Brendan, be more like Robert

By Timothy Woodlock
West Times Staff

There were a lot of notables about the 2008 summer movie season. Perhaps the one that sticks out the most is the return, or rather beginning, of Robert Downey Jr. with his roles in the hits Iron Man and Tropic Thunder. I say beginning because after all, it’s not as though his earlier movies grossed over $300 million or even $100 million.

Brendan Fraser’s did, though. After earning a fortune from his Mummy franchise and other hits, the actor dropped out of the limelight to spend more time with his wife and children. He was missed but not criticized. He stayed relevant, taking a supporting role in the acclaimed Crash.

After filing for divorce, Fraser returned to the big screen this past summer in Journey to the Center of the Earth and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.

Aside from their private lives, Downey Jr. and Fraser are quite different actors. When it came to staging a return, however, both had the charisma, fan base, and talent to do so successfully. The difference was choice of roles and timing.

From roughly 1996 through 2001 Downey Jr. was in and out of prison and rehab, having been busted several times for drugs and weapons possession. After getting clean, he made a gradual comeback under the radar until his skill and work ethic landed him the role of Tony Stark, aka Iron Man.

Fellow actor Tom Sizemore, one of the 90’s busiest actors, has said in multiple interviews he hopes to emulate Downey Jr.’s new career since his release from prison earlier this year for methamphetamine possession.

Given, Fraser wasn’t imprisoned for drug possession. However, unlike raising kids, doing time kept Downey Jr. in the press. And clearly audiences are willing to forgive and even embrace recovered addicts.

Downey Jr.’s comeback approach observed two principles: that he had to earn it, and he needed to give audiences what they expected while doing something different. They paid off.

Instead of taking it slow, Fraser pumped out two big budget films in the same summer even though audiences have made it clear that fancy effects are no substitute for plot and character.

Both films received poor reviews. Journey proved profitable, grossing $81 million. But it should be noted that it only cost about $50 million to make, and during the summer, a hit generally grosses at least $100 million.

Mummy, on the other hand, cost upwards of $150 million to make and hardly grossed $70 million.

The result is that Downey Jr. gets a profitable franchise, more money per film, and virtually any role he wants.

As for Brendan Fraser, he’s re-teaming with the original Mummy director Stephen Sommers for next summer’s G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra.

Let’s see: A big-budget, special effects laden revamp of a classic story starring Fraser as the hero that any unknown could’ve played for less money?

Unless Fraser only wants to work for another couple years, he needs to start taking more diverse roles, even if that means less attention for a while.

Popcorn tastes good, but it goes stale fast.