Brendan Fraser

Not that bad a cast though. Andy Serkis, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent, Paul Bettany.

But I don't think Fraser really has the acting chops to handle more than is required in these kind of "zany" adventure films. I think I've seen him in one serious role, and I can't think of the title of the film, but he played some jewish kid who was discriminated against in school or whatever. I dunno, I don't really remember it that well because it wasn't all that great, but there has to be a reason more than typecasting that Fraser only takes these kinds of roles. Perhaps it's lack of talent.

School Ties, that was his "break-out" role.

He's incredibly likeable, he just needs a better eye for roles.

Love him. The Mummy and The Quiet American, and he's great in both.

I assume that he (or his agent) understands that his goofy charm works well with kids so he picks a lot of movies geared in that direction.

I wouldn't want to live in this other world where he is an action star, but if he stuck to dramatic work that'd be fine by me.

Gods and Monsters has been forgotten already? He's been doing the one-for-me, one-for-them career path for a while.

I think his Bedazzled remake is pretty underrated.

Love his recurring role on SCRUBS and his interaction with Cox. Some of the funnier (and sadder) eps.

wow, I thought I was the only one who loved that movie. The deleted scene where he plays a drugged out British rockstar is classic.

Love him, love him, love him. He seems like the kind of guy who knows his niche and revels in it. I like to think that he's just as charming in real life, but I can't be sure of that. And my mom adores him, think he's just so darn cute and charismatic.

And yes, his turn in Gods and Monsters was certainly an eye opener.

I'm glad he does what he does. He brings a charm, wit and goofiness to his roles and I think they serve as a nice calming force to the doom and gloom we've been getting. And while sometimes the films are crap, he is almost always the best part of them.

Blast From The Past is great fun. The scene where he and Walken discuss the birds and the bees is hilarious ("Because it must!").

Also, I think there's some kinda rule that Canadians can only headline comedies and -(dash) comedies.

Also also, I'll third the Bedazzled appreciation.

No love for Encino Man? It started his career.

And while it's no classic, Looney Tunes: Back in Action is a fun film that gets the Bugs/Daffy dynamic just right and does a hell of a better job with the WB characters than Space Jam did. And it's got one bone fide great sequence (the Louvre chase). Plus Fraser hits just the right tone. Now, get rid of Elfman and Martin and this could have been even better.

Fuck that, no love for Airheads? He and Buscemi rock the shit in that one.

"DRIVER STOP THE BUS!"

I'd have settled for Elfman and Joan Cusack switching roles.

His turn as George of the Jungle was great. On account of his very in shape body, he was the best comedic actor for the part and he killed it. I still love the look he gives the camera as he's about to swing from the largest vine in history.

I've always been quite well disposed towards this guy. He can give his mainstream projects an affable charm they often don't really deserve, and he's shown some good taste with his more serious projects. I hope he follows up his mainstream comeback with something that builds on his fine performances in The Quiet American and Gods and Monsters.

He's an unusual case, Fraser - I don't know how he'd go as a generic badass Bruce Willis-style action hero but he knows how to hit exactly the right tongue-in-cheek/serious tone for larger-than-life spectacles like the MUMMY movies.

At the same time, he's capable of terrific understatement. Maybe a little too much: he's great in the likes of GODS AND MONSTERS, THE QUIET AMERICAN and SCHOOL TIES but his performances serve to complement the work of McKellen and Caine, both of whom benefit from Fraser's support.

He's got fine comic timing as well, both in broad and subtle ways. His GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE performance was really marvellous.

Here's the thing, I think: he's just four-square enough to land (and excel in) some mainstream projects but he's also unusual enough to not quite fit the typical leading-man pattern. Sort of like Nicolas Cage but not as aggressively eccentric (and maybe a bit more disciplined and discerning in his choice of project).

I interviewed him recently for TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR and, man, he likes to talk. He's a lousy salesman - we spent maybe 20 per cent of our time talking about the movie - but he'd be an awesome dinner-party guest. While he can come across as a bit of a goofball (he did some pretty good McKellen and John Hannah imitations), he's also a sharp, articulate cat.

Personally speaking, I would have cast him as Clark Kent/Superman. With the right director behind him, I reckon he could have given Reeve a run for his money.

Yeah, but what it gets wrong is the mugging from Kramer and Sandler (and the inexplicably yellow-toothed "hottie" he hooks up with). Fraser, Buscemi, Mantegna and McKean are nailing everything, and for the Token Blackness fan, it has a ghostbuster and Norman from The Wire.

And as completely uninterested as I am in the character, tommy's right that he would've been a great Superman.

