In case you haven't noticed, Jude Law is in just about every movie this season.
Moviegoers know him well from films such as "The Talented Mr. Ripley," "Road to Perdition" and "Cold Mountain." What you perhaps did not know is that Law is planning on exploding this season. With his charming good looks and full fall schedule, it is highly probable that he will capture America's collective heart.
In six months Law will be in as many blockbusters: "I Heart Huckabees," "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow," "Alfie," "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," "Closer" and "The Aviator." Whew. But the actor has been waiting, strategizing and hoping for this big chance for quite some time.
Law was born in London in 1972, and had already started acting with the National Youth Music Theatre at age 12. By 17, he had dropped out of school to star in a Granada daytime soap opera called "Families." From there, Law moved on to theater opposite other celebs like Kathleen Turner. He received some awards and graduated to smaller independent films and then got his big break in "Gattaca," a small film which also starred Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke. And from there he has been meandering higher and higher in the crowd of B-list celebrities. A-list status is hard to come by, but Law taking the right steps.
The star has gotten some super references under his belt through solidly famous friends. He is best known in the international celebrity web for his tight relationship with Scot Ewan McGregor and his marriage to actress-turned-fashion-designer Sadie Frost. They have three children together, the last of which was born a year before their 2003 divorce. He often talks to the press about his "brood" and how he loves being a father. However, this must be tempered with the fact that his two-year-old daughter Iris swallowed half of an ecstasy pill while attending a children's party at a facility also used as a nightclub.
It does not seem that Law has much time to be a family man with his enormous amount of filming. Furthermore, there is some talk of Law not being available for former wife Frost when she was suffering from postpartum depression after bearing their children. There were also rumors that his marriage came to an end after some sort of relationship with Nicole Kidman. But enough of this US Weekly-style gossip: On to Law's professional life.
The range within the genres of the six films Law stars in this season is immense, as is the variety of characters he plays.
"Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" was a movie that allowed Law to become an action hero and stretch his wings in an era of '30s glamour and robots trying to take over the world. It was Law's first film of the season, and although it received much critical hype, it has underperformed at the box office so far.
"I Heart Huckabees" is a so-called existential comedy that showcases Law playing a charming executive climbing the corporate ladder. It is also already in national release and is showing at Hanover's own Nugget Theater. It is soon to be joined on Law's monopolization of current listings by "Alfie," which is out in theaters on Friday. "Alfie" is a remake about a British bloke (Law) whose sole occupation is the women of New York City.
Law's three other films have release dates later in the season. "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" stars Jim Carrey as an adoptive uncle who tries to steal the fortune belonging to his orphaned charges, whilst Law narrates as titular character Snicket. "Closer" stars Law, Natalie Portman and Julia Roberts.
It is about two couples that fall in love and then become interwoven, which turns out to be emotionally dangerous for all of them. And finally, "The Aviator" stars Leonardo DiCaprio as young billionaire Howard Hughes. Gwen Stefani has her screen debut as actress Jean Harlow and Law plays legendary actor and heartthrob Errol Flynn.
Jude Law is giving you choices this season. No matter whether you go to the theater to see action, romantic comedy (or existential comedy), drama or a family film, it seems that you must choose a movie with Law in it. He seemingly will not be ignored.
Whether Law will be around for a while is debatable, but either way, he is certainly the flavor of this film season.
