In Contention

Author: Blake Rutherford

  • Catching up with ‘Milk’ in the Bible belt

    Sean Penn in MilkIn 1977 Harvey Milk was elected to position as city supervisor in San Francisco. Milk, an openly gay man, was the first of his kind. Rather than concealing his sexual orientation, he wore it proudly, and used his influence in a largely gay section of San Francisco to do good. He became an effective advocate for gay rights across the United States until his assassination, in 1978, by Dan White. Mr. Milk and Mr. White are the subjects of the terrific new film, “Milk,” directed by Gus Van Sant.

    The substantially gifted actor Sean Penn plays the lead role, and he is supported by Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna and James Franco. The film has generated a fair amount of awards buzz, and it should. It’s one of the best of the year.

    In November, interestingly, the citizens of the state of California went to the polls to vote on Proposition 8, a measure that would abolish the recognition of same-sex marriage in the Golden State. In my home state of Arkansas, voters were asked to determine whether same-sex couples could adopt children or serve as foster parents. In both instances, supporters of gay rights lost.

    If you have seen “Milk” or the exceptional documentary “The Times of Harvey Milk” by Rob Epstein, you know that Milk worked tirelessly to defeat Proposition 6 in 1978, just before his death. Prop. 6 was an effort to prohibit gay people from serving as public school teachers. As I watched “Milk,” after the November elections, I couldn’t help but see the parallels. Both struck at the very foundation of individual liberty.

    Writing for The Huffington Post last month, Mr. Epstein observed, “Although Proposition 8 wasn’t exactly a re-make of Proposition 6, it’s the same disaster movie storyline pitch: any recognition of constitutional rights for gay and lesbian citizens will somehow destroy the natural order and as a result America’s institutions — be they schools or marriage — will crumble.”

    “Milk” is on course for a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards early next year. It was selected as the best film by the New York Film Critics Circle and yesterday received a best ensemble nomination from the Screen Actors Guild. And no seems to be surprised by it. 2008 has been a bad one for people in same sex relationships, or who support gay rights. Still, it’s plausible that in the same state that recently approved Prop. 8 by generous margins, a film directed by an openly gay man, about a gay man, his gay friends and gay rights in California could win Best Picture. Wouldn’t that be something?

  • Memo to Christopher Nolan: Come back!

    The Dark KnightBy now you’ve probably read Geoff Boucher’s substantial interview with Christopher Nolan at the Los Angeles Times. As Kris mentioned, it’s strategically placed to launch “The Dark Knight” into the awards season. And Nolan has, in my view, a very strong claim for a Best Director nomination. Whether or not he receives it has more to do, realistically, with Ron Howard, Sam Mendes, Danny Boyle, Gus Van Sant, Steven Soderberg, Clint Eastwood, David Fincher, Baz Luhrmann and a slew of other directors waiting for their films to arrive.

    There will be plenty of time for Oscar jockeying and opinion slinging, something we all do well here at In Contention. But I write this piece not to lobby for Mr. Nolan, but to plead with him. As “The Dark Knight” nears the $1 billion worldwide mark, it’s become apparent — if not obvious — that Warner Bros. will be looking towards a third installment. How could they not? The question on their mind –- and mine -– is whether Mr. Nolan will return to direct.

    In his interview with Mr. Boucher, Nolan said that he was still considering it, and that he appreciated the studio’s patience in allowing him time to recover from the monumental undertaking of “The Dark Knight.”. But Mr. Nolan also notes something curious. His ambivalence towards making a third Batman film appears to be that there aren’t any good part threes. If you take a trip through cinema history, you’ll see that he’s right, mostly.

    You can start with the Batman franchise. “Batman Forever,” while not nearly as awful its dreadful follow-up, “Batman and Robin,” still stunk, painfully. Everyone who enjoys cinema, of any sort really, has labored through “The Godfather Part III.” Meanwhile, “Back to the Future Part III” was hokey, “The Matrix Revolutions” was incoherent and “Spider-Man 3,” clearly, never should have been made.

    “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” contained none of the mastery or coolness of “El Mariachi,” or even “Desperado.” And then there’s “Superman III,” “Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith,” “Rocky III,” “Blade: Trinity” and “Terminator III: Rise of the Machines.” Gross.

