Yeah Adam’s like, attractive in his own way much like Domhnall. They’re more of these “unconventional-looking” white men like Benzene Cucumberpatch who are treated like the beaux of the century for reasons unclear to the rest of us.
But John and Oscar? They are classically, breathtakingly beautiful men. I’ve talked before about how these were clearly hero-heartthrob looks that the casting director was going for, much like Mark, Harrison, and Billy in their day. SW has never been subtle about this stuff. But fandom insists all of a sudden it’s the frankly not that impressive-looking white men who are the peak of male beauty. Uh-huh.
Qwhite interesting isn’t it?
Why did I wait this long to see Attack the Block? I just played it on
a whim after meaning for a while to see it and it was like… so good? Moses
is one of the best film characters I’ve ever seen, with a clear and
well-defined arc yet plenty of complexity. I’m absolutely blown away
that John played this character when he was 17 to 18.
I
mean there’s a good reason for the tendency, little as I may like it,
for teens to be played by actors in their 20s. It’s hard to get teenaged
actors with the chops to convincingly portray a range of emotions and
experiences. John was clearly a rare find, young enough to be believable
for the character (and it really doesn’t seem like a good idea to have
young Black characters in particular be played by much-older actors),
yet already an accomplished actor who could portray a character of
Moses’s range and depth.
It’s no wonder J.J. Abrams fell in
love with John from this film; I don’t think it’s possible for anyone to
come away without loving John and Moses. This is the kind of favor a
good script can do for a good actor, when it lets them express
everything they can do and shows off their strengths. On the flip side,
of course, a bad script or bad director can hobble an actor like a pair
of pants around their ankles and make them look ridiculous.
Spoilers
below the cut. Usually I wouldn’t bother with spoiler warnings for a
film older than my kid but you’re seriously missing out if you haven’t seen
this one. Believe.
I
admit, I struggled at first trying to figure Moses out. He seemed so
nihilistic and violent, what was it that made him tick? Where was the
character people raved about so much–how could he be salvaged from all
this? Given how flatly the script refused to pull its punches,
sparing absolutely nothing of the details of his mugging Sam down to
pulling a knife and even taking her cheap little ring, I really wondered
how the movie was going to make a likable character out of him. The
case against him seemed as overwhelming as the evidence the cops found on him
when they arrested him.
Then, as the layers fell away in the
midst of an alien invasion, the movie did the impossible. I watched
Moses’s keen awareness of the injustices he and his neighbors lived
under, the communal code–messed up as it may be–of not mugging someone
who lived in the Block, his unfolding regret at what he had done.
And
then I understood. I mean, I can’t fully comprehend his experiences at
any level, but at last I got on an intellectual level what drove him.
Oh. Oh. Of course. The way he led the mugging while quaking
inside with fear. His pursuit and violent killing of the creature that
turned out to be the female alien. The way he led his friends into
action, the stoic planner, the first to charge into every fight. His
uncertainty around Hi-Hatz, not sure if this was what he wanted.
I
was looking at a young boy who desperately wanted to be a hero. This
character, who seemed straight out of every middle-class nightmare, had a
burning need to save, to take action, to use his considerable talents,
and the only outlets that seemed open to him were violence and crime.
This
shift in perspective had seemed impossible early in the movie, but a
combination of the writing and acting sold me on it. It’s also obvious
that this is a shift that has more implications than for this one fictional
character.
Moses may have been the big revelation but the
film is full of these jabs, like the one at the white savior industrial
complex where Pest wonders why Sam’s boyfriend is in Ghana with the Red
Cross when there are so many people who could use help right at home.
Also, I may not be a Brit but I’m pretty sure there’s no way for anyone
to miss the symbolism of Moses hanging on to the Union Jack after his
ultimate act of heroism, unfurling it fully.
I would also like to
add that THIS is how you do a redemption arc. Have the character’s
actions, even violent ones, make sense in their circumstances. Make it
clear they were in the wrong nonetheless. Show them truly regret it, and
not just because they got caught. Show them take action to make things
right, even at great risk or cost to themselves. Finally, of course,
make the whole thing consistent with who they are so that their
reactions and decisions are believable. You wanted to be a hero, Moses?
Well here’s your chance.
