Wednesday, June 27, 2012

In Character: John C. Reilly


John C. Reilly, the pathetic slob. John C. Reilly, the dramatic, restrained thespian. No matter how you spin it, there’s no forgetting an essential John C. Reilly performance. The man can be balls-out hilarious, subtly amusing, or go-for-broke melodramatic.

Paul Thomas Anderson has called him the funniest man alive, while other auteurs have capitalized on his sense of control.  An actor's ability to shift from comedy to drama from role to role (or within a single performance) is an art that is growing increasingly more difficult. But looking back, it’s a skill that Reilly has never not had. Here are a few cases in point.


Five Essential Roles
Hard Eight aka Sydney (1996)
John
In Paul Thomas Anderson’s first film Hard Eight, or Sydney, as the director prefers it be called, Reilly plays a down and out loser who is discovered in a diner by Sydney (Philip Baker Hall), an aging hustler who instantly pities John. Old Sydney helps his new protégée along, teaching him how to make good on a hustle. And after their first night of teaching and learning, a fast friendship is forged.

Two years later, John has made a name for himself as a low level hustler, which of course lends itself to a host of problems that Sydney is forced to clean up. As John, Reilly gives an early glimpse at some of the character traits he would come to best be known by. Because really, who plays desperate, pathetic, lonely and exhausted better than John C. Reilly?

To be clear, Hard Eight is definitely Philip Baker Hall’s show, but it is clear evidence as to the distressed innocence that has stuck with Reilly throughout his career.

Boogie Nights (1997)
Reed Rothchild
In his director’s commentary on the Boogie Nights DVD, Paul Thomas Anderson says that John C. Reilly is the funniest person he knows, and that casting him as Dirk Diggler’s impromptu sidekick was a no brainer. How right he is.

Everything that comes out of Reed Rothchild’s mouth is pure gold. But Reilly’s performance here really hits its peak when Dirk is spinning out of control. Watch, for instance, when Dirk is listening to his shitty demo (“YOU GOT THE POOOWWWEEER! YEAH!”) and he ponders aloud if the levels need to be tweeked a bit. The brilliance of the scene is Reilly shaking his head in agreement in the background. And later, when Dirk and Reed argue for the rights to their record, well, shit, movie scenes just don’t get more desperately hilarious than that.

The Good Girl (2002)
Phil Last
Taking a slight detour into dim-witted melancholy, Reilly portrays a lazy, stoned-out Phil in Miguel Arteta’s underrated The Good Girl. Phil is a useless schlub married to someone way out of his league. So when his wife, Justine (Jennifer Aniston) begins to step out on him, Phil doesn’t even pretend to notice, let alone give a shit.

Despite a role in which Reilly is given seemingly nothing to do except act high while sitting on a couch, his Good Girl performance is laced with a few magnificent scenes. The first, in which Reilly asks his wife if he can hold her (covered) breast while he masturbates into a cup, is perfect in that John C. Reilly way, the second, however, is a little darker. There’s an extended scene in which Phil finally realizes the full extent of his wife’s indiscretions. In that moment, Reilly is given an all too rare chance to fully flex his dramatic skill. The result is, as it were, perfectly un-Reilly.

Criminal (2004)
Richard Gaddis
Essentially adopting the role Philip Baker Hall played in Hard Eight, Reilly’s Richard Gaddis is a low level pusher who takes a young, desperate con artist under his wing. We’ve all seen this before – the seasoned con man teaching the new guy the ropes – but if it is done well, then I never grow tired of watching it. Richard is smooth and precise without having the slightest clue how in over his head he is, and Reilly plays him perfectly.

Look, Criminal is nothing exceptional, there are no game-changing cons going on by any means. But with that in mind, the movie is fun, breezy, and perfectly paced via Gregory Jacob’s restrained direction and Steven Soderbergh’s terse script. But really, the credit goes to Reilly, who owns up to his leading man status with smooth, confident bravdo.

Carnage (2011)
Michael
After their son is hit in the face by another boy, Michael and Penelope (Reilly and Jodie Foster) invite the attacker’s parents, Nancy and Alan (Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz) to their posh New York condo to hash things out respectfully. But, this being a Roman Polanski farce, respect is pretty much the exact opposite of what happens.