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  • Adapting Philip Roth

    Cover of The Dying Animal by Philip RothPhilip Roth is author of 25 novels and other works of non-fiction.  Revered in America, he has won every major American literature prize, including the National Book Foundation’s Award for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters in 2002.  Despite his literary success, his films have had a difficult journey to the silver screen.

    I joined the long line of Roth fans that were disappointed with Robert Benton’s adaptation of “The Human Stain,” the 2000 novel that received the National Book Award for the best work of American fiction. It was an extraordinary book and perhaps Roth’s finest. And I believed that it would translate nicely onto the silver screen. While the novel weaved in and out of the past and present, the transitions weren’t so frequent that it would create a problem for the screenwriter, Nicholas Meyer (Oscar-nominated for “The Seven-Per-Cent Solution.”

    Benton was able to attach an exceptional cast that included Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris and Gary Sinise. But when the film bombed with critics and audiences alike, it was quickly pulled from mainstream movie houses and relegated to small boutique theaters, and for short periods of time. It made only $5.3 million against a production budget of $30 million.

    Mr. Roth’s work has been adapted again by Mr. Meyer this year. Taking the pages of “The Dying Animal” and turning them into the film “Elegy,” Mr. Meyer and the film’s director, Isabelle Coixet have managed to create a finer adaptation of the text, and a far better film.

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  • Could a preemptive DVD release bolster ‘Visitor’ star Richard Jenkins in this year’s Best Actor race?

    Richard Jenkins in The VisitorAs you may have noticed, Anchor Bay Entertainment has announced that “The Visitor,” my mid-year pick for best film, will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 7th. I’ve long argued that films, especially very good ones, are bolstered in the Awards race by their DVD release and this could be a starting gun for this mid-year gem.

    Richard Jenkins, the lead actor in the film and its most inimitable aspect, is relatively unknown in the derby. While he’s appeared in more than 50 films (recently in “Step Brothers”), Jenkins hasn’t had much of a presence on the awards circuit. His only award nomination to date is an Independent Spirit Award tip for his role in “Flirting with Disaster.” He’s already picked up two awards for his role in “The Visitor” at Method Fest and the Moscow International Film Festival.

    At its peak, “The Visitor” was running in only 270 theaters across the United States. It stayed in general release for only 13 weeks, yet it grossed almost $10 million. Compare that, for example, to “The Dark Knight,” which was released in 4,366 theaters.

    In what I anticipate to be a competitive Oscar season, an early fall DVD release might be the great equalizer for “The Visitor” and for Jenkins, especially. To find his way into the final five for Best Actor he’s going to have to outpace Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jamie Foxx, Frank Langella and Leonardo DiCaprio — major names all around, with other contenders right on the outskirts.

    One thing that might go to Jenkins’s benefit is that he clearly gave the best first half performance. Mainstream publications like The New York Times ran feature stories about him, and, of course, the film received glowing reviews from critics. But as we all know from the dozens of independent films that receive similar recognition each year, early buzz and critical acclaim isn’t enough to push a film or its lead actor out in front.  It takes passion.  And the kind that lasts.

    Enter the DVD. Smartly released in October, will it give Academy members a chance to see it without having to sort through the hundreds of other DVDs that will arrive on their doorsteps in late-December and early-January? If they do, I suspect they’ll have the same reaction I did: Richard Jenkins gave one of the finest performances of the year.  And that might be enough to propel him into the final five.

  • Ahem…Oscar possibilities for ‘Vicky’ OUTSIDE of Cruz?

    Rebecca Hall in Vicky Cristina BarcelonaI’m not the first to grant accolades to Woody Allen for his immensely pleasurable and beautiful new film, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” It’s every bit Mr. Allen: funny, pretentious, absurd, cynical, honest, witty and fair.

    We have debated in this space a few times the merits of Mr. Allen’s recent work. He was hailed by critics for “Match Point,” a brutal and deceptive tale of adultery and murder in London. It earned him his 14th screenplay nomination and his 21st nomination overall, which ties him with Billy Wilder if I’m remembering my Oscar history accurately.

    He followed that up with “Scoop,” a not-so-funny film that reminded me, unfortunately, of “Small Time Crooks,” and “Cassandra’s Dream,” a better yet still modest film that did illustrate Colin Farrell’s true potential as an actor. It didn’t go anywhere with critics and was given an early 2008 release date: Siberia for the Oscar-driven. But he’s rebounded, again, with his most recent film for which he smartly cast Penélope Cruz and recent Oscar winner Javier Bardem. Their efforts and talents match perfectly; they are a dynamic on-screen force.

