Originally posted: 7 Jan 2011
Yes, that James Franco. The bland pretty boy from Tristan & Isolde, Flyboys & Annapolis, the angsty pretty boy from the Spiderman series. James Franco does not exactly come to mind when I think of the best actors working today, but he is on his way to the Kodak Theatre to give Colin Firth the only real run for his money for Best Actor. Hard to believe, but there is some good work in his back catalogue leading up to this.
Franco is also an alumni of cult TV show Freaks & Geeks, an Emmy nominee & Golden Globe winner for TV movie biography of his namesake James Dean, scene-stealing pot dealer in The Pineapple Express & was Oscar-buzzed in 2008 for playing the supportive ‘wife’ to Sean Penn’s Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant’s Milk.
He landed further acclaim this year for playing poet Allen Ginsberg in the experimental Howl, but it is Danny Boyle's latest heartfelt, hyper-active contribution that has given him his breakthrough performance.
Playing the true story of Aron Ralston, who cut off his own arm after getting stuck, literally, between a rock and a hard place on an ill-fated hiking trip, Franco is the only thing on screen for the majority of the film, and the film’s considerable success hinges almost entirely on the believability of his performance.
The critics raved the scope, depth & charisma of his performance. He sold it. They bought it. He’s on his way to the big time. He's the male Natalie Portman.
James Dean:
Wow. Crap trailer. Screams made for TV.
Howl:
Stylish. I like.
127 Hours:
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