Mr. Reilly, Talent called, it misses you.

[PeruvianSkies]

What is up with the amazingly talented John C. Reilly doing these films like TALLADEGA NIGHTS or the new one WALK HARD? How does someone slide so far from MAGNOLIA or CHICAGO to this????

We want you back Mr. Reilly....good films need you!!!

[jim goulding]

This guy is steady working. Hadn't had many lead roles, tho, which is probably why he took the plunge.

[johnny p]

He certainly hasn't done anything good in a bit, but he did a lot before, and it doesn't appear he's done...... Gangs of New York, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, etc.... all good back in the day.... but he put some junk films in between.

[johnny p]

by the way... anyone see Year of the Dog? any good?

[Troy]

Walk Hard looks funny to me. Apatow's movies are generally entertaining. I particularly enjoyed Knocked Up.

Reilly is primarily a comedic actor. Even his supposedly dramatic role in Boogie Nights had undercurrents of hilarity. Much as I hated Chicago, his role in that was also comedic and probably the best moments in that turd of an overhyped movie for me.

I'm perfectly happy with him doing broad comedy.

[PeruvianSkies]

Walk Hard looks funny to me. Apatow's movies are generally entertaining. I particularly enjoyed Knocked Up.

Reilly is primarily a comedic actor. Even his supposedly dramatic role in Boogie Nights had undercurrents of hilarity. Much as I hated Chicago, his role in that was also comedic and probably the best moments in that turd of an overhyped movie for me.

I'm perfectly happy with him doing broad comedy.

I clearly don't see John C. Reilly as a primarily comedic actor, I mean if you look at his entire body of work regardless of how major or minor, the results are all over the place, he was on a great roll early on in his career even in minor roles, he was in good films, like CASUALTIES OF WAR, STATE OF GRACE, WE'RE NO ANGELS, HOFFA, and then into the late 90's finally got into slightly larger roles in both PT Anderson films BOOGIE NIGHTS and MAGNOLIA, plus he was in THE THIN RED LINE, THE PERFECT STORM, THE GOOD GIRL, THE AVIATOR, GANGS OF NEW YORK and THE HOURS.

With the exception of doing some really bad roles, like in ANGER MANAGEMENT, TALLADEGA NIGHTS, and his new film I don't really see him doing many comedies or even being the comedic character.

This new film WALK HARD looks downright terrible and looks like THE RUTLES for the new millennium plus all the jokes that were recycled from where there SCARY MOVIE series left out of their films, only not horror films, but serious films.

[Groundbeef]

This new film WALK HARD looks downright terrible and looks like THE RUTLES for the new millennium plus all the jokes that were recycled from where there SCARY MOVIE series left out of their films, only not horror films, but serious films.

I would invite you for a second "listen" about this movie. It sounds FUNNY. Here is a very in depth interview with Reilly.

Do the first one, then if you want do the 2nd. Terry Gross from Fresh Air does an outstanding job of interviewing Reilly (as she always does).

Let me know if they change your mind a bit!


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=16832411

This is the second one. I thought the first was better.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=17002243

For both of them click on the "listen now" button on the top left side.

[musicman1999]

You need to remember that not every acting role is selected on its artistic merits, some are selected to pay the mortgage and bills in general, it is above all, a job.

bill

[Gerald Cooperberg]

I think I disagreed with you about this in another thread. Mr. Reilly clearly appears to be having fun in these films and I don't begrudge him that.

You also seem to be making the implication that comedy isn't a "legit" genre or that at least these comedies don't merit the same respect as the other films that you mention. Gimme a break. I agree that Walk Hard doesn't look particularly funny and I don't really plan to see it but I'd sit through Talledega Nights a hundred times over Magnolia or even Gangs of New York.

-Coop

[PeruvianSkies]

I think I disagreed with you about this in another thread. Mr. Reilly clearly appears to be having fun in these films and I don't begrudge him that.

You also seem to be making the implication that comedy isn't a "legit" genre or that at least these comedies don't merit the same respect as the other films that you mention. Gimme a break. I agree that Walk Hard doesn't look particularly funny and I don't really plan to see it but I'd sit through Talledega Nights a hundred times over Magnolia or even Gangs of New York.

-Coop

Ok fine. You are entitled to your opinion, just like me. You are right though in that I don't see validity in these so-called comedies because they are poorly made, unfunny, and not memorable in the least. I am not in the minority on that one either, MAGNOLIA is in the top 250 on imdb.com's top films and that's with nearly 80,000 votes. I am not saying that this is the almighty and only way to determine how good a film is, it clearly isn't, but it does represent a large portion of what critics also express, which is that MAGNOLIA in this case would be a superior film to TALLADEGA NIGHTS, even though they are different types of films, there needs to be some way to gauge how good or bad a film is, otherwise you couldn't have fair criticism.

[Groundbeef]

Ok fine. You are entitled to your opinion, just like me. You are right though in that I don't see validity in these so-called comedies because they are poorly made, unfunny, and not memorable in the least. I am not in the minority on that one either, MAGNOLIA is in the top 250 on imdb.com's top films and that's with nearly 80,000 votes. I am not saying that this is the almighty and only way to determine how good a film is, it clearly isn't, but it does represent a large portion of what critics also express, which is that MAGNOLIA in this case would be a superior film to TALLADEGA NIGHTS, even though they are different types of films, there needs to be some way to gauge how good or bad a film is, otherwise you couldn't have fair criticism.

It all depends on the mood of the viewer as well. I don't care how well a film is "made", if I'm in a bad mood, sometimes a comedy is what the Dr. ordered.

Likewise, if in a more serious mood, Magnolia would be a better choice (although personally, I didn't like it or Gangs of New York). Technically, it may have been a great film, but I didn't "enjoy" it.

Also PS, did you happen to listen to the audio interview with Mr. Reilly? I think you would get something out of it.