    As most people know by now, the film takes place in Barcelona and involves a circular love affair between two American girls, Vicky and Cristina, played by Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson (whom also starred in “Match Point” and “Scoop”) and Mr. Bardem, an artist, and Ms. Cruz, a crazy artist.

    The film should be a lock for Best Original Screenplay. It’s as good as “Match Point,” if not better (for different reasons), and reminded me, perhaps because of the voice-over narration, of “Husbands and Wives,” which also received a screenplay nod (it lost to “The Crying Game”).

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  • ‘The Road’ on page and screen

    (from left) Kodi Scott-McPhee and Viggo Mortensen in The RoadThis weekend I opened Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer-Prize winning novel “The Road.” For whatever reason –- fright perhaps -– I’d hadn’t read it before now despite accolades from critics and friends.

    In June, Guy Lodge wrote a thoughtful entry about Dennis Lehane and how his books have easily transitioned to the screen. He likened him to Jane Austen. Mr. Lodge accurately noted that “it seems the studios are snapping up his titles faster than he can write them.”

    And for good reason. “Mystic River” and “Gone Baby Gone” were exceptional (and successful) adaptations. “Shutter Island,” which will open in 2009 as “Ashcliff,” attracted the eye of Martin Scorsese along with an exceptional cast featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams, Max Von Sydow, Jackie Earle Haley and Patricia Clarkson, to name a few. But I wonder if similar consideration might be given to Mr. McCarthy.

    John Hillcoat’s adaptation of “The Road” will hit theaters this November — just after thanksgiving. Unlike “No Country for Old Men,” the Coen brothers’ Academy Award-winning adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel, this film enters the market with far less fanfare. To date, it hasn’t screened for audiences or critics. It didn’t show at Cannes or Tribeca and, as of this writing, hasn’t been announced as part of the Toronto International Film Festival line-up.

    The film stars Viggo Mortensen, fresh off an Oscar nomination for “Eastern Promises,” David Cronenberg’s moody and dark film about the Russian mafia in London. Mortensen seems to have this genre down. While he was thrilling in Cronenberg’s haunting drama “A History of Violence,” the actor arguably made his name as Aragorn in those miserable elf movies from Peter Jackson. Five pages into the novel, his casting made perfect sense.

    In 2005, Hillcoat directed “The Proposition,” a brilliant western starring Guy Pearce and Ray Winstone. I found it to be one of the year’s best.

    “The Road” also stars Oscar winners Charlize Theron and Robert Duvall as well as Mr. Pearce and newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee, an 11-year-old boy who might just steal the film. Charles McGrath, writing in The New York Times earlier this year, noted that screenwriter Joe Penhall is “for the most part extremely faithful” to the story.

    The Oscar season is crowded with adaptations of books and plays. “Revolutionary Road,” “The Reader,” “Doubt,” “Frost/Nixon,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “House of Lies,” “Defiance” and “Miracle at St. Anna” are just a few. But if there’s such a thing as McCarthy fatigue, audiences may have it this year. Where “No Country for Old Men was violent and scary to a disturbing degree, “The Road” is – -210 pages in -– chilling and lonely. They are both beautiful works of literature, but how much stomach will the Academy have for another bleak story, particularly one set in a post-apocalyptic world?

    The critical success of “No Country for Old Men” may also work against Mr. Hillcoat. The Coens set the bar high — much higher than Billy Bob Thornton and Ted Talley when they adapted “All the Pretty Horses” in 2000. But I’m hoping that isn’t the case.

    Then again, if “The Road” isn’t enough to satisfy McCarthy fans and film lovers alike, in 2009 Ridley Scott will direct “Blood Meridian,” an adaptation of another one of his novels, with a script penned by William Monahan.

  • Edward Norton and the not-so-jolly green giant

    What can be said of the fearless Edward Norton, who recently became an on-screen comic book hero?  I never understood his choice to take on the role of Bruce Banner, a.k.a. The Incredible Hulk.  And now, post-release, I’m still puzzled.

