Gerard Butler
Pencil Portrait by Antonio Bosano.
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Recommended viewing
A Family Man (2017)
Dane Jensen (Gerard Butler) is a headhunter for a huge Chicago recruitment firm. He’s the very model of capitalist greed and he’s lost the plot. Much more worringly, he not even vaguely aware of it. The people whose livelihood’s he has in his hands are nothing more than stocks and shares to be bought and sold, and after his boss (a thoroughly disagreeable Willem Dafoe) retires, Jensen finally achieves his longtime goal of taking over the Blackrock Recruiting agency after going head-to-head with his ambitious rival, Lynn Vogel (Alison Brie).
He has a family in the suburbs which he undeniably provides for, but his relationship with his wife (Elise, played by Gretchen Mol) is on the rocks thanks to his workaholic tendencies. He’s distanced from his kids, and his career soon begins unravelling when his ten year old son Ryan (Max Jenkins), is suddenly diagnosed with cancer whereupon his professional priorities at work and personal priorities at home begin to clash with one another.
Not exactly mega blockbuster material but thought provoking nonetheless, and for viewers of a certain age, a timely reminder of just how difficult life in one’s “middling years” can truly be.
Ryan soon bonds bonds with his Sikh doctor, but his father struggles to comprehend the reality of the situation, at one point remarking to him that “this isn’t some Third World country, no offence.”
“You made me a mother” says Elise to her eldest child as he begins his leukaemia treatment, but he’s also her husband Dane’s firstborn and becoming a parent doesn’t seem to have made him much of a father. Yes he’s by his child’s hospital bed but he’s still closing deals on his mobile instead of focussing on his family. Ryan, bless him, is a sweetheart, desperate to talk up his dad despite his father’s failings, telling people he is someone who helps other dads get jobs to provide for their families. Dane’s life should be in turmoil, yet he’s initially little more than incovenienced; and the journey from corporate snake to loving family man will clearly be a tortuous one.
Yes there’s a familiar ring to all this and cliches abound, but “A Family Man” is also surprisingly moving in places, because of two things – the uniformly excellent cast, and a script which, when it isn’t stickily cloying is both moving and funny, with occasional big set piece speeches that come across as genuine.
There are two potentially interesting sub plots but only one fleshes out.
The first involves the head to head competition between Dane and Lynn in what could have been a appropriate counterweight to the emotional journey in his family life. He and Lynn have a sneaking admiration for each other and a sparky relationship – one minute she’s asking after Ryan’s wellbeing and the next she’s giving Dane a huge jar of petroleum jelly as an early Christmas present because “I’m about to shove November right up your ass,” as her team is leading on sales for the month. “I wish I’d thought of that” he says, looking at his gift, ever the competitor. unfortunately, that’s the beginning and end to it all.
The second sub-plot thankfully works well featuring Lou, a dignified Alfred Molina, as a too old 59 year old engineer desperate to get back to work after a year of unemployment. Dane initially uses this highly experienced individual appallingly, and his relationship with the older man follows the same downwards trajectory as his family. Thankfully he eventually comes through for Lou, an act that reaps reciprocation when he sets up his own business.
Gretchen Mol is wonderful as Elise, who has given up everything to stay at home for ten years only for him to throw it back in her face along with her supposed unemployability. Yet Butler is also very good as the man who loves his job whilst remaining under constant pressure to be in the office in order to provide for his family, who then complain he is never there. It’s reality for millions of families and the central performances make the story very relatable.
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Last update: 04/08/19
Gerard Butler’s workout & Diet for his appearance in “300” (2007) is available on the net. A punishing four month schedule was required to obtain that Spartan Physique, and understandably, his appearance today is not as toned. Like millions of men, he has more important things to do than endlessly pumping iron, not least of all, securing diverse and interesting film roles.
Never afraid of fresh challenges, he took the lead singing role in the film adaptation of “Phantom of the Opera,” (2004), impressing both composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and the film’s director Joel Schumacher, in equal measure.
Popular with the ladies and still a bachelor in his mid 40’s, he appears to be enjoying life whilst retaining strong connections to his native Scotland.