April 30, 2005
2004 - The Year of Jude Law?
I'm not a huge Jude Law fan, but could he have been in a few more movies in 2004? Sure, it's 2005 now, but thinking back to last year, I remember him being on talk shows non-stop, plugging his six (!!!) movies. According to IMDB, he was in I ♥ Huckabees, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Alfie, Closer, The Aviator, and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Whew. What a list.
As of today, I've seen five of those movies - including two today - and am ready to crawl into a hole devoid of Jude Law movies, but I have one more to see - The Aviator. I'm not sure how large his role in Martin Scorsese's film is, but in all of the movies I have seen, except Lemony Snicket, Law has had a substantial, if not starring, role. Where did the man find the time? And is there some sort of record for big, non-porn, studio movies released in one year for an actor or actress?
I imagine that Law must have had quite a busy time in 2002-2004. So what was the reason for all this stardom? In my opinion, he's no stellar actor. Or maybe he is a good actor, but chooses bad movies to be in? See: AI, Sky Captain, and Alfie. Did performances in Enemy at the Gates (most painful looking sex scene in a movie) and Cold Mountain make his 2004? Or was it that horrible movie AI that boosted his profile. Ladies, he plays a good looking robotic gigolo. Swoon.
Overall, 2004 seems to have been a big year for Law. Too bad those movies couldn't have been better. Sky Captain and Alfie were bad, Huckabees and Closer were passable but nothing special, and Lemony Snicket he barely appeared in.
I'm going to look for that Law-less hole now...until May 24th when The Aviator comes out. For 2005 and beyond, a note for Mr. Law: Quantity does not equal quality.
Posted by tien mao in Movies at 1:55 PM
Hmm, in terms of this being a record, it probably is for a recent leading actor in at least the past 20 years, but back in the studio era (pretty much, the 30s-50s), actors would churn out roles, around 2-4 movies a year (take a look at Cary Grant's filmography, for instance)... now with actors commanding a lot of money per role, actors tend to pick and choose more (think Harrison Ford, or Tom Hanks, who make 1 movie/year MAYBE). Of Law's six films, four of them were substantial parts - I think he has a bit part in The Aviator and he was just the narrator in Lemony Snicket - with I Heart Huckabee's and Closer being ensemble roles and Alfie and Sky Captain as his only leading parts.
I have to agree with you about Law's limited appeal - he's certainly cute, but I think his pretty boy looks are almost a fault in terms of attracting a male audience. Orlando Bloom will suffer from that too. Law should fire his manager/agent for letting him become so overexposed last year - there was too much Law, people would see him everywhere and probably thought "Hey, he's gonna be on Letterman, why bother to see him in a movie?" Law is definitely not a bankable actor, but he's a very good one. He should stick to meaty character roles.
Posted by: Jen at April 30, 2005 2:07 PM
I liked him in Gattaca, but that was about it that I can recall.
Posted by: Joe at May 3, 2005 1:01 PM
if you don't get the appeal of jude law than my sympathies go out to you. aside, of course, from being the most beautiful actor on the screen, he is so talented. he can play any role. sometimes i wonder if there isn't a spark of envy in his critics. they just can't equate with those looks. what he did with alfie was not an easy feat.
dolores
Posted by: dolores craeg at June 11, 2005 9:31 AM
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dolores craeg: if you don't get the appeal of jude law than my sympathies go out to you. aside,... {read on}
Joe: I liked him in Gattaca, but that was about it that I can recall.... {read on}
Jen: Hmm, in terms of this being a record, it probably is for a recent leading actor ... {read on}