    He walked into a franchise that became a fast mess just five years ago.  And according to IMDb, he turned the role down back then. Given the actor’s commitment to characterization in his performances, it makes sense that he would turn the other cheek.  After all, so much of Bruce Banner, or at the least what audiences might want to see, is a technological creation. Unlike any of the characters in “Iron Man” or in the upcoming “The Dark Knight,” Mr. Norton doesn’t get to sport a good makeup job and put his true talents on display. He has to disappear all together.  It seems so unlike him.

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  • Four Girls in New York

    Is there anything to say about this film “Sex and the City” that is driving women into movie houses all across the United States?

    According to box office reports this morning, the film made $55.7 million in 3,285 theaters. It generated a reputable $16,968 per screen average according to Nikki Finke. It dominated the Friday box office, but shriveled after that.

    Finke notes, “That’s exactly what Hollywood pros had been warning about: that ‘Sex And The City’ would be a one-day, and one-weekend, wonder with no legs.” Still, it remains the highest grossing R-rated comedy ever to open, and the fifth highest R-rated film ever to open. But as Finke notes, “The only female-driven movie to come close to SATC in box office was the “Hannah Montana” movie, but there’s no comparable R-rated chick flick.”

    There is something to this movie (just as there was with the HBO television program) that has to do with being true to yourself and true to your friends. No, I’m not about to defend “Sex and the City” as a timeless work of art; it’s not. And much to my twenty-three-year-old sister’s dismay, it’s not the finest film of 2008. Not even close.

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  • Is ‘Silhouette City’ this year’s ‘Jesus Camp?’

    Clive James, in his review of “American Movie Critics” for the New York Times Book Review in 2006 wrote, “…it’s the movie itself that tells you it means business. It does that by telling a story. No story, no movie.”

    “Silhouette City,” a new film by Michael Wilson, is a documentary about the rapid rise of religious extremism in America. It’s a haunting account of where the Christian evangelical movement has been and where it’s going, and it is impeccably researched.

    The film begins by covering an obscure Christian survivalist group called The Covent, The Sword and the Arm of the Lord. The CSA created a survival camp near Bull Shoals, Arkansas where they trained, stockpiled weapons and preached an apocalyptic end to the world. “We’re storing food,” one of the young girls in the film says. “We can’t tell you where or how much. We’re preparing.”

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  • What do we learn from film festivals?

    Mr. Lodge was quick to cover the opening film of the Cannes Film Festival, perhaps the most elite in all of cinema, and one that was a springboard for several 2007 Oscar films, “No Country for Old Men,” certainly (“4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” was shamelessly excluded from Oscar consideration, although it won the top prize at Cannes). The Tribeca Film Festival, a result of Robert De Niro’s vision, recently wrapped in lower Manhattan. Sundance, the hot spot for indy cinema, concluded months ago.

    And while these marquee festivals dominate the news (the chic New York Film Festival takes place in autumn) it’s the wealth of smaller festivals, from Nashville to Connecticut to Tupelo, that allow for muchof the years best independent cinema to find an audience (and in many cases a distributor).

    A few weeks ago, I wrote about a fine independent film made in Arkansas. “Shotgun Stories” found its audience on the film festival circuit, traveling the world screening, practically, in front of anyone that would see it. It was buried in the wealth of offerings at Tribeca, although New York magazine managed to note it (this was almost a year before the film was reviewed favorably by critic David Edelstein). In 2007 it was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.

    Tomorrow, the Little Rock Film Festival begins its second season. It was founded by documentary filmmakers Craig and Brent Renaud (along with their good friends Owen Brainard and Jamie Moses) who were recently nominated for Director’s Guild Award for their elaborate and compelling documentary “Off to War.” They recently completed a film for HBO on Little Rock Central High School. It was released in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the desegregation crisis last September.

    By virtue of their background, the festival brings a wealth of documentaries to town. Last year, “War/Dance,” a festival entry, was nominated for an Academy Award. This year, several documentaries may be worthy of Academy acclaim, including one in particular, “Silhouette City.” It is a film about the rise of religious extremism in the United States. Several notable religious figures appear, including former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, James Dobson and Rick Scarborough. The film is directed by Michael Wilson.

    On the feature film front, it’s hard to overlook “War Eagle, Arkansas,” a film written by Graham Gordy (the upcoming “The Love Guru”). It stars Brian Dennehy, Mare Winningham and Dan McCabe who recently appeared in “The Namesake.” You’ll hear more about him. Like “Shotgun Stories,” this film could find its way up the independent awards chain, maybe all the way to California on the eve of the Oscars.

