Now the seedy bad guy was initially a good guy and the guy in my head was Idris Alba...nice, right? But then he had to be bad and I didn't want to waste Idris on a bad guy. So, the best good-looking slightly slimy guy I can think of - Bradley Cooper. Because no matter what character he plays...I think he's kind of a scum bag. And that must suck for Cooper - because I imagine a lot of people think that about him. Was it the Hangover character? While hilarious, still awful. Not sure.
But then last night I saw Silver Linings Playbook - and my opinion has changed. that was a naked, raw, actually kind of ugly performance. He's a man with mental illness, undiagnosed bi-polar. He's awful and wonderful in turns and he knows it and he tries to be wonderful, but can't stop being awful. He's freaking GREAT in it.
There were problems with the movie - the first two/thirds made my quirky romance loving heart go pitter pat. But the last third fell apart. The transition from gritty to screwball, just didn't work for me. Oddly, enough it worked for Maureen.
Anyone else see it? Anyone else discover a new love for Bradley Cooper?
11 comments:
I saw Silver Linings Playbook at TIFF, and he was there! I agree, his performance in this movie really changed my mind about him, too. He can act--and not just as an overly good-looking creep.
I've always been a fan of Bradley Cooper, although looking through his credits on imdb I can't put my finger on why.
Have you guys seen his interview on In the Actor's Studio? You see there how truly dedicated he is to the craft of acting and what an almost geek he is about it. Adorable. He went to school there, too, and they showed all these shots of him grinning in the audience, asking questions, and/or taking copious notes during episodes from when he was in school.
And I totally bought that movie--all of it. Molly and I were talking about this last night, but my thoughts are more solidified now.
I think it for me, it was all slightly screwball. I mean, he has a very funny argument with Ernest Hemingway in one of the opening scenes and he thinks it's a conspiracy against him (in a funny way) every time he hears a cheesy Stevie Wonder song from the 70's. (And he turns out to be right in one case.) And his psychiatrist is a goofball, nerdy, Indian Philadelphia Eagles football fan.
He did have a kind of dark backstory, having beat up the man his wife was cheating with... But I don't think the movie is dark. It's funny. And I like that it was a light story about people living with mental illness instead of making it some huge scary thing, like the people were tainted or broken. They weren't broken, they were more quirky and slightly fragile. More the reality of people living with an illness like bi-polar disorder than the "crazy" people we normally see depicted in films who have mental illnesses. (And he wasn't undiagnosed... He knows he's ill. Everyone knows he's ill. He just spent 6-7 months being treated in hospital for his illness. It's diagnosed. Just not under control because he refuses to take his pills.)
To me it was an honestly funny romance about less than perfect people who might just be perfect for each other. And it's about accepting who you are, instead of trying to fight against who you are and/or control it...
I think Molly was expecting a different movie. :)
Cage match!
I can't comment on movie because I didn't see it - though want to.
And my opinion of Bradley was formed mostly the first time I saw his naked chest. I think I actually watched A-TEAM just to see his naked chest.
Which I guess makes me a slightly seedy bad girl... but I'm okay with that.
Ew! *showers*
I have been in love with Bradley Cooper since he was the nice guy next door in Alias and his bare chest was DEFINITELY one of the things that made the A-Team movie watchable. Did you notice how much more often he was half-naked than the female lead? Brilliant.
My recommendation for sexy, but seedy is Colin Farrell and Maureen has met him so you already have an in.
" I didn't want to waste Idris on a bad guy. "
Word, Molly. Word. Idris cannot be wasted on a bad guy, unless he's, you know, a bad guy we want to love. (Um, Stringer Bell, Luther... *sa-woon* now I'm all distracted--thanks for that.)
Anyway, I have never understood the Bradley Cooper thing, but I really want to see SLPB (love Jennifer Lawrence) and I've noticed in the previews that he seems "different" somehow. So, many you're right? I must see this movie--you know, in the name of science.
I enjoy Bradley Cooper quite a bit, which is really quite an understatement. LOL I am looking forward to Silver Linings Playbook!
"A bad guy we want to love"
Nice, that's my oxymoron of the week.
If the guy I do love (DH) was a bad guy, he would be out the door quicker than one could say "bye".
Not sure being in love with a bad person is even possible, well not for myself anyhow. Guess I just have some high standards, LOL!
Besides, my hubby is utterly romantic and that's surely something I never encountered with any of the "lesser men" I dated before I met him. And yes, most of those men were "bad" which is exactly why they didn't make it.
It's why I like watching a good romance movie or reading a good romance novel, they remind me of how lucky I am to be living the greatest of all romances IMO
I think I actually watched A-TEAM just to see his naked chest.
I think I watched A-TEAM lying on DH's yummy naked chest...LOL!
Which likely makes me a slightly seedy bad girl too!
"There's sort of a seedy, good-looking bad guy that a very nice, slightly repressed woman can't stop having sex with. Partly because he's so good looking and partly because she has some deep-seated sexual issues that we'll get to in WILD NIGHTS, more to come about that too"
I can't wait to read this one when it drops. I love the thought of reading a storyline where all along you are thinking that this poor heroine needs to work on her self esteem and stop settling for such a substandard man. But, than.....as Maureen said "they might just be perfect for each other". That's why I love reading it, reminds me of how perfect for each other hubby and I are! Live, Laugh, Love ladies.... it makes for a wonderful life!
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