Hillary Swank is a rare thing, a successful, critically-acclaimed actress who has made a full career primarily on lead roles and/or star vehicles in genre pictures and genuine dramas. To my recollection, ever since
Boys Don't Cry in 1999, she's never had to play the unattractive best friend, she's never had to play the token girlfriend/love interest, and she's never had to play the whimpering hostage. The closest she's come to any of those was her work in Chris Nolan's
Insomnia, which isn't exactly a bad career low. Sure, some of her films (
The Reaping) weren't very good, but in an industry where even the most acclaimed and respected actresses are cast according to how well they pair up with the male lead (even in romantic comedies), Swank truly is a special anomaly. In a way, she's this generation's Jodie Foster.
Scott Mendelson
wow, very true about her career. I think the fact that she's not a "traditional beauty" helps her career.
ReplyDeleteyeah, trailer looks good. I wanna see this
What about P.S. I Love You?
ReplyDeleteTwas a romantic drama, but she was the lead and the film was built around her. When I mean 'token love interest', I'm thinking stuff like Emily Blunt in Wolf Man and The Great Buck Howard, or Megan Fox in Transformers and Jonah Hex.
ReplyDelete