    In 2000, an up-and-coming director named Jason Reitman directed a short film called “In God We Trust.” It won an award at the Austin Film Festival. Last year, he was nominated for an Oscar for his stunning and hilarious film “Juno.” Filmmakers, actors and writers benefit greatly from these festivals. And so do moviegoers along the communities that support them. Fortunately, we’ve got a gem of a festival right here in Little Rock.

  • No Oscar for ‘Valkyrie’ in 2008

    I have to admit, I was looking forward to “Valkyrie,” Bryan Singer’s film about the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. Yes, I’m aware that the film stars Tom Cruise, but the remaining cast, Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh and Tom Wilkinson was intriguing. The film also re-united Singer with Christopher McQuarrie, his screenwriter from “The Usual Suspects.”

    The Sunday Times now reports that the film has been pushed to 2009. Originally scheduled for a summer 2008 release, the film received its first push-back to the fall earlier this year. The paper cites a senior executive at one of Britain’s leading cinema chains who says, “I know there have been all sorts of problems with this production and we will not be screening it at all this year.” The article also notes, ” The quality of Cruise’s German accent was widely commented on. The film has also had to have reshoots after footage was damaged in labs.”

  • 1973: the best year in film?

    Mr. Foote has prompted several interesting discussions about the Best Picture and Best Director winners and losers, as well as the best film of the 1980’s.

    Taking the discussion a bit broader, I thought it might be appropriate to ask: what is the best year in film?

    1939 stands out, certainly. “The Wizard of Oz,” “Gone With the Wind,” “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “Goodbye Mr. Chips,” “Wuthering Heights,” “Stagecoach,” “Of Mice and Men” and “Love Affair,” to name a few. This year contained the most films listed on the AFI list of Top 100 American movies of all time, so maybe that should answer the question. Or not.

    1942, the year of “Casablanca,” “Cat People,” “The Magnificent Ambersons,” “The Pride of the Yankees,” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” also impressed the AFI crowd.

    1964 was another strong year. “The Americanization of Emily,” “Becket,” “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb,” “Mary Poppins,” “My Fair Lady,” “Topkapi,” “Zorba the Greek,” “The Pink Panther,” again to name just a few.

    1980 was a fine year. “Empire Strikes Back,” “Caddyshack,” “The Shining,” “Melvin and Howard,” “Raging Bull,” “Ordinary People,” “Tess,” “The Elephant Man,” “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Airplane!” and “Flash Gordon,” are still talked about and watched today.

    Some people loved 1999, a year than included “Being John Malcovich,” “Fight Club,” “Magnolia,” “Election,” “Three Kings,” “American Beauty,” “Cider House Rules,” “Sweet and Lowdown,” “Run Lola Run,” “The Limey,” “The Matrix,” “The Sixth Sense,” “The Insider,” and “All About My Mother.”

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  • About The Joker, or Heath Ledger, remembered

    In a post earlier today, Kris linked to the new trailer for “The Dark Knight” starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine . . .I could continue. It’s an exceptional cast complete with some of the finest actors from different demographics, Maggie Gyllenhaal, especially, as a needed upgrade from Katie Holmes.

    This trailer gives us an added (and for me, a needed) glimpse into The Joker, played by the late Heath Ledger. This performance, characterized by Michael Caine as “the most murderous psychopath you’ve ever seen on screen,” is, arguably, the most anticipated of the year.

    You expected me to write summer, didn’t you, what with all those new and different performances being released: Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones; Will Smith as an invincible man; Brendan Fraser as Rick O’Connell; Seth Rogen as a stoner; Adam Sandler as a cross between Little Nicky and Bobby Boucher . . .

    I don’t mean to diminish these performances (or those I didn’t mention: Ed Norton as The Incredible Hulk and Emile Hirsch in “Speed Racer”), but they simply don’t inspire me the way Ledger’s performance does. Is that because he’s dead? In part, I’m sure. But friends of mine will attest that I suggested to anyone that would listen that Ledger’s performance would be memorable. Oscar-worthy was used several times, I recall.

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  • Chiwetel Ejiofor: an actor to watch

    As both Kris and I have suggested, this is likely to be the year of Robert Downey Jr. I’m pleased to see that he’s getting rave reviews for his work in “Iron Man,” and I’m glad to know that it isn’t a mess the way many comic book adaptations become (“Hulk” and “Batman & Robin,” certainly).

