Defamer
Last we heard from Steve Coogan, Courtney Love (of all people) was throwing him under the bus for being a bad influence on Owen Wilson. But now that Hamlet 2 has sold for a whopping (and probably ludicrous) $10 million to Focus Features at Sundance, Steve Coogan has officially rebounded from scoundrel to star status. While it may be too early to proclaim him to be the next Mr. Bean (who, by our humble estimation, is the last British comedian to break here Stateside), his starring role in what may turn out to be this year's Park City standout can't do anything but help raise the British comedian's rep from the murky depths of tabloid hell.
Playing the tried-and-true role of bleeding-heart teacher (perfected already by Michelle Pfeiffer first in Dangerous Minds and Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson), Coogan's annoyingly named character Mr. Marschz will save his drama department by writing a sequel to Hamlet. Judging by the dearth of updated Shakesperean knee-slappers in the last decade of cinema (does 10 Things I Hate About You count?), we're not really sure how Coogan pulls this off, but we are hoping for a Courtney cameo in which she slithers onto the stage of the inevitable High School Musical-like finale and whispers "Oh what a rogue and peasant slave am I!" in her crackheadiest voice.
Comments
Given Steve Coogan's notoriety and what happened with Heath Ledger, seeing Coogan's mug actually took my breath away, like a freaking cartoon...
I thought he was good in 24 Hour Party People, and looking at his imdb page, this guy is on fire!
um, Mr. Bean is "the last British comedian to break here Stateside"? Ever heard of Sacha Baron Cohen?
I love you, Defamer.
He was so great on Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Sadly he is boor at parties - and whatever you do - don't even hint you might have some drugs on you. The man will throw you down, and ransack your pockets... so I've been told...
He is Alan Partridge!
@Desk_hack: Back of the net!
Haven't they been predicting a Coogan breakthrough for like the past ten years? Just as long as he gets over that crippling Toblerone addiction...
It's not the Toblerone that's gonna get him...
By my humble estimation, Emmy-winning comedian Ricky Gervais and Eddie Izzard both have managed to do OK breaking into mainstream American show business. No offense to Mr. Bean, obvs. Some offense to Mr. Coogan, perhaps, though.
But wait! Didn't he try to kill Owen Wilson?
@hortense: Cashback!
Alan Partridge was a great show - I would like Steve Coogan to not be a fuck-up.
I would also like David Walliams (of Little Britian) to come over to my house and bathe me.
But I pretty much never get what I want.
Word on the street is the movie IS that good and will make back Focus' $10M investment and more... after the past few days, we could all use a good laugh.
@Trixie - No, didn't try to kill him so much as made him want to die, a subtle, but important, distinction.
@Kathotdog - How about the guy from Bargain Hunt? We can arrange that.
Did no one see Tristam Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story?
Yes, 24 Hour Party People rocks, He is ALan Partridge, and yes, he is on fire.
To consider him a breakthrough is just, well, tragic. But obvs not actually tragic... just pitiful?
Um... Ricky Gervais? Doing the same schtick in every movie released last year? Ring a bell?
No, never mind.
@aspiringexpatriate: Yes. I saw "Shandy"...and it was 12 minutes of my life I will never, ever get back.
I think it's like a national law over in the UK that if any actor shows up sober on set for two days running, are spotted at the international terminal at Heathrow, or get tits, they are entitled to carry the "Taking the US by Storm" crown for at least one year.
@Barbarella: Yeah, I remember when they said that about Happy, Texas.
Yeah Sasha Baron Cohen and Ricky Gervais have got nothing on Mr.Bean when it comes to British comedians.
Coogan's always good for a laugh on Top Gear as well.
I was on the Ricky Gervais bandwagon with the Office but Extras just killed it for me. That festival of pain brit-humor (yeah yeah I know it's schadenfrude but I like my term better) is just getting old. Shit Basil Fawlty perfected it 30 years ago.
I pretty much love everything he's in. Even including Saxondale. And the arrest scene in Curb recently had me in stitches - I adore some well done slapstickery.
But.
Ok. The Courtney Love-love? I just cannot understand it. Whenever I try to discuss it with anybody, I make Cruisian "pfft" and "whsssh" noises, because words simply fail me. Maybe because I find it difficult to imagine, nay conceive, Alan Partridge blowing lines off anybody. But the "Love"? Nope. Sorry, it just didn't happen, kay? K.
Anyways, he should keep Armando Iannucci close to hand, whatever happens. A true comedy genius.
@FunkyFresh: Defamer probably hasn't heard of Ricky Gervais, Sacha Baron Cohen, or even Eddie Izzard or Craig Ferguson, for that matter, because they all stay at the Standard downtown, which as you know, is on Skid Row.
Yes, I love how the new cultural commentators at this fine website are so, you know, dialed in to our culture.
Start a discussion:
Login with your username and password below. Or comment on this post via email.
Forgot your username or password? New User?