It's been a while since I have gone on about Cillian Murphy, the man who held my heart for the majority of late last year. So yeah, he's the next subject for my "5 reasons", as seen with the Amy Adams post I did last week.
1. Those blue eyes.
It's pretty much impossible not to love Cillian Murphy's eyes. They're like the ocean sparkling under the sun on a warm, summery day. In fact, no similie can sum up the beauty of his eyes. So I'm not even going to try describe them in any other way.
I will say, though, that I'm sure his eyes are 95% of the reason why I keep crying at the end of Inception because Wally Pfister captures them in the most beautiful way.
2. You name it, he's probably tried it.
Cillian isn't an actor who likes to play the same sort of roles. He isn't the type of actor that you 'expect' things from. Cillian has been one of the last people surviving in a horror movie (28 Days Later...); he has tried to save the world (Sunshine); he's been forced to break up his father's company through a dream (Inception); he's played a psycho nutter direct from a comic book (Batman Begins and The Dark Knight); he has played a guy who spends most of his life dressing like a girl (Breakfast on Pluto); he dressed as a girl in oder to play a deranged man with split personalities (Peacock); he was the calm one in crisis (TRON: Legacy); he's been a dazed romantic lead (Watching the Detectives); he terrorized Rachel McAdams on a plane (Red Eye); he fought against his brother for Ireland's freedom (The Wind that Shakes the Barley); he turned cold and distant after returning from the war (The Edge of Love); he was a sympathetic man during a war (Cold Mountain); and he even learnt how to butcher meat, even though he is really a vegetarian (Girl with a Pearl Earring). Need any more proof?
3. He's a very pretty girl.
Cillian has donned the girly clothing twice on film: first for Breakfast on Pluto (which he was nominated for a Golden Globe for) and then for the little seen thriller Peacock. First of all, Cillian is very good at playing the part of a girl. In Breakfast on Pluto, he's very flamboyant and doesn't take himself - or the world - very seriously. But that's just the part of Patrick 'Kitten' Braden, who had a colourful outlook on life, no matter what kind of bad stuff is happening. In Peacock, however, he's at the other end of the spectrum. Here he plays a man, John, who the small town get to know as a very private banker, who is a little odd and frayed around the edges. But when he gets home, he deals with his other personality, Emma, who ends up controlling John's life. Where Kitten was out-going and flamboyant, Emma/John were mainly just left in their house, living their private lives, and neither of the personalities wanted their secret to be revealed. And let's be honest, Cillian can play these strange parts amazingly. It also helps that he actually suits looking girly, too.
4. How strange he is in Watching the Detectives
The movie itself is pretty mediocre, but if you look at the rest of Cillian's filmography, you'd think that a romantic comedy would be something he'd steer clear from. No, not Sir Cillian. He basically plays my dream guy: he works at a video shop which has every single video/DVD ever created, he knows lots about movies and he also goes into another video shop and swaps all the cases and DVDs around. Cillian really lets go in this movie and basically makes the two dimensional role of a confused lovesick puppy actually work, to a degree. It's strange to watch him being so funny, but jeez, if you get a minute, Cilly, can you do another romantic comedy? Cheers mate.
5. He continues to be the underrated gem, and it's good that way.
Yes, Cillian has had a career spanning around ten years, and yes, he has been awesome for a very long time. But there are only a select few who know that and are behind Cillian's every move (which would be me, since I watched a large majority of his filmography in a week), and we all know that he's one of the best actors alive. However, Cillian is a modest guy, who will always pick the strangest projects to work with and he will make them work. People will keep misunderestimating him and continue to ignore some Oscar-worthy performances (like the ones he did in Peacock or maybe even The Edge of Love, even though that movie was pretty disappointing). But that's okay, because it's underrated actors like him who make the world go 'round.
What are your thoughts on Cillian Murphy? Got any favourite performances of his?
I haven't seen many films with him, but from the ones I have, I was truly impressed. I've watched the two Batman films and Inception of course, Sunshine, Cold Mountain, Red Eye and 28 Days Later. Take Red Eye for example, I wasn't blown away by the film, but he really stood out!
ReplyDeleteNice list...totally agree on #1,4 and 5.
ReplyDeleteI did a short post on his performance in Peacock for a Cillian blogothon i participated in, as it has been the most memorable performance i've seen from him, and not just for the cross dressing.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen a lot of his work tho
He's definitely an underrated star. I was so happy for him when Nolan chose him for "Batman Begins" and "Inception." I also thought he was brilliant in "The Wind That Shakes The Barley." Great tribute post!
ReplyDeleteOkay, #1 is basically my main reason for a few leading men I admire, Cillian included.
ReplyDeleteHe's best when he's feminely going insane, I think.
ReplyDeleteMaria Sofia - Yeah, I didn't like Red Eye that much, but he was truly amazing in that movie. He's just such a great actor, and can really lift a movie.
ReplyDeleteNikhat - Thanks!
Rachel - He was brilliant in The Wind That Shakes the Barley! I hope Nolan continues to cast him in future projects, because they work so well together!
Anna - Amen to that.
Simon - Agreed!
Castor led me to your post ;)
ReplyDeleteI love reading your post a lot!! I don't think I can narrow why I love Cillian into 5 reasons.
Same with you...I want to see him again in Romantic Comedy,of course with special character,not just some crappy character most Rom-com have.
Have you seen How Harry Becomes Tree? I haven't seen that one yet :(
To answer your question,check out my top-5 movies by Cillian http://bokunosekai.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/top-5-cillian-murphys-movies/
It was part 1 of my tribute for his birthday :)
Good old Castor :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! It took me a while to do figure out which reasons were worthy, because there are so many! He's such a great guy!
No, I haven't seen How Harry Becomes Tree. I'll keep an eye out for it.
That was a beautiful post. You basically have the same Cillian-taste as me. Ahhhh...I absolutely love the guy :D
Two favorite performances: Crane in "Batman Begins" ("Would you like to see my mask?") and that final scene in "Inception" where he busts out crying over his father. Both really powerful yet understated.
ReplyDeleteThe scene in Inception where he bursts out crying over his father is simply amazing. I always cry when I watch that one :)
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget his incredible role in Peaky Blinders!
ReplyDeleteI can't get enough of this beautiful man. I am in LOVE!
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