    But since we’re on the topic of new actors (or, in Mr. Downey’s case, veteran actors re-made) taking the scene, I wanted to draw attention to Chiwetel Ejiofor, who stars in the lead role of David Mamet’s new film “Redbelt.”

    Ejiofor easily makes my list of the finest actors working today. Recently, he starred in Alfonso Cuaron’s marvelous “Children of Men,” alongside Denzel Washington in Ridley Scott’s “American Gangster” and opposite Don Cheadle in “Talk to Me.” I thought his role in HBO’s under-appreciated drama “Tsunami: The Aftermath” was extraordinary.

    In “Redbelt,” Ejiofor plays the role of Mike Terry, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor who runs a struggling academy in Los Angeles. Michael Rechtshaffen of Hollywood Reporter describes Ejiofor as the “heart and soul of the film.” Today, Ejiofor appeared on NPR’s “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross.

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  • The independent film not to be missed

    Every year the best of independent cinema convenes at a series of festivals and awards programs, most notably the Independent Spirit Awards.

    In February, Jeff Nichols, a first-time filmmaker, won an ISA for his first feature length film “Shotgun Stories.” The effort chronicles a deadly family feud between two sets of brothers that ensues upon the death of the father they share.

    The film produced by fellow Arkansan David Gordon Green, has finally made it’s way to major film markets (it screened in Little Rock, Arkansas, Mr. Nichols’ hometown, although he now lives in Austin, Texas, late last year), including Los Angeles. Susan King of the Los Angeles Times described the film as a “stark, Eugene O’Neill-esque tale.”

    There was a rousing welcome in Mr. Nichols’ home state for “Shotgun Stories.” In addition to critical accolades, It managed to win multiple awards on the festival circuit too, including Grand Jury prizes at the Seattle International Film Festival and the Austin Film Festival. It opened in New York a few weeks ago, and while the film is considered a 2007 release, I didn’t want my friends on the west coast to miss it.

    Last month, New York Magazine’s David Edelstein wrote of the film’s lead actor, Michael Shannon:

    His deliberateness can be lovable, even romantic, but can also signal desperation, as if his head were too cavernous for him to snatch and string together all his thoughts. He’s a fascinating actor—the perfect hero for movies suffused with rage against the Creator.

    The same might be said of Mr. Nichols. He’s a young director to watch.

  • On Robert Downey Jr.

    It was only a few years ago that the inimitable Robert Downey Jr. was in our living rooms as a result of repeated drug arrests. I recall several instances where I felt as if he’d never recover. Fortunately, he did, and on May 2 Mr. Downey will appear as a comic book hero in “Iron Man.” Advance buzz for the film has been strong, and David Carr of The New York Times filed this profile in today’s paper of the actor once labeled “the best of his generation.”

    “Iron Man,” I suspect, will be an enjoyable film. Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard also star. Based on what I’ve seen thus far, it has some technical appeal that may catch voters come awards season. It’s this film – and the remaining work on Mr. Downey’s schedule in 2008 – that should finally complete his remarkable comeback.

    Later this summer, he stars as Kirk Lazarus in the film “Tropic Thunder” from Ben Stiller. Downey’s character, a method actor who undergoes a pigment alteration, has many people curious. And this fall he appears in Joe Wright’s latest film “The Soloist” opposite Jamie Foxx.

    Mr. Downey has only been nominated once for an Academy Award, in 1993, for his role as Charlie Chaplin in Richard Attenborough’s film “Chaplin.” He did not win. Since then, he’s appeared in more than thirty five films — some quite memorable (“Wonder Boys,” “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints,” “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and “Zodiac,” especially). But none of these roles caught the attention of the awards community.

    Seven years ago this month, Mr. Downey was fired from his recurring guest role on “Ally McBeal.” This year, he’ll release three films, one of which, “The Soloist,” may earn him a second Oscar nomination. And his past seems to be well behind him. As he remarked to Mr. Carr, “I’m not in that sphere of activity anymore, and I don’t understand it any more than I understood 10 or 20 years ago that somehow everything was going to turn out O.K. from this lousy, exotic and dark triple chapter of my life. I swear to God I don’t even really understand that planet anymore.”

    I’m certainly grateful for that.