Friday, May 2, 2008

What Say You: Paul Rudd's Career


I have yet to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but I have been told several times (and read it even more) that Paul Rudd's five minute performance in the movie is perfect. And if not perfect, it's at least hilarious. A friend who was telling me about his performance asked herself out loud "when will Rudd ever get a lead in a movie." Like a lightning bolt I was there asking her to never ever wish something so horrible on the man. I would say that Paul Rudd (Over Her Dead Body not included in this statement) has managed his career damn near perfect thus far. The precision he has used in his movie choices should make the greatest surgeon in the world jealous. With smaller parts, he never risks over-exposure. He could star in 10 movies in a year and wouldn't feel like he's all over the place. Plus if one stinks, not many people would know. Except they don't really stink. The smallest parts, Rudd makes larger than life. And this all goes without saying that he has made himself the unofficial fifth Beetle in three of the hottest comedy troupes today - that being Apatow, Ferrel and The State with relatively no comedy background to speak of.

I think to give Paul Rudd leading man status now would only damage him in the long run. And honestly I don't know that he has it in him. And trust me, that's no slam against the guy. Paul Rudd seems best when he is bringing some personality to a larger ensemble. But that's just me. Should Paul Rudd have his name in big shiny lights, or should he just keep on truckin' with what he's already doing.

WHAT SAY YOU?

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I lvoe Paul Rudd but I thought he sucked in Sarah.

TALKING MOVIEzzz said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Fox said...

Rudd had the lead in last year's *Diggers*, and he's pretty good in it.

Thing is, he isn't the usual Paul Rudd. I mean, he's funny in it, but not in the way we're used to.

p.s. Ken Marino is hilarious in *Diggers*.

Emily Blake said...

I say I would marry Paul Rudd and have his babies.

Unknown said...

I think Jack Black would have been better off doing the same thing. Sticking mostly to supporting roles.

Megan said...

He should keep on truckin' with what he's already doing.

P.S. to Emily - I would, too.

PIPER said...

dreamrot,

Fuckin WORD on that statement.

Emily and Megan,

You all go ahead and have your little fantasies.

Anonymous said...

He's a honey, for sure, but what has he been doing?

Garrett Sorrels said...

gotta agree- hes perfect as the 3rd or 4th wheel. He's Charming, funny, believable and I've heard he is all of these things in real life.

Shannon the Movie Moxie said...

Oh my, reading this made me realize that Paul Rudd and Paul Schneider are not the same person. I kept going "Um... All The Real Girls?" but no.. not him.

That being said, I'd have to say I don't have an opinion either waY!

Dan E. said...

He's a fine actor. Having seen Diggers, I would say he wasn't that good, but that was also partly the script's fault. Ken Marino gave himself the only decent part in a generic coming-of-age film. Rudd was simply terrible in The Ten (I'll just blame Ken Marino's writing again), but few things escaped that film in one piece.

It almost goes without saying that leading men need to be bland and the sidekicks more interesting. I don't need Rudd to be bland, so I say stick to the small stuff.

Matt said...

I don't think I've seen too, too many Paul Rudd films but he sounds like the comedic equivalent of Mariano Rivera. That actually sounds like a pretty good compliment.

Fletch said...

It was an ensemble, but he was pretty much the star of last year's The Ten. Now, that had some great moments, but mostly sucked, though I'd hardly peg that on Rudd.

I wouldn't mind seeing him take a starring role. He's had some pretty chunky roles (that Jen Aniston rom-com?) here and there, and I haven't seen Wet Hot American Summer, but isn't he the star there?

His best (read: funniest) performance to date has to be Knocked Up, though. Weird, I never thought "that dood in Clueless that Alicia hooks up with" would have ever had the career he's had anyhow. He seemed like a generic vanilla guy at the time. Good for him.

PIPER said...

Am I the only one who liked The Ten?

And you have to see Wet Hot American Summer. He wasn't the star but he played a great character in it.

He was good in Knocked Up, although I didn't like the movie all that much. But I felt his role was one of the funniest and one of the most truthful.

Fletch said...

I think I ended up giving The Ten a decent rating, but it has to be considered one of the most uneven comedies in years. It was truly feast or famine, and the scenes with Rudd and Alba were certainly in the famine category.

As for Wet Hot...it will be done.

TALKING MOVIEzzz said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rachel said...

Two movies he had a starring role in that I did see, "The Object of My Affection" and "The Shape of Things," were both awful. And "Over Her Dead Body" look horrible too. He seems to pick bad leading roles, so I'll say stick to supporting roles in good movies as opposed to leading roles in crap movies.

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