Within minutes, everyone involved is in a pissing contest with everyone else, resulting in plenty of exhaustive, witty banter. In all honesty, it’s pretty difficult to pick a best performance out of the four, but anyway you look at it, Reilly’s reserved-to-expressive Michael is some of the best, most layered work he’s done.

The Best of the Best
Magnolia (1999)
Officer Jim Kurring
So, really, there are two main sides to John C. Reilly: the pathetic loser humorously out of his element, or the down and out loner. Both have lent themselves to a variety of noteworthy performances, but no role has better demonstrated both of those qualities more harmoniously than Jim Kurring.

From the moment we meet Officer Kurring, via a hilariously sincere dating service phone message, we immediately pity the fool. Don’t get me wrong, Kurring is as genuine as they come – a die hard romantic who’s better at playing cop than actually being one. In short, he wants nothing more than to do it right, problem is, he just can’t seem to catch a break.

For instance, there’s a brief scene where Kurring is searching for a suspicious looking man outside in the pouring rain. As a result of it being dark and cold and wet, Kurring accidentally slips and slides down the hill, losing his gun in the process. While he’s on the ground searching, he cries aloud to himself, “Find the gun, Jim! Find the gun!” It’s a simple moment, but one that sums up Reilly’s performance perfectly.

And believe me, there’s more. Kurring’s idle speech about what it means to be a cop, his interactions with the desperate Claudia, his reaction to drinking a stale cup of coffee – like the best of Reilly’s roles, Officer Kurring, evolves the more you watch him.

Other Notable Roles
In Chicago
Casualties of War (1989)
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
The River Wild (1994)
The Thin Red Line (1998)
For Love of the Game (1999)
The Anniversary Party (2001)
Gangs of New York (2002)
Chicago (2002)
The Hours (2002)
The Aviator (2004)
A Prairie Home Companion (2006)
Cyrus (2010)
Terri (2011)
Cedar Rapids (2011)
We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Big thanks to Jandy at The Frame for recommending I cover Reilly for In Character. If you have someone you'd like to see me feature, feel free to let me know!

Previous installments of In Character include:
John Cazale
Patricia Clarkson
Cliff Curtis
Jeff Daniels
Viola Davis
William Fichtner
Brendan Gleeson
Bruce Greenwood
John Hawkes
Richard Jenkins
Erland Josephson
Elias Koteas
Heath Ledger
William H. Macy
David Morse
Emily Mortimer
Gary Oldman
Guy Pearce
Kevin Pollak
Sam Rockwell
Campbell Scott
Michael Shannon
David Strathairn
Danny Trejo
Shea Whigham
Ray Winstone
Jeffrey Wright

42 comments:

  1. I love him. I remember the first role he really impressed me in was Chicago. Something about Mr. Cellophane is so sad, and soo John C. Reily you know.

    Love him in PTA's work. He's a really cool actor.

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    1. I know EXACTLY what you mean by saying it's "soo Reilly." He's really good at making characters his own. Really glad you like him in PTA's work! Love this guy.

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  2. Oh, who doesn't like Reilly? He's kind of like that one guy in the movies you almost always feel sorry for.

    (For a future entry, I'd focus on Ed Harris.)

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    1. Harris is a great call... but I may do a few "smaller" actors first. Harris is kinda big league, you know?

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  3. Yay! Thanks, Alex! I'm pretty sure Magnolia is the first time I saw him (I saw Boogie Nights later than that, I know), but then I think it was that string of roles in 2002 - Chicago, The Hours, Gangs of New York - where I was like, whoa, this guy is in everything and he's awesome in everything. I haven't seen as much from his straight-up goofy side, like Step-Brothers and things like that, but I'm astounded that he can do that as well as he does all the dramatic things. He's just great.

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    1. Thank YOU for the recommendation! And I agree, he was great in the mid to late 90s, but once the 2000s hit, the dude was just in everything. I'm definitely more of a fan of his restrained comedy, but I typically enjoy all of his work all the same!