The ending, with the crowd chanting
“Moses!” and the character himself looking peaceful and at ease for the
first time, so vulnerable and open, was the
perfect culmination of his arc and will stay with me a long time. I’m
astonished and thankful to be alive at the same time as John Boyega and
to be able to watch his career.
So in that new Insta story where he’s lifting weights, John not only still has his longer hair but also a beard. Can you all imagine Finn with that long-ish hair and a beard?
Like man, Rey is going to climb him like a tree if he looks like that.
Longer hair and now a beard? Moses feels… intensifying…
Why he’s not getting more work? My dad said that Mark Hamill was
in a lot of real flops after SW whereas Harrison went on to be the big
star, and Mark sort of drifted into other things like voice work. I
really don’t want that for John. I just feel like maybe being in SW
might have hurt rather than helped him because they said Finn was the co
lead and he’s treated like the second string in TLJ. Idk, I am just not
happy that he’s not getting the opportunities others in that franchise
are (2/2)
There could be a lot of different reasons, and I’m not worried. I think John has been smart about his career, doing other jobs between SW movies so that he won’t be associated exclusively with Finn. He may have gotten some advice there; one reason Mark’s acting career didn’t work out so well was because he was too strongly associated with Luke. I know he missed out on at least one musical role for that reason.
It’s simply not true that John can only get commercials. He’s been in other movies, he’s been in plays. It could be that he’s negotiating deals, or maybe he’s focused on other things at the moment. We already know his ambitions are bigger than acting–he wants to create
opportunities for others as well through his production company.
So yeah, just because we’re not hearing about work he’s doing right now doesn’t mean he isn’t working, or isn’t getting opportunities. I think he’s preparing things that will amaze us down the line, whether it’s as an actor, producer, or otherwise.
(And I’m not sure what you mean about Adam winning an Oscar this year? For his work in the upcoming Spike Lee film? I’d be happy for him if he does, but it is not possible for anyone to win an Oscar this year, that would be in February 2019 for films opening in 2018.)
I actually think John’s career has been going well. Especially compared to some of his co-Stars. I just think John is choosing the right things so that his face is known not only critically but also in a main stream way.
John was in the critically acclaimed movie Detroit by Kathryn Bigelow and had his performance praised for it.
And while Pacific Rim didn’t receive the praise the original did, the film made a profit, had its sequel greenlit and John was said all around to be the best part of the movie and proved he can be THE leading man.
Plus John has been spending his time getting to know the right people in the business and also supporting his friends in the business.
I really don’t think it’s a stretch to think that John will eventually be joining the MCU soon since he was in the running for getting in the Black Panther. I’ll bet he’s even gonna he in the sequel.
If anything I think Daisy will have the harder time and might suffer from the same problem Mark did. Which what happen to Mark was a shame because he was a damn fine actor, but back then Hollywood was looming for the Harrison Ford type. Not woman like Carrie who were outspoken or Mark who wasn’t you’re typical masculine man.
John is trying to avoid what happens to a lot of actors in big franchises, and that’s not getting type cast. So he’s picking good roles that display his talents but also get him recognition. It would help his career greatly though now that JJ is back. I can honestly say John gave it his all in TLJ.
If there is anything to love about the dumpster fire that was TLJ and Finn’s story arc is that John was fucking amazing in every scene he was in.
John was everything from comedic to hauntingly serious and I hope JJ delivers with bringing Finn back to the leading role in ep 9.
JJ told John he’s the new star of Star Wars and he’d better deliver on that promise. Personally I think a large part of the reason he came back for IX was for John/Finn’s sake.
Don’t forget John was smart with his money and he has his own production company. That is currently working on a television show for British audiences. Here are some articles about his company and up coming shows. Johns smart he knows the best way for him and people like him to appear in movies is by making his own.
Why he’s not getting more work? My dad said that Mark Hamill was
in a lot of real flops after SW whereas Harrison went on to be the big
star, and Mark sort of drifted into other things like voice work. I
really don’t want that for John. I just feel like maybe being in SW
might have hurt rather than helped him because they said Finn was the co
lead and he’s treated like the second string in TLJ. Idk, I am just not
happy that he’s not getting the opportunities others in that franchise
are (2/2)
There could be a lot of different reasons, and I’m not worried. I think John has been smart about his career, doing other jobs between SW movies so that he won’t be associated exclusively with Finn. He may have gotten some advice there; one reason Mark’s acting career didn’t work out so well was because he was too strongly associated with Luke. I know he missed out on at least one musical role for that reason.
