Donnie Wahlberg - less famous than Mark, but a far superior actor.

I've made no secret of my dislike for the thespian talents of Mark Wahlberg, and the advance buzz on Max Payne, plus that wonderful SNL sketch seems to indicate that I may not be in the minority much longer.

I made mention in my review of The Happening back in July that Donnie Wahlberg would have been a much better choice for the lead role, that of the down-to-earth science teacher who encounters lethal forces beyond his explanation. I've always found Donnie Wahlberg to be a far superior actor and a more convincing screen presence. Whether giving gravitas to horror films like Saw II, or making crap like Annapolis vaguely watchable, he improves any project he's in, which is the mark of a great character actor. Rent the first season DVD set of Boomtown to see him at his best.

I didn't think about it till just now, but I wonder what Donnie thinks about his brother taking a lead role in a Shyamalan film. After all, Donnie Wahlberg's acting career was born the moment he took a three-minute walk-on role in The Sixth Sense and ran with it. He lost sixty-pounds and completely dedicated himself to what should have been just a random part, a plot device to start the movie and set the story in motion. I have to wonder about how Donnie feels about his more famous brother taking a lead role for the director that made him, and then botching it. Random thought.

Scott Mendelson