He was born at the wrong time. As stated, he has excellent comedic timing, and he does have some acting chops. I think he'd of been more at home in the '40s and '50s honestly, working with Preston Sturges or Hawks or something in screwball comedies. Some of his charisma reminds me of some of Spencer Tracy's comedies and definitely of Cary Grant. Just needs better roles. Liked him in Blast From the Past though most didn't, and the first Mummy was good, but hated Journey to The Center... and the latter two Mummy films. He was also very good in Gods and Monsters. Oh and although I hated The Air I Breathe, he was one of the better points of it. On second thought I could also see him working as a sort of Fred MacMurray character working in noir.

Yes, so true! As American looking as anyone I've seen, and in the best/most patriotic way possible.

Hell. Yes. I always thought he would've knocked that role out of the park.
If they haven't cast Green Lantern yet, somebody should ring him up.

I say the same for Billy Zane. Grab a time machine and these 2 woulda blown the roof off the serial era.

Agree with a lot of the posters above. Gods and Monsters & Quiet American should convince anyone doubting his acting ability.

And he would be awesome as Superman in...Kingdom Come!

Thanks for the thread on Brendan Fraser. I was beginning to thinks I was alone in my love for this guy. I still have a soft spot in my heart for Gods and Monsters and Blast from the Past. And ghod help me---I own Encino Man.

In my Superman movie, Zane is Lex Luthor to Fraser's Man of Steel. It could either be the greatest thing ever or a smorgasbord of ham, cheese and corn.

Whilst he's done some pretty funny movies - this thread seems filled with people who like his body or want to see him doubleteaming with Billy Zane.

The term is "little bit gay".

Admittedly, anybody that managed to get out from underneath Monkeybone to have a career afterwards has to have some talent. I can imagine him having had a serious career if he'd ever wanted it. But, hey, someone had to play Dudley Do-Right, right?

Too bad he's starred in two of the crappier movies this year, and given the amount of shuffling Inkheart has gotten, 2009 doesn't seem like it's going to start off much better for him.

Inkheart was actually a respectable children's book. The film might not need writing off just yet.

In a perfect world, they would make more charming rogue movies and cast Brendan Fraser and Cary Elwes in all of them.

twas a shitty movie for sure, and yet:

"I NEED A PICTURE OF ME... PINNING A MEDAL... ON A BLACK MAN."

This.

I think he's a gifted screwball actor who is perfectly capable of holding his own as a supporting actor in dramas. I'd love to see him in a comedic Coen Bros movie ala O Brother or Hudsucker Proxy.

Plus, he's a helluva decent guy. Funny, charming and shockingly geeky. My wife complained that I wouldn't shut up after working with him. I guess I kinda man-crushed on him.

Yep. He stayed at the hotel I work at, and charmed the fuck outta everyone by being an incredibly great guy.

I always liked his bit in Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy.

Don't know if I share the extreme love like some of you, but I agree that he's a pretty talented guy, often stuck in movies I can't stand.

The less said about stuff like With Honors the better.

I thought I was alone in liking this guy. Hell, I like him even though he hasn't given me a reason to in ages.

He can do the comedy, he can bring the drama, he's got a great look on screen...why isn't he a massive star?

That's it. I propose an epic dark comedy featuring Brendan Fraser and Nathan Fillion. Show the world what it's missing.

Yes. YES.

I have a feeling he and the Rock have taken a lot of projects from each other. This thread is the exact right kind of appreciation, and it reminds me of the MST3K robots talking about Megaweapon.

You know what Brendan Fraser's problem is? No matter what he does, he'll still be a goddamn Jew.

COWARDS!

I really like School Ties, though. That ending is such a fucking cop out, and it's one that you look at and can see how it might be a better play than a movie, but Fraser's good in it and it's an early weasel performance from Matt Damon. Plus, Phillips Exeter looks great in it, always a plus if you have a hard on for the architecture of New England prep schools like I do.

Hard on for New England Prep School architecture? I don't want to know what your fetishes are Rath.

Metaphorical hard-on.

Uh huh. Then how do you explain all those worn out copies of Scent of a Woman? I can't imagine it being due to Pacino's performance.

See, the hard-on is a metaphor. For a boner.

*non metaphorical rim-shot*

Right here, right now, I'm beginning my campaign to get Fraser cast in the title role of THOR. You listening, Branagh?

C'mon, you know it makes sense.

Oh, no way! You all know the Thor role belongs to a Matthew McConaughey or an Owen Wilson...

Don't fucking tell me these two don't look like real-life doctors!

By the dick-nose of Owen!

Sorry, he wouldn't work at all.

Frasier should definitely play Captain Marvel whenever they get around to doing the Shazam movie.

I saw this chap on stage in "Cat on a hot tin roof" and the guy is bloody huge.He's a bit of a hidden gem,i've been a fan of his since "Gods and Monsters",its just a masterful performance and like people have already stated whatever the material he just fucking goes for it.

His career will probably be more accomplished in the future when he gains a few lines on his face and can fit that niche of "character actor"..