Image = Comedians Doing Something Dramatically Different

It is fascinating to me when performers are known for one thing and then they do something totally different very effectively.

Ricky Gervais is best known for his toxic persona and skewering everyone in the room as two-time host of the Golden Globes.  And now he has created a lovely series like Derek.  He is wonderfully affecting as a seemingly mentally challenged man who works as a caretaker in a nursing home.  This mockumentary style show has so much heart and compassion that all I could think was - how is this the same person?  Is his persona just a persona?  Or is this poignant stuff just a bunch of bunk?

Now, I’ve seen other comedians do drama very well – Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Steve Martin, Will Farrell – but this is something different.  Derek is a different kind of comedy – or dramedy if you will – and there’s also an element of social commentary on Derek – about caring for the elderly and the bureaucracy of institutionalized care.  It took me completely by surprise and moved me to tears.  Derek is simply wonderful and everyone should watch it.    

Saying that, I definitely would not call myself a Ricky Gervais fan.  I hated what he did on the Golden Globes.  What’s the point of hiring a host to tear apart Hollywood at an event meant to honor Hollywood excellence?  And I can’t stand The Office – British or American.  However, The Invention of Lying (which Gervais also wrote) was ingenious and he was great in Ghost Town.  After two seasons of Derek, I am now definitely more inclined to seek out other projects Ricky is involved in from now on.

{An aside - It’s interesting that Netflix is getting so much acclaim for Orange is the New Black & House of Cards and no one is talking about Derek, also a Netflix original series}. 

One more thing about comedians crossing over.  I am intrigued by Steve Carell, who displayed some non funny chops last summer in The Way Way Back.  Since Cannes, there is Oscar buzz for his portrayal of a paranoid schizophrenic murderer in the film Foxcatcher.  I definitely would call myself a Steve Carell fan and I would love to be forced to call him “Academy Award winner Steve Carell” for the rest of my life. 

Image = The Tragic Loss of Greatness

I loved Philip Seymour Hoffman.  He significantly enhanced my life through his work.  Philip was one of a rare breed of "real" actors who completely commit to their characters and get lost in them.  There are countless movie stars who are skilled at playing the same part again & again, but there are few actors who actually transform themselves in their work. 

The list of American actors without matinee idol looks who submerge themselves into a role is very small.  Dustin Hoffman, Sean Penn & Paul Giamatti come readily to mind – and that’s about it.  What was truly remarkable about Philip Seymour Hoffman was that he traditionally fit into the role of a character actor but despite this image, he broke the rules and actually starred in films and did it well.  In less than 25 years he was triumphant in theater - both local and Broadway, indie films, and big budget Hollywood movies.  His sudden tragic death is a devastating loss for the entire entertainment industry. 

Over the past 72 hours, I have read a lot about the many great roles Philip Seymour Hoffman played – Boogie Nights, Almost Famous, Charlie Wilson's War, Doubt, Capote, etc.  But no one has mentioned my favorite PSH role ever – Flawless (1999).  PSH stars as a drag queen who becomes a vocal coach for Robert De Niro, a homophobic cop who has suffered a stroke.  I won’t say much except that Philip is transcendent and I highly recommend finding it and watching it.   

PSH in Flawless

I was fortunate to meet PSH at a Tribeca screening three years ago.  It was a completely inspiring documentary about a wonderful band in Haiti called When the Drum is Beating.  My friend and I spotted Philip as we were exiting the theater and I was struck dumb.  After working with talent for years, I am usually pretty cool around famous actors, but not this time.  What could I say to him that would even begin to elucidate my admiration?   My never shy friend said, “She loves you.  You have no idea how much she loves you,” and I said something of little importance.  PSH deflected the comments and just said, “Wasn’t that a great film?  What a really great film.”  He was the most normal guy who in that moment was just another film goer.  Not exactly a meaningful encounter but a memorable one for me, especially now. 

One of the few things in life that makes sense to me is great art.  Film, theater, music, literature...  I take solace in the joy of a great performance or an inspired piece of writing.   

Philips's death makes no sense to me.  How could this gifted actor be gone so soon? 

 

I don’t want to talk too much about how Philip died but there is something to say about the trend in entertainment.  Perhaps the elusive demon that plagues people with an addictive personality is the same characteristic that curses people of extraordinary talent.  Judy Garland, John Belushi, Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Cory Monteith...  It is an all too frequent consequence for great artists.  My sincere hope is that Philip Seymour Hoffman will not be remembered for how he left us but for the incredible gifts that he left with us.             

Image = Woody's Dark Side

I love Woody Allen. To me, he is an unparalleled genius. I’ve been a fan of his films for years and I have always felt connected to him. He & I share a birthday, he is a year younger than my mother and he grew up in Brooklyn like my parents. In the past few years I’ve studied Woody’s life & process. What fascinates me most is his work ethic. He has literally been employed continuously since he was 16 years old. No other filmmaker in history has made a film per year for over 40 years. I literally don’t know how he does it, especially at age 77 ½.

Yesterday, I witnessed firsthand how people still show up for Woody in New York City. His new film Blue Jasmine opened Friday and there were sold out shows and crowds outside of theaters on the East Side and as usual on the Upper West Side at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas, where I go every year to see the new Woody. I spoke to one man who said simply, “It’s a New York thing.”  I think it is much more than that.

Woody Allen is considered a comedy legend by many but what few know is that he is actually much more interested in drama.  When Woody talks about his favorite films, he doesn’t mention Billy Wilder, but Ingmar Bergman and Akira Kurosawa. And he’s not very sentimental. He said he has never been able to get through Casablanca because it is boring. This is fascinating through the lens of image. For years, the public demanded him to be funny and criticized him when he first tried drama in Interiors. Years later, one of his most successful films (and his personal favorite) is MatchPoint which is in no way funny. In Blue Jasmine he masterfully blends comedy & drama, showing how they are not that far apart. The reviews are great and I hope that Cate Blanchett grabs a bunch of awards for her brilliance. 

I think sometimes about how long Woody will keep doing what he does every year. Woody’s parents lived until 96 and 100 so he’s got great genes. I voraciously look forward to another 20 years of Woody’s work – funny or not. For everything you always wanted to know about Woody, I highly recommend two books by his longtime biographer Eric Lax: Conversations with Woody Allen: His Films, the Movies & Moviemaking and Woody Allen: A Biography.