Published in: Friday Spotlight

Friday Spotlight-Will Smith

Author OneFilmFan

Published on: March 1, 2014

Ok….figured I’d now take a break from the up and comers in Hollywood and shine the Friday Spotlight on an actor whom I definitely consider to be one of the best veterans out there….and he’s only 46 as of this year.  Having been introduced to those of us of a certain age (**cough, cough**) back in 1989 with the hilarious hit single “Parents Just Don’t Understand” as part of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, this musician turned actor then was able to move on in 1990 to create the show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” that ran successfully for 6 years, and was basically him playing…..well, himself!  And once the show was done, 1996 became a whole new ballgame, when a holiday-titled science fiction event film arrived at theaters.  With this, we take a look at Will Smith.

Playing Captain Steven Hiller in the alien invasion classic, “Independence Day“, this new star took the screen by storm with what would honestly become a kind of trademark swagger and confidence he tends to bring to the characters he played since then as well.  I will say that since I only knew him as The Fresh Prince, I honestly didn’t think that his movie stardom would elevate to the levels it ultimately has.  Hiller’s character was all bluster and brashness, VERY humorously and entertainingly so mind you, but I thought this would become the ONLY kind of character Smith would (or possibly COULD) play, having also performed a similar type role in the buddy cop/action film “Bad Boys” alongside Martin Lawrence.  However, for me anyway, Smith’s comic chops went a little deeper than I expected playing the still cocky and brash Agent J to Tommy Lee Jones’ straight man Agent K in the 1997 sci-fi comedy “Men In Black“.  The comic timing and chemistry he had with Jones kind of made me realize there just might be more to Smith’s range. But then he took a different direction and went to a more serious action/drama role, that still HAD comic moments in it, with 1998’s “Enemy Of The State“, playing lawyer Robert Clayton Dean who gets embroiled in a slight mess involving a “Big Brother” type spy system and a video tape containing a rather nasty piece of assassination work, all of which leads those who want it back to make his life as miserable as possible.  But again, Smith brought a level of confidence to Dean’s character that really played well considering this time he was opposite some minor actors like Gene Hackman and Jon Voight! (LOL)  At this point, Smith was a STAPLE name linked with Summer blockbusters in particular, so rounding out the 90’s was an effort with a big screen adaption of a classic TV show, 1999’s “Wild, Wild West“.  Unfortunately, this proved to be a complete dud for me, despite Smith and what should have been a wonderful supporting cast including Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh, and Salma Hayek.  While there were SOME truly great comic moments…that’s all there was for me, and the overall execution of the film was poor, and the box office results told this tale as well, becoming Smith’s lowest grossing Summer film.

Now the next decade started, and I cannot deny I was a TAD worried that Smith’s sudden star power was about to fade, at least in film.  It wasn’t until November of 2000 that I saw him again, this time in a much smaller film, “The Legend of Bagger Vance“, in which he played a caddy of mystical origin who helps get a down-and-out golfer played by Matt Damon back on his feet.  This film really worked for me, though apparently a LOT more than it did for the majority of filmgoers, as it gave Smith a chance to flex some dramatic muscle in a way I had never seen him do, and brought the Bagger Vance character to life wonderfully and proving that he DID have straight man chops in him.  I did not see him again, though, until 2002’s “Men In Black II“, returning as Agent J.  Unfortunately, while mildly entertaining (and ultimately lower grossing), the film did not capture the original fun of the first.  Disappointed, it was ANOTHER 2 years before I took in another turn by Smith in the science fiction genre with 2004’s “I, Robot“. Now THIS was a return of the Will Smith I liked…action hero, cocky and brash.  He had a great feel for tech-jaded future cop Del Spooner, and played him very realistically to me.  And Smith’s humor shined well in this, much less delivering a lot of it with a straight face.  Next…ANOTHER side to Will’s humor now add heart…a romantic comedy this time, with 2005’s “Hitch“. One of my favorites of the genre, Smith’s performance as a professional “date doctor” who has some serious commitment issues he’s trying to compensate for that get exposed and worked on with an unexpected romance with Eva Mendes, all while trying to help his latest client played by the hilarious Kevin James, proved to me that his ability to be a combination of serious, hilarious, heartfelt, and goofy was getting perfected in his films, having successfully played so many types of characters. However, his dramatic chops went to a WHOLE new level with 2006’s “The Pursuit of Happyness“, where he took on the true story role of struggling salesman Chris Gardner who loses everything he has in a divorce and has also had to take custody of his son Christopher (played by Will’s real life son, Jaden Smith) while making a life choice that will ultimate better the situation for both of them.  Smith was no less than heartbreaking then inspiring in this portrayal of a man who reached his end, and then found the courage and fortitude to stand up and make something new out of the ashes.  I honestly could not believe I was watching the same actor who played Hiller in “ID4”.  The level of maturity is his acting was so amped up, THIS is truly when I thought Smith was going to be one of the greats in his generation.

Continuing on from the critical and financial success of “Happyness”, Smith went for dark, post-apocalyptic territory in 2007’s “I Am Legend“, in the role of Dr. Robert Neville, part of a government scientific team that ends up creating a virus which wipes out most of humanity and leaves the only survivors as The Infected, who lurk in the shadows and mercilessly kill anything that strays into the dark or out at night in the ruins of New York City. Neville is a man on a mission to find a cure and reverse the process, and the character again is brought to real, vivid life by Smith.  It is one harrowing adventure on many levels, but the genuine performance by Smith propels the film to something well beyond just another “horror” film.  Next was 2008’s superhero-in-need-of-a-SERIOUS-image-change action/comedy, “Hancock” alongside Jason Bateman and Charlize Theron. Again, not everyone liked this story, but it was another example to me of how Smith can take what could have been a mediocre film and made it into something bigger by not just settling for ONLY comedy, ONLY action, or ONLY drama, but rather a solid combination of all of it.  I didn’t see Smith again until 2012’s “Men In Black III“, which again, just lacked the overall quality of #1, but DID have an unexpectedly poignant finale, with Smith giving us the moments of pathos you most certainly would NOT have thought would make an appearance in this type of movie.  And this leads us to 2013’s M. Night Shyamalan-directed “After Earth“.  Sadly, all I am going to say about this movie….M. Night SERIOUSLY disappointed me and even Will Smith could not save a poorly written and executed picture. A cameo appearance in 2013’s “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” (which WAS very funny) completes my personal Will Smith filmography.  With new projects in the works, including a sequel to “Hancock” and possibly “Bad Boys 3”, there’s no denying Will Smith will be around on the big screen for some time to come, and I hope that he will make the choices in roles to let his acting keep maturing.  He has come SO far from the days as the Fresh Prince, and is definitely worth watching.

As always, this is for YOUR consideration and comment.  Until next time, thank you for reading!