December 31, 2008
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George Clooney’s three movie roles
George Clooney plays three roles over and over:
- Affable sophisticate and womanizer (women love him, and men want to be him): ER, Ocean’s Eleven, The Peacemaker, Out of Sight
- Wide-eyed and naive simpleton: O Brother, Where Art Thou, Intolerable Cruelty, Leatherheads
- Overweight, unhappy and possibly amoral sell-out: Good Night and Good Luck, Syriana, Michael Clayton
I was telling my wife how predictable he was, and she pointed out that these three roles actually show considerable range. Dammit, I hate it when she demolishes my point with pure logic… like when she told me that Will Smith was super annoying and had never made any good movies (besides 6 Degree of Separation).
Anyway I haven’t seen every George Clooney movie ever, so I can’t say for sure that these three archetypes work for *every* George Clooney movie of all time. What do you think… does Goerge Clooney have range beyond the three roles above?
Comments (34)
No not really but I still enjoy his movies. And he is wonderful to look at.
i agree with your wife and i think he’s a great actor. loved when he did batman. oh yes.
you didn’t know that the wife is always right?
@GeLLiBeLLy - It’s so funny… most people on my blog don’t know my wife, but they always take her side
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I’m not all ga-ga for George Clooney but I’m going say he does in fact cover an entire array of parts. I mean, there are only 3 primary colors but a much wider variety of colors can come from mixing those three together.
@jediwa72 - Any examples come to mind?
Most actors and actresses only have one role type. If she thinks he’s limited to only having three characters, just ask her “How many are actors supposed to have?”
@AvenueToTheReal - In the interest of matrimonial harmony, I should point out that I was the one saying he was limited to three roles… she was the one who made your point (that 3 roles is a lot).
Three Kings and The Perfect Storm, I thought he was cool and heroic in those films.
Sparky–the gay dog on South Park. Ha, I’m going to bed on that note.
@john - Shoot. That’s what I get for reading posts at 4 in the morning.
Alright, then.
I feel dumb now.
Will Smith wasn’t in any good movies? But Men in Black is pretty good… it’s not high art, but it’s cute…
@AvenueToTheReal - No no, if my comment had any point… it was that I am the dumb one.
I think that Will Smith should drop whatever shitty movie he’s currently working on and make another season of Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I dont care if there’s a humongous age difference, and I doubt that anyone else would either. That’s the best thing he’s ever done.
@cApNhOwDy - Clearly, you’ve never seen “6 Degrees of Separation”!
@john - I have not. But if they turn it into a Fresh Prince of Bel Air episode, I’ll definately watch it.
What about “Burn After Reading” He’s fantastic in that movie. So is Brad Pitt! I don’t think you can catagorize any of those roles!
that’s two more roles than john cusack plays.
You’re right. If he was really great, he could make a career out of playing just one role, like John Wayne and Groucho Marx did.
Then there is Solaris where he just exists on film. But most of that movie just exists. It stinks!
neither are bad in my eyes. however nicholas cage does tend to annoy me for some reason that i have not quite figured out o_o
I think you nailed it.
P.S. What’s up with all the back-to-back updates?
@ProfessorTom - I was up late, and finally had some time to write down the posts that have been on my mind lately…
@john – I wished I could type up all the posts I have in my head. There’s reams of them and not enough hours in the day.
who cares….hes still sexy!!
i haven’t seen a lot of clooney movies, and the ones i have seen, he is always playing that first role of womanizer. have you seen burn after reading? it’s hilarious
Hey, that puts Clooney two roles up on Denzel Washington!
i’d like to see him play an evil space alien. one wearing a prosthetic nose.
i say who cares! he’s george! *drool*
i never quite liked George Clooney like everybody else did.. even though he looks good.. he gives off a vibe that he’s too old physically but at the same time such a player (ie. womanizer).. Maybe he’s really good at acting as one, but i have a feeling he really is like one…
Like you said, to me, he’s kinda predictable too in his movies. But on the other hand, most every other actor is
(except for Heath Ledger.. see his role in Brokeback Mountain, and then watch Batman.. Whoa!) I love Keanu Reeves (because he’s handsome) but other than the Matrix.. he’s not good for other roles than Neo.
I don’t like Will Smith’s “blockbuster” movies actually.. haha.. they’re funny and entertaining alright, but they’re not memorable in terms of acting. I think his best was his ‘Pursuit of Happyness’. Ahh.. that’s when I find a real actor in him. I haven’t seen 6 Degrees of Separation
lol your wife is a smart woman
He has this air of smugness that I don’t like…. and I think all his characters are the same. Monotone and dead-eyed. I actually enjoy most of his movies, just not him as a person.
Don’t have anything to say about Mr. Clooney, but I did want to say I’ve enjoyed your posts and am glad you are blogging more. (At least, it appears to me you are blogging more than you have in recent history.)
she’s right about the will smith part!