It’s simply not true that John can only get commercials. He’s been in other movies, he’s been in plays. It could be that he’s negotiating deals, or maybe he’s focused on other things at the moment. We already know his ambitions are bigger than acting–he wants to create
opportunities for others as well through his production company.
So yeah, just because we’re not hearing about work he’s doing right now doesn’t mean he isn’t working, or isn’t getting opportunities. I think he’s preparing things that will amaze us down the line, whether it’s as an actor, producer, or otherwise.
(And I’m not sure what you mean about Adam winning an Oscar this year? For his work in the upcoming Spike Lee film? I’d be happy for him if he does, but it is not possible for anyone to win an Oscar this year, that would be in February 2019 for films opening in 2018.)
I actually think John’s career has been going well. Especially compared to some of his co-Stars. I just think John is choosing the right things so that his face is known not only critically but also in a main stream way.
John was in the critically acclaimed movie Detroit by Kathryn Bigelow and had his performance praised for it.
And while Pacific Rim didn’t receive the praise the original did, the film made a profit, had its sequel greenlit and John was said all around to be the best part of the movie and proved he can be THE leading man.
Plus John has been spending his time getting to know the right people in the business and also supporting his friends in the business.
I really don’t think it’s a stretch to think that John will eventually be joining the MCU soon since he was in the running for getting in the Black Panther. I’ll bet he’s even gonna he in the sequel.
If anything I think Daisy will have the harder time and might suffer from the same problem Mark did. Which what happen to Mark was a shame because he was a damn fine actor, but back then Hollywood was looming for the Harrison Ford type. Not woman like Carrie who were outspoken or Mark who wasn’t you’re typical masculine man.
John is trying to avoid what happens to a lot of actors in big franchises, and that’s not getting type cast. So he’s picking good roles that display his talents but also get him recognition. It would help his career greatly though now that JJ is back. I can honestly say John gave it his all in TLJ.
If there is anything to love about the dumpster fire that was TLJ and Finn’s story arc is that John was fucking amazing in every scene he was in.
John was everything from comedic to hauntingly serious and I hope JJ delivers with bringing Finn back to the leading role in ep 9.
JJ told John he’s the new star of Star Wars and he’d better deliver on that promise. Personally I think a large part of the reason he came back for IX was for John/Finn’s sake.
Yeah considering how close JJ is with John and Daisy I wouldn’t be surprised if he came back for them. Like I’m sure having your story hijacked is frustrating, but I imagine seeing these two new kids you hired being wasted and suffering professionally because you left would be more upsetting. The fact that Daisy cried when she heard he was coming back says a lot about their relationship.
For the actual quotes if anyone wants to read them:
Here’s John’s statement:
And JJ’s
JJ Abrams pretty much started John and Daisy’s career and are close friends with as well.
It’s no secret that Daisy had reported that she was having trouble on set and John’s enthusiasm seemed to only be bts of hanging out on set.
JJ Abrams more than likely not only wanted to save the story and characters HE created, but protect the actors he cares about.
To add further to my reply, JJ Abrams is not only a protégé of Steven Spielberg, but of George Lucas.
While writing The Force Awakens, JJ sat down with George and Spoke with him, got his advice on where to take these characters and what to do with them. There is a reason why so many of the characters in TFA seem like they were based from legends, that’s because they were.
Jaina Solo and Ben Skywalker were the template for Rey
Kyle Katarn and Finn Galfridian were the template for Finn
And Jacen Solo was the template for Ben Solo/Kylo Ren.
JJ Abrams knew what he was doing. If there was anyone who you would want to do episode nine, it would be him and I’m happy he’s back.
This warms my heart. Also the return of the JJ shows the idea that LF is totally happy with RJ for the bullshit it is. Like Daisy said, RJ was the logical and expected choice for IX after Jurassic guy was gone. Why get–or accept–JJ back if RJ could just pick up where he left off?
L.J.'s Obsessions 