Paddy Considine is one of the world's most underrated actors. This man can carry a project on his back without breaking a sweat. Up until a few months ago, I only knew him as the dad in In America. Now that I've seen him in a few more films, I'm convinced that he's the man. The man.
Sometimes I watch movies at random. I'll pick one out, sometimes based on the cover art, sometimes just by reaching my hand out and grabbing a case, and go into the film blind. What are the odds that twice, in the last three months, the movies I chose starred My Man Paddy?
The first film was called Pu-239. A father finds out that he's going to die. That's what happens when you work at a decrepit Romanian nuclear power plant. Not wanting to admit any fault, the company puts as much distance as possible between themselves and their sick employee. What happens when you screw over someone that you've given access to nuclear technology? He steals that technology and heads on over to the black market to wheel and deal.
The second film was called Dead Man's Shoes. One pissed off guy takes on a violent gang who brutalized his mentally challenged brother. Donning a sweet looking gas mask and a slew of weapons, the ex-soldier begins picking of gangsters one-by-one. He stalks them, finds interesting ways to mess with their minds, and eventually exacts revenge. If you saw This is England, you already know how talented director Shane Meadows is. Paddy's good too, really good. This is one of those films I bought immediately after watching.
Paddy's also in Hot Fuzz, Cinderella Man, and The Bourne Ultimatium which is great because an actor this impressive deserves to get paid. But right now, his career is in that interesting place where he'll get medium-sized roles in big films and leading roles in smaller pictures. What's amazing is that both his mainstream and indie movies are really good. There's no sign of Paddy selling out yet.
Sometimes I watch movies at random. I'll pick one out, sometimes based on the cover art, sometimes just by reaching my hand out and grabbing a case, and go into the film blind. What are the odds that twice, in the last three months, the movies I chose starred My Man Paddy?
The first film was called Pu-239. A father finds out that he's going to die. That's what happens when you work at a decrepit Romanian nuclear power plant. Not wanting to admit any fault, the company puts as much distance as possible between themselves and their sick employee. What happens when you screw over someone that you've given access to nuclear technology? He steals that technology and heads on over to the black market to wheel and deal.
The second film was called Dead Man's Shoes. One pissed off guy takes on a violent gang who brutalized his mentally challenged brother. Donning a sweet looking gas mask and a slew of weapons, the ex-soldier begins picking of gangsters one-by-one. He stalks them, finds interesting ways to mess with their minds, and eventually exacts revenge. If you saw This is England, you already know how talented director Shane Meadows is. Paddy's good too, really good. This is one of those films I bought immediately after watching.
Paddy's also in Hot Fuzz, Cinderella Man, and The Bourne Ultimatium which is great because an actor this impressive deserves to get paid. But right now, his career is in that interesting place where he'll get medium-sized roles in big films and leading roles in smaller pictures. What's amazing is that both his mainstream and indie movies are really good. There's no sign of Paddy selling out yet.
This post is pretty much just a salespitch for the oeuvre of one man named Paddy.
Go check out Pu-239 and Dead Man's Shoes.
Then, if you see him on the street, shake his hand and say
"Thank you, Paddy Considine. Thank you."
Go check out Pu-239 and Dead Man's Shoes.
Then, if you see him on the street, shake his hand and say
"Thank you, Paddy Considine. Thank you."
Posts
6 comments:
I have not heard about quite a number of these movies. I cannot remember him from Cinderella Man, unless he was the opponent [too lazy to check], if it was he was good. I was not too fond of In America, but I can't remember it clearly.
Here's my Paddy question, since I've never been able to confirm it...
Is he the guy in Coldplay's video for "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face"?
Yeah Hatter, that's him!
I'd recommend 'A Room For Romeo Brass' also by Meadows with Considine as Morell, an initially harmless oddball who befriends 12 year old Romeo... it's a cracking performance, Considine manages to be funny, disarming, pathetic, psychotic often in the same scene... I definitely recommend it if you liked This Is England and Dead Mans Shoes
Considine also turns in some fine affecting performances in teenage girl coming of age film 'My Summer Of Love' and as a good samaritan assisting an asylum seeker and her son in 'Last Resort'(more profund and far less 'worthy' than it sounds)
He also appears in Chris Morris' short film 'My Wrongs #8245–8249 & 117' as a man who looks after his friend's dog only for the dog to convince him he's the man's lawyer... it's a dark and funny little curio
One of Considine's other early roles was as Joy Division/New Order manager, Rob Gretton in 24 Hour Party People... I only knew Gretton from TV footage and the like but Considine's portayal seems spookily accurate at times... in a film where some of the acting (of real-life personalities) is morelike broad mimicry and cartoonish impressions
As well as Coldplay, Considine's also appeared in promo videos for Moloko and The Arctic Monkeys
One of his forthcoming projects is a comedy film with The Arctic Monkeys
Considine as well as being a powerful dramatic performer is also an extremely gifted comic and raconteur
Definitely one of the finest actors to come out of the UK in the last 20 years...
Wow, yeah I haven't seem him in a while (it seems like) but he's always an enjoyable on-screen presence. Good call.
You KNOW I'm on board with a post like this, a shout-out to a veteran, underrated (or at least under-reported) character actor. :D
I first became aware of him in In America, but I'd seen him since in Bourne and Fuzz, and now that you mention it, I recall reading positive reviews (review?) for PU-239 upon its release.
He's a very good actor, but mostly I like him because he looks jarringly like my best friend (who is neither Irish nor named Paddy). Said friend also resembles Alan Ruck and/or Adam Sandler, but he most looks like our man Paddy.
Post a Comment