Actress Spotlight: Charlize Theron
Three of the most underrated performances from the South African movie star
It’s only our rarest movie stars that can so effortlessly toggle between action, comedy, and drama. Charlize Theron is one of them. The South African actress has accumulated an impressive and varied career since she started playing supporting parts in 90s movies like The Devil’s Advocate and Mighty Joe Young. By 2003, Theron had officially established herself by turning heads in the popular remake of The Italian Job and winning an Oscar for Monster. Since then she has been equally comfortable as an action star (Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde), comedic performer (Long Shot, Arrested Development), or dramatic presence (Prometheus, Bombshell).
This weekend she stars in her new Netflix movie, The Old Guard, a superhero action flick based on a graphic novel. To celebrate Theron’s career, here are a few of her best performances streaming now.
Drew recommends…
Long Shot (streaming on HBO)
I remember thinking the premise of Long Shot -- Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron fall in love -- was more than a little absurd. But here’s the thing: the movie actually works. Theron plays Charlotte Field, the sharp and sophisticated Secretary of State and Rogen plays Fred Flarsky, a bumbling Brooklyn journalist. Charlotte used to babysit Fred when they were kids, but the two haven’t seen each other in many years. As Charlotte prepares to run for president, she hires on Fred as a speechwriter, kicking off an unexpected romance.
Now, I get it. It seems like Long Shot is pushing our suspension of disbelief to an unsustainable level by telling us Rogen would ever have a shot with Theron, but that’s part of the movie’s charm. I mean, it’s called Long Shot, for goodness’ sake. Once you accept the premise, this modern romantic comedy becomes a goofy good time.
While the couple may seem unrealistic at first, the casting of Theron as Charlotte is perfect. She is fully believable as the tall, blond, and poised politician. She also has surprising natural chemistry with Rogen, who is doing something slightly different from his usual stoned guy comedic persona. The two are having fun playing these parts while also delivering on the dramatic story beats.
The best part about Theron’s character in Long Shot is that she is allowed to have a good time. She’s not exclusively the straight-laced adult to Rogen’s irresponsible man-baby. Theron actually delivers some of the best lines and gets to act out despite her stature as an important political figure in the film’s universe. In one hilariously memorable scene, Charlotte has to negotiate a hostage crisis while high on ecstasy. (Funniest line: “We both know that the U.S. doesn’t negotiate with terrorists, but… we do negotiate with homies.”) If you’ve seen Charlize Theron kick ass in action movies or play a no-nonsense ice queen in a drama, you must see her be legitimately funny in a Seth Rogen comedy.
Hancock (streaming on Netflix)
Hancock has always had the reputation of a movie that should’ve been much better. While it did well at the box office back in 2008, critics mostly panned it and audiences were treated to better superhero movies that same year with The Dark Knight and Iron Man. However, I maintain that Hancock is a pretty entertaining, if a little ridiculous, pre-Marvel era superhero flick. Also, it’s a Will Smith vehicle where he doesn’t give the most compelling performance.
That honor would go to Charlize Theron, who plays Mary Embrey, the suburban wife of Jason Bateman’s public relations consultant trying to improve the drunk and washed-up Hancock’s public image. For the few of you that haven’t seen it, I won’t give away the significant plot twist in the middle of the movie, but, suffice to say, Mary becomes an extremely important figure.
From the first time we meet Theron’s character, you can sense she’s hiding something. As Hancock unfolds, Theron gets to reveal more about her character, building out a believable (your mileage may vary) backstory and psychological reasons for her behavior. Theron is super adept at playing outwardly confident characters that are masking vulnerability and damage. Her performance in Hancock is another example of this, one where she actually steals a big-budget Will Smith movie.
Billy recommends…
Young Adult (streaming on Amazon Prime)
Charlize is one of the most versatile actors working today. At most moments she has immersed into a role so much that her extremely recognizable face is lost. Her Oscar-winning performance in the movie Monster as a serial killer being the most impressive. Young Adult is a welcome role because it humanizes Charlize Theron and creates a character that is extremely unlikeable. A person that is completely different from her role in Monster while still being unlikeable. Young Adult is directed by Jason Reitman who is known for creating characters that we have seen in our own lives, allowing Theron to be magnetic on screen and we need it because without her this story could have been extremely stale.
As is the case with any leading character, they are the crux of the whole movie. Because of Theron’s presence the other supporting characters are able to thrive. Theron plays Mavis Gary who is a big city dweller in Minneapolis from the town of Mercury, Minnesota. A place she has no desire to ever live, but her soul mate Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson) lives there. Mavis has had a divorce and instead of being down in the dumps she decides to take the healthy route and is going to try and break up her perceived soul mate's marriage. Unfortunately, for Mavis, she runs into an old high school classmate Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswalt) who is the angel on her shoulder trying to talk sense into her.
The Matt and Mavis relationship is what gives Young Adult the levity and powerful moments it needs. All of this movie is Mavis being a selfish and conceited “famous” writer who is trying to create a life that is like the things she writes. Her relationship with Matt brings the only humanity we see into this character and it is a welcome aspect to this film. Oswalt’s and Theron’s chemistry on screen is so much fun. It is so convincing that it feels like they could be friends off screen. Reitman brings just enough behind the camera to make this a good watch, but Theron and Oswalt carry us through a story that is depressing, but hopeful. Give this one a watch while you can.
Links
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