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  4. Reilly is such a solid actor that he will definitely get an Oscar soon. He just needs the right role that not only fits his comedic skills, but his dramatic ones as well. So glad you chose Magnolia as his best role. He was great in that, along with so many others. Nice post Alex.

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    1. Thanks Dan! And I couldn't agree more, Reilly just needs THAT role to get his Oscar. He really is incredibly talented. I was glad 2011 was such a good year for him... he had been drifting exclusively to out-and-out comedy for a while there. Back on track and I'm diggin' it.

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  5. Great post, man. I would like to consider myself a fan of Mr. Reilly, but I am ashamed to admit I haven't seen most of your top choices (just Boogie Nights and Carnage). I really need to see Magnolia.

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    1. Thanks Eric! Hey, Boogie and Carnage are great places to start, but yeah, DEFINITELY see Magnolia. It's an ass kicker of a film with several great performances.

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  6. Great actor and some nice choices, but I'm disappointed at the lack of Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

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    1. Ahhh sorry man, Walk Hard just isn't really my kind of movie. I'm more drawn to his subtle comedy or heavy drama, what can I say?!

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  7. Wonderful post. One of my five favourite shots in film history is a desperate Reilly shining his flashlight directly into the camera as sirens ring loudly in the distance two hours into Magnolia. I will never forget that image.

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    1. I know how much you love that shot, and it was your love for it that made me rewatch the movie a few months ago and pay really close attention to it. Always great insight from you, Tyler!

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  8. Phenomenal actor, great list. He's fantastic in all of these films. And yes, Magnolia deserves that top spot. He's the heart of the film, man!

    Ya know, Reilly is having a great run lately. Cyrus, Terri, Carnage, Cedar Rapids, We Need to Talk About Kevin - all released in the last two years - all feature some of his very best work. I saw Rapids and Kevin recently and back-to-back (not intentional) and it amazes me to see two radically different Reilly performances so close together.

    He's got the POWER, man!!!

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    1. haha he does indeed! And hell yeah, great streak Reilly has been on as of late. Really digging his work. You're right... his styles are so very different from one another. Great stuff.

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  9. Great post. I love John C. Reily and find him to be one of the most underrated actors out there. I first saw him in Boogie Nights and he was just hilarious. Actually funnier than he was in some of his comedic roles in my opinion. The one thing in this post that surprised me was that after the write-up on his performance in Boogie Nights in 1997 it seemed to be that you skipped over Magnolia in 1999, but I was happily surprised to see that you put it as his best. I absolutely agree.

    Also if I were to make a suggestion for the next in character, I would love to see you talk about the performances of Joaquin Phoenix in honor of his "return to acting" in The Master after four years off.

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    1. Hmm, Joaquin is a great choice, I'll definitely add him to the mix and get him up here soon. I'm glad the initial lack of Magnolia kind of stumped you... gotta save the best for last!

      And I agree, I think Boogie Nights is the funniest performance he's ever given. Just hysterical.

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  10. Certainly one of the great actors around. Even in my case, probably Magnolia was first movie I noticed him in. I mean I remember looking on IMDb who is he and then looking for some of his other movies. He hasn't disappointed me as yet, though I don't remember seeing him in any comic roles. Any recommendations ??

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    1. In terms of his out-and-out comedy, he is hilarious in Step Brothers, Walk Hard and Cedar Rapids. It's just that those movies (particularly the first two) aren't really for me. But he IS funny in them.

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  11. Awesome write up. I love this guy - his work in The Hours and Chicago was heartbreaking. I liked his performances in Magnolia and Boogie Nights and in Carnage - his work wasn't as talked about as the one of others in this movie but his acting was the most memorable thing for me - there is this moment when he is talking to Waltz's character and I think he is insulting him or something and Reilly just stands there silently looking at his as if he was thinking "I know how to destroy you, you are so weak". There was just some sort of unspoken advantage to his character.

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    1. Oh that is such a good way to put Reilly's silent reaction in that scene. The acting in that movie really was well done. I need to see The Hours again, I haven't seen it in years but would like to be reminded of the stellar performances in it. Thanks for reading Sati!

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  12. Fecking love this man!! I always someone forget just what an incredible range he has until I see him in something like We Need To Talk About Kevin or Boogie Nights. He's just the best! Great In Character segment you have here, sir!

