In Praise of Brendan Fraser

Now I don’t usually update my blog on Wednesdays but I’m leaving for my conference in Minneapolis later today. You might have forgotten I was Looking Forward to: This conference because my Vital Stats entry for the month of February has mysteriously disappeared!

However, (if you’re my friend) you won’t have forgotten that the Academy Awards are coming up March 5th – and my life is pretty crazy up until then (with going to Minneapolis, coming back, going to Mississippi and all that) and this is one of those years I can get pretty crazy about the Academy Awards (I think the last time I really cared was the year ROTK was nominated for everything – and won!)

But in the run up to the awards, I’d like to take a moment to appreciate an actor who to my knowledge has never been nominated for an academy award, but has given us some really good work: Brendan Fraser.

I know what you’re saying, - Brendan Fraser, yeah we’ll always remember him from Encino Man. But wait a minute! The guy’s done some good stuff. Forget about George of the Jungle. Forget about Looney Tunes Back in Action and definitely forget about Monkey Bone!

Brendan Fraser has been really good in some movies, and has done his share of, if not controversial, let’s say socially conscience roles. He’s part of the ensemble cast of Crash, nominated for Best Picture (and winner at the SAG awards). He was in School Ties (with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and let’s not forget Anthony Rapp), and a bad film version of Twilght of the Golds, (but he was good in it.) I myself am rather partial to With Honors, also staring Joe Pesci – that’s a good movie!

And I almost forgot about Gods and Monsters!

I saw Brendan Fraser on stage in the west end in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He played Brick opposite Ned Betty’s Big Daddy, with hair plugs– now, I love Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as much as the next guy and he wasn't stellar, but he had good moments, and good moments are what you need (probably) for movies. For not being a stage actor, I was satisfied.

So, before we forget what making and watching films is all about and get all competitive and argumentative about who’s the best (-don’t have anyone in your life to argue movies with – call me) I just want to take a moment to appreciate the work of one talented actor out there: Brendan Fraser. Maybe he’s not the best actor working, certainly not the most recognized, but he has done good work and some of it has moved me. And I appreciate it.