Mark Ruffalo in You Can Count on Me
Man. When I saw this movie I had a nervous breakdown. I had kind of already fallen in love with Mark Ruffalo before ever seeing him in a film. I read This Is Our Youth and tried to make out with the manuscript. I was so profoundly in love with the character of Warren which Ruffalo originated and Lonergan wrote for him. After reading that I rented Lonergan's film. I might add that I put off renting it for a long time due to the fact that I suspected I would lose touch with reality for a good two to three weeks after seeing. Ruffalo's Terry, the wayward kid brother of a barely responsible Laura Linney, knocked me flat. Not just because of Ruffalo's savagely relaxed performance but because of the cautious marriage of that performance with the delicately written role. Terry (who I suspect is named for Brando's character in On The Waterfront) is a bit of a throwback. A romantic whose masculinity putters and spurts with grand gestures and is constantly threatened by 21st century apathy. A real man trapped inside the body of an overgrown boy.
The reason I love this role and this performance so much is that it was so convincing and so honest that I truly believe Terry exists. Even just as a trembling real feeling that haunts me. That won't leave my fingers fast enough when I write a play or a song. That I can't shake after wiping sleep from my eyes. That fuels my tears when I've already started crying. That I can hear in the echo of the promises of love and affection from a boyfriend. I will never forgive Mark Ruffalo for doing this to me. And I can't thank him enough.Read Emma's post and links to contributions by clicking here.
My previous Blog-A-Thon entries:
LADY VENGEANCE: Action Heroine Blog-A-Thon (hosted by The Film Experience Blog)
GIGLI: Misunderstood Blog-A-Thon (hosted by Culture Snob)
11 comments:
I wish I was that obsessed with a an actor or a character...
Actually, I kinda feel that way about Seth Cohen (Adam Brody on The O.C.) sometimes. Unfortunately, the show surrounding that character kinda sucks, so I guess I'm still gonna have to look around for my Terry Prescott.
I really must see that movie....
Side/related note: I know you are with me in anticipating 'Blindness'
Excellent choice and great post! I, too, love Mark Ruffalo.
couldn't agree more
Not too many actors can legitimately bear comparison to Brando at his best, but hardly any actor has ever done what Ruffalo accomplished in You Can Count on Me. Actually, no other actor has. The film offers the perfect fusion of actor and role, and Ruffalo totally blew me away (I can understand the "nervous breakdown" it caused, as Ruffalo's so brilliant and moving it's scary).
This blogathon was awesome, and I'm so glad you tossed your hat in the ring. Several contributors mentioned a key aspect of their choice was the fact that, more than acting, the peformer appeared to be the person he or she was playing (I know with my choice I attempted to address something to this effect) but I think you expressed this element of a great performance the most eloquently.
Agreed. What a fantastic blog-a-thon! There are so many great performances and actors to choose from but, my god, Terry Prescott opened me up creatively and emotionally. I felt free to start writing male characters that were not just wish-fufillments or James Dean knock-offs. I also felt okay about loving someone so deeply even if they rejected or lashed out at you. Sammy has to draw boundaries with Terry at the risk of losing him but it doesn't diminish how much she loved him. There also isn't that Hollywood happy ending where Terry is suddenly a well-adjusted person. As Ruffalo said himself about the character, Terry struggles so much to make the smallest improvement. Lord knows I've done that and I've loved people for trying to do the same.
Oh wow. This has been added to the long list of movies I will see before the end of the summer. Good post!
Loved your post. We all need a cool guy like Mark Ruffalo to obsess over, it just makes the moviegoing experience that much more worth it. ;)
Arden, I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo bored of this CRAP!!
"The reason I love this role and this performance so much is that it was so convincing and so honest that I truly believe Terry exists. Even just as a trembling real feeling that haunts me."
Take my word for it Arden, he exists. In my travels (including a road trip to Alaska), I've met a few Terrys. Haven't you come across one?
Though not quite as enthusiastic as you, I do think this film is very good. Ruffalo's performance was excellent, but so was Laura Linney's (Matthew Broderick and Rory Culkin were also good).
This movie reminds me a bit of "The Good Wife", another quiet, fine, underappreciated film. Judging from the reviews and other commentary, it seems that very few people actually understood this film (IMHO).
Other recommendations:
"The Spirit of the Beehive" and "Days of Heaven". Both are slow and lavishly photographed. Ana Torrent's performance in "Beehive" is magical, and one of the best ever by a child.
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