Iron Man

Ever since I saw Robert Downey, Jr.’s flawless performance in the film Chaplin (1992), I’ve had a significant amount of respect for the man. As such, I was sad to hear that the actor found himself in a drug- and alcohol-induced stupor for much of his 30s–which is really, really sad considering that the 30s is the prime filmmaking decade for good-looking, talented Hollywood actors.

Over the past few years, however, Downey has seemingly gotten his act together, appearing in critically acclaimed films such as Good Night and Good Luck (2005) and Zodiac (2007) as well as some stranger, less popular ones like The Singing Detective (2003) and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005).

But Iron Man (2008)? What gives?

Honestly, when I saw the trailer last year for Iron Man, I believed Downey was completely miscast. I thought, What is this “serious” actor who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Charlie Chaplin doing in a suit of iron, flying through the air with crazy little flairs on his heels? And why is he helping to perpetuate this comic-book/superhero franchise which I wish would just go away?

Well, I was wrong. Yep, very wrong.

So without giving any of the narrative away, here’s my 10-word review of Downey’s performance in Iron Man:

– unexpected
– fun
– in the moment
– snarky
– witty
– generous
– sincere
– compelling

Related posts: