Friday, March 12, 2010

Why Charles S. Dutton Should be in Every Movie

I was watching Rudy the other day, which is an underdog story of a kid who dreams of playing football for the University of Notre Dame's Flying Irish. I watched most of the movie with specks of tears in my eyes because the movie is so nice and honest and uplifting. Movies aren't nice very often anymore (or honest for that matter), so I cherish the ones that are when I stumble across them. More to the point, Roger Ebert often writes about actors who are so good in such a wide variety or roles that, when they come on screen, people perk up in their seats because you know something good is coming. Often included on this list are Christopher Walken, William H. Macy, Peter Dinklidge, Richard Jenkins, and a slew of others that don't come instantly to mind. I'd like to add another one: Charles S. Dutton. You may not know him by name, but I guarantee you've seen him before and, despite his being in some bad movies, I've never seen him give a bad performance. Just look at him as the Notre Dame caretaker in Rudy and how much life and emotion he brings to this scene without once pandering to the camera or announcing himself as an actor in the midst of a big dramatic moment. Even more impressive is the way he holds himself. You never once believe that he isn't actually a caretaker.
And now look at him in the trailer for John Sayles' underrated The Honeydripper playing a totally different role.
He's also played a hard-as-nails sheriff in A Time to Kill, a wise father with one or two powerful scenes in Menace II Society, a doctor in Gothika, and a man on the bus in Spike Lee's Get On The Bus, along with many, many others. My question is: the man is so talented and has such a wide range of notes that he can play, when is he going to get a really juicy lead role? All he needs is a film like The Visitor of Crazy Heart and he'll be set. Fingers crossed.

6 comments:

  1. Wow You have really gotten a lot better at this. I'm impressed. Hope all is well with you its been a long time. Keep it up
    From
    Just a blast from your past

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  2. This is a very mysterious comment but, I suppose thanks are in order?

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  3. lol i'm not going to say who it is for you probably won't be happy to hear from me. i used to read your reviews all the time back when we were friends, and you have gotten like 10x better. i just happen to come across this and was surprised to see it was you. So keep it up really i enjoy reading them.
    A blast from your past.

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  4. Won't be happy to hear from you? If something happened between us it is probably long forgotten by now and I would be glad to hear from you.

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  5. lol i highly doubt it. Our friendship ended pretty bad. But hey mike, if you remember me its Alana....... lol well you wanted to know :P!

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  6. well if you decide you wanna catch up sometime we can do it when i get back. i'm off for the week out of town for a funeral and won't have access to a computer until i return fri. have a good one.

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