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    1. Thanks Ruth! Seriously, all this love for ol' C. Reilly is just epic. Had no idea so many people loved him as much as I do!

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  13. For a guy who could easily be typecast as a certain type of lunkhead, Reilly has amazed me at how diverse his roles have become. Recent parts like Cyrus, Terri, and even Cedar Rapids have shown that he can bring a lot out of characters that seem one-note. You're right on with the choice of Magnolia for his top part. That's a great role in a movie filled with remarkable performances.

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    1. Really glad you like Reilly as much as I do. He really is insanely versatile, and his work in Magnolia... damn. So perfect.

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  14. Top-notch actor. If we're talking PTA's inner circle of collaborators, would love to see one of these for Philip Seymour Hoffman. Gotta be one of the best actors in the world.

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    1. Ahh I was thinking about doing a PSH one of these. Maybe in a few weeks. Can you imagine picking HIS best performance? Jesus.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  15. I am so happy you decided to showcase him! For me, he is always the underdog, the supporting guy to the big star with a seemingly boring or not that interesting storyline, but Reilly always shines, in one way or another. Whenever I think of him, I wish for one thing: That he wouldn't be cast in the same sad, sometimes dumb, never in front, characters AND someone would actually give him a chance to shine in a lead role. I am sure he probably had a starring role until now, but nothing to the magnitude that I am sure he can handle- he needs a huge role and proper recognition.

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    1. Couldn't agree more with you... he has had a few lead roles, but I think the material failed him slightly in all of them. I'd love to see him just totally carry a movie and garner some serious awards attention. The dude definitely deserves it.

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  16. How can you have a list of great John C. Reilly performances but no Walk Hard? The film itself is genius because it came out at a time when the music bio-pic was becoming parody. All of the things Reilly does to that character had me laughing.

    At least you mentioned Criminal which is a severely underrated remake of a much better but under-seen Argentinian film called Nine Queens.

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    1. Man, that movie just does not do it for me. At all. Not my kind of flick. I only watched it once when it first came out, but I remember not liking it. Maybe I'll give it another go someone soon.

      And I agree, Nine Queens is way better than Criminal.

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  17. No Talladega Nights or Step Brothers?? ;)

    I love Reilly. Did you see Cedar Rapids? He was great in that.

    Also, this: http://youtu.be/P1Vg9PUbP30

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    1. Ha, I knew I was gonna get some flack for not including Walk Hard, Talladega and Step Brothers... just not for me man. I've tried them all, and I just can't get into that Will Ferrell type of humor. Criminal of me, right? I did like Cedar Rapids a lot though!

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  18. I agree -- the role of Jim Kurring was wonderful. He is a terrific actor. And I am so glad you decided to exclude Step Brothers. :-)

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    1. Another Step Brothers detractor! I thought I stood alone. Glad you like Reilly and his Magnolia performance so much. Dude is awesome.

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  19. I felt his peformance of Mr. Cellophane in Chicago was the best scene of his career. I haven't seen a couple of your top choices, but I was glad to see The Good Girl on the list. It usually gets overlooked.

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    1. His Mr. Cellophane performance is as fine a performance as I've ever seen in a musical, for sure. Glad to hear some Good Girl love, that is definitely one sadly overlooked flick.

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  20. Excellent write-up! John C. Reilly always classes up any movie. He was great in The Settlement and Hard Eight.

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    1. Ooooh shit The Settlement, that's a flick I haven't thought about in the while. Good call there, Ty. Good good call.

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  21. I just discovered your blog and am really, really impressed. These articles are really interesting and are turning me onto some really cool movies. I could not agree more with Reilly's performance in Magnolia being his best - it's a fantastic performance for a great film.
    On a side note, I'd love to read an In Character for Vincent Cassel, I think he's awesome and I'd be interested in hearing what you thought about his work.

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    1. Wow, thanks so much for this comment. You seriously just made my day. So glad you like the site and my write-up on Reilly. Cassel is a GREAT choice - definitely want to cover him soon. Need to brush up on my contemporary French cinema first!

      Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!

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