One of my fav actors is Luke Wilson, 1/2 the duo of the Wilson Bros (wasn't there a Wilson sisters...oh wait, that was a band =) I remember watching Bottle Rockets in high school, when it first came out, after scouring the Family Video for a movie no one had ever heard of. Yes, I was that kid; a movie/music elitist-I wanted stuff no one had ever heard of, I was an anti-Dawson Creek pro-Clockwork Orange freak, and proud of it. I digress.
So I watch this movie and instantaneously fall in love with Luke Wilson. From there, my love blossomed. Enter early 20's (I'm not so anti-mainstream pro-indie as I once was, I realize it only matters what's GOOD, not what's arcane) and one of my favorite Luke movies: Old School. First of all, the movie's hilarious. Everytime I see it, I crave KFC and Will Ferrell. (does that make me sick?) I love how he plays the rejected bf of Juliette Lewis, b/c Juliette Lewis in and of herself is just strange to me-not someone I'd picture for the role, but perfect nonetheless. As the unwilling cohort to Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell's characters, Wilson represents the typical post-breakup male. He rehashes the good ole' times with his buddies till he eventually slips into his pre-relationship days of party boy (of course, I'm only assuming this as a.) movie starts with him in a relationship and b.) it's a movie, I'll make up whatever prequel I want.) Back into the days of drinking and debauchery, as I was saying, with his boys-although he takes it one step further than most post-breakup-early-to-mid-thirtysomethings: he becomes the Godfather. The Godfather of a fraternity of mostly fake students. I don't think most of us, male or female, take it that far but hey-I'm only 26-who's to say in that situation at that time of my life I wouldn't do the same thing in a sorority setting. I like his role in this movie because he is seen as the most level headed of all the guys, drawn to this only because he is lost without her, and at a loss of residence as well.
On quite the opposite end of the spectrum, there's my other fav Luke Wilson movie, Family Stone. This is a comedy of sorts, but much more serious than Old School. To his more straight laced character in the moreover comedy, in Family Stone he plays the free-spirited fun loving brother. (hmm...sounds more like every role HIS brother's ever played) I think this is my other fav because the roles are such polar opposite. In this, slacker boy with no apparent agenda ends up with the girl, (he always gets the girl, right? Paging Dr. Grey!) but in this movie Sarah Jessica Parker, said girl, plays a role we are more used to seeing Luke play-a bit uptight-afraid to be or put herself out there (Or let her "freak flag fly") I love the range in the 2 characters. Luke Wilson may not be up there with your Brad Pitt's and your Tom Hanks for width in roles they can play, but I think these two movies give him a bit of flexibility to show what range he has, and let his freak flag fly. Can't wait to see Henry Poole!
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