BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
(FOUR) MY SUPER EX-GIRLFRIEND
Since we’re sticking with JUST his starring roles, this forth spot was a little rough. The main contenders was the one wrote and starred in “The Wendell Baker Story”, the 2008 indie “Henry Poole is Here”, and the 2009 indie “Tenure”. I’m going with “My Super Ex-Girlfriend” because I really think people have not given this one a fair chance. It’s not Shakesphere or a super hit laugh all night comedy, but it’s not without its charm. It’s enjoyable and Wilson dealing with a pissed off ex girlfriend who just so happens to be a super hero is fun times. It came out in 2006. If this movie had come out in like 1988, Bill Murray would have starred in it and we’d all have it somewhere on our Top 100 Comedies List. Hopefully through the play on basic cable, it’ll gain some more respect. This is a perfect Sunday afternoon in your PJ’s type of movie. Seriously, watch it again.
(THREE) IDIOCRACY
Depending on who you talk to, this list could be completely different. That’s not saying he’s not had any “definitive” career moments, but the fact that he’s had so many. Luke Wilson has been in so many really good movies and a few great that it’s easy to forget everything he’s been in over the years. If you’re a fan of broad comedy, then there’s a very good chance you’ve seen him in “Old School”. If you’re into the more artsy independent stuff then you’ve seen him in “The Royal Tenenbaums”. And if you’re into the random and obscure cult comedy classics then you sure as hell have seen him in Mike Judge’s “Idiocracy”. In this one he basically plays our eyes and ears as we explore this hopefully fictional future. The movie paints a picture of a very stupid future in which everything is dumbed down to a Jerry Springer type of level. The movie is hilarious and Wilson carries the load. He’s sort of like Dorothy and the future is like Oz… yeah, that’s a good analogy.
(TWO) OLD SCHOOL
If you think about “Old School”, it’s common to instantly think about Will Ferrell as “Frank The Tank” or Vince Vaughn or even “Blue”. But the truth of the matter is that the heart of this movie and the main lead in it is Luke Wilson. He pretty much plays the straight man. It seems like he didn’t really get the big one liners that everyone still spouts out at inappropriate times, but the set ups and situations he got in were way funnier than the others. The sex party, the underage girl, and basically leading us through this modern comedy classic is what he gets. I’m pretty sure there are always going to be people out there who meet him and think they’re being really witty by calling him “The Godfather”. And the dude seems like he’s nice enough to let you and make you feel like you’re the first.
(ONE) THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS
Luke Wilson co stars in this movie with so many other awesome actors that it’s hard to just call it a “Luke Wilson Movie”, but he’s a key ingredient and I could not imagine the movie without him in it nor would I want to. His long time bud Wes Anderson and his brother wrote this screenplay as took on the directing role. Luke plays the role of “Richie”, the youngest “Tenenbaum” child and a professional tennis player and painter. He’s in love with his adopted sister (Gwyneth Paltrow) and shows it in the paintings. The scene that makes it my favorite Luke Wilson movie is his chilling and enthralling work in that one scene. You know what I’m talking about. He walks into the bathroom, cuts off beard, all of his hair, and so calmly slices his wrists. It’s a horrific scene and by this point you’re already attached to the character so it’s pretty damn bothersome. Still the calmness and directness in Wilson’s eyes during the whole ceremonious setting is uncomfortably beautiful. Wes Anderson did some magic with its simplistic shot, but Wilson is king here. This scene makes him more than a quirky indie movie guy; it makes him an solidified actor.
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