin on it so it appears real and genuine. Jennifer Lawrence just won an Oscar for her role in a romantic comedy, "Silver Linings Playbook." And that scene where she's crying running out of the hotel after she's just seen Bradley Cooper's character's estranged wife was some powerhouse acting. And guess what it's in a rom-com. All part of the meet-looses-gets paradigm.
But what the fuck do I know. I'm just a screenwriter, bleeding my heart day by day on my computer to a screenplay the world will never know. No, fuck that, I'll tell you exactly what I am: a lover of movies who can be deeply moved by actors and actresses who do it right.
"I love you Matt. You're my best friend.. "
VERY DRAMATIC, moving line spoken of, in all places -- a romantic comedy! Who knew? Makes me tear up even after seeing it like over 2o times. That's powerful stuff. But do you know what movie THAT line was said in? Do you know the actress who said? What if I was to tell you that previous to this movie this actress had nominal success in TV, but AFTER this movie, this actress's career exploded and she was all over the place doing movies up the ying-yang. Homework assignment: find the movie this line was spoken, figure out who who the actress was that said it.
Want to get a feeling what it's like to be in love before you ever even are? Maybe it's not all roses, just ask Gordon Joseph Levitt who played "Tom" in "(500) Days of Summer". Some SERIOUS dramatic work was put in my Gordon Joseph Levitt in "(500) Days of Summer" in fact in this movie he even got to dance! Now THAT'S showing some chops!
Emily Blunt was EXCELLENT in a minor role in "Dan in Real Life". But in this brief sliver of screentimeshe was given, she was mesmerizing. And now Emily Blunt is all over the place doing everything.
Kate Hudson proved beyond a shadow of doubt she could act when she took on the role and "Andie Anderson" in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days". Proved she could be funny. Proved she could hold her own with a heart-throb like Matthew McConahuey. Proved she could nail dramatic moments. Proved she could show an audience the marvel and magic of the moment when you realize you're in love with someone.
Steve Carell. Can he act? Not only can Steve Carell act -- he can play the guitar too! Well, first their was the marvel of his character "Andy" in Judd Apatow's "The 40-Year-Old Virgin". La-ovedAndy, he was a schlub who kinda got tricked into falling in love. But watch a more mature character, his Dan Burns in "Dan in Real Life" is a marvel unto itself. Watch the subtext expression of Steve Carell's face when he's walking up the staircase hoping to bump into Marie (Juliette Binoche). VERY GOOD ACTING. This isn't a comedy guy now, it's a real guy hoping to bump into someone he had a good initial meeting with, hoping to feel out if there's something really there. That's subtext folks. You see a guy walking up the steps, but his body language and the expression on his face SHOWS you that their is a deeper drama brewing beneath the surface.
Can a wayward traveler past the prime of her life settle down and find love in a sleepy little town on the East Coast? Well-p that's the character arc Juliette Binoche was task to act out in "Dan in Real Life." And guess what, she knocked one out of the park. Got to be sexy, got to chased, got the the jealous one, got to be the one who played along with a nervous man's insecurities, got to find out what's it's like to be part of family after living an unconnected life "out there." I marvel at the abilities of powerhouse actresses like Juilette Binochewho can see what a given scene need -- and deliver her part beautifully in making that scene work.
Elizabeth Banks ONLY had a MINOR role in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin", but in that minor role as Bellamy girl, a red herring romance for "Andy", Elizabeth Bank's "Beth" must first come off a suitor for Andy, then be exposed for the sexual deviant she is. It's a Bellamy/wrong girl's character arch, which Elizabeth Bank brought to life, then later was recognized by the industry and went on to star in many other films.
Ways an actor or actress can prove themselves in a rom-com:
- Prove they can be funny. Can a given actor get an audience to laugh. Getting people to laugh can be a great way for an actor or actress to broadened their spectrum and get better roles down the road.
- Prove they can deliver emotional subtext in the meet-loses-gets paradigm. This is where an actor or actress proves themselves in a dramatic fashion. This is HUGE. Can you show an audience what it's like to be attracted to someone? Can you show an audience what it's like to confess love to another person? What does betrayal look like? What does a good or bad friend look like? Seriously, an actor or actress can have a profound impact on people if they can deliver here.
- Show they know their place in a comedic set-piece, and can in act in such a fashion so as to contribute to a piece of art as a whole. Can they say in character and be interesting even when the drama isn't directly on them.
I think it's an indisputable fact that just being in romantic comedy is good for an actor or actresses career. Now you could make the arguement that being in ANY movie helps an actor or actress in their profession. But what I love about romantic comedies is they force an actor or actresses to be a part of something FAR GREATER than themselves. Whatever role they have, they are serving to cause an affect. They are serving to show us in an entertaining fashion what it's like to be in love, to suffer the loss of love, how uncomfortable it can be at time to be in romantic situations. That's the drama side of the equation. And it's deep. But there's also the comedic side of the equation: can an actor or actress contribute to cause laughs by an audience. That's no small feat. But I honestly think a romantic comedy is a good place for an actor or actress to change perceptions about themselves.
Anywho. I love romantic comedies. And I la-ove all the actors and actresses who have stepped up over the years and stared in them. The longer I study romantic comedies and what makes them tick, the more I marvel over the power of the actor. Wanna prove you can act? Okay, be part of a romantic comedy. See if you can contribute in some fashion to crafting a memorable scene.
E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA
P.S. Sorry for no post earlier this last week was working on my parent heater which had the blower working, which actually fooled my aunt into believing was still working, but not enough heat was coming out. Heard a clicking sound at a relay. Ended up replacing the heat sequencers and a 25 VAC relay. Next up one of the heater elements had under-gaged wiring which burned out and a protective terminal switch at one one of teh heater elements which was burned out at one of its connectors. Still trying to find a replacement for that...
P.S.S. Writing wise, didn't get a lot done last week. And this week isn't looking so good either, as my immediate supervisor at work is taking the week off and my work responsibilities and hours on the job will be increasing... Still, I love "The Commune II". I have a killer loglinewritten for it, and I think I'm to the point now where all I'm doing is line editing. Unfortunately, that's a very tedious task. Think the poetic side of the ledger. I don't think this project will drag on past Thanksgiving. Still need to make that killer spec. script soundtrack image. Hopefully I'll get started on that this week. We'll see...
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