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The increasing ubiquity of Jesse Plemons (and others)

Started by asids, March 04, 2018, 08:23:12 PM

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asids

After watching the recent Tom Cruise flick American Made (it's crap, don't bother), I've become further disturbed with the rate at which Jesse Plemons is appearing in Hollywood films. Mainly because of the fact in all of his appearance he always plays some unimportant side character who says a few lines and goes. His appearance in American Made took it to a whole new level, as we had some screen time dedicated to Plemons as a sheriff sitting at his desk doing nothing, then sitting in his house and talking to his wife for 30 seconds, then his one and only contribution to the film which could have been done by another equivalent character anyway (and again lasted about 30 seconds). That's it. And he's probably getting a fat paycheck for that when he did fuck all.

I first remember him coming to prominence through the last season of Breaking Bad where he played Todd (he was also in Friday Night Lights, but I've never watched that) - a decent character, OK, but it's not like anyone gave a shit about him or his performance all that much. This has then seemingly propelled him into numerous blockbuster Hollywood films as side characters. Looking at his filmography over the last few years, he's starred in Black Mass, Bridge of Spies, the Netflix film The Discovery, American Made, Hostiles, The Post, and this year he's starring in the comedy that's out now called Game Night as well as Scorsese's film with De Niro and Pacino that's going to be on Netflix next year, The Irishman. None of these are leading roles though - all side characters given a little bit of screen time but not all that much.

In addition to his film roles, he's also been in Fargo (I don't watch it so I don't know how he is on that) and the lead role in the first episode of the new series of Black Mirror (in which he gave a thoroughly OK performance).

Why does it feel like we're getting (P)lemons shoved down our throat? Why has he become ubiquitous in Hollywood blockbusters for not much reason at all? Is there some amazing performance he's done that I'm missing? Has he decided his career's going to be playing unimportant side characters in big films? It's baffling to me.

Feel free to give other examples from the present or past - another one I remember is that you seemingly can't watch an action film from the late 80s in to the early part of the 90s without Robert Davi popping up.

BritishHobo

I think he's just got a fucking great, strange presence. I want to see Game Night purely thanks to that moment in the trailer where he's stood in a doorway and steps backwards. That's ridiculous, but I do.

Z

Caleb Landry Jones, Plemons's bandmate in Friday Night Lights, is also in a helluvalot of things lately.


Plemons is just a very solid character who's picking roles to ensure he's as visible as possible and fits a very wide variety of films. There's always a few guys like him each generation.

phantom_power

He also walks that line between good looking and ugly where he can fall either side, role requiring

Z


phantom_power

Quote from: Z on March 04, 2018, 09:30:23 PM
Married to Kirsten Dunst, isn't he?

He was married to her in Fargo. In real life they are engaged. Fargo seems to be matchmaker supreme for actors, what with this and Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

That bloke Sam Courtney Jai Worthington seemed to appear all of a sudden to star in a load of big films - including different roles in consecutive Terminator films - despite having little in the way of charisma.

mothman

I thought Plemons was really good in Fargo, I loved that season anyway. Didn't realise he'd bagged himself La Dunst as part of the deal.

Is this just a bit of confirmation bias here? He's a mid-range character actor who happens to have a quite distinctive look. One that makes him more noticeable, perhaps? You could, if you put your mind to it, name a dozen other actors with similar career trajectories.

Serge

Quote from: asids on March 04, 2018, 08:23:12 PM
Is there some amazing performance he's done that I'm missing?

Well, 'Fargo' for a start, going by your post.


Quote from: Z on March 04, 2018, 09:24:43 PM
Caleb Landry Jones

i hate this cunt. can't ever understand a single fucking word he's saying

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

When life gives you Plemons, make plemonade.

Quote from: asids on March 04, 2018, 08:23:12 PM
I first remember him coming to prominence through the last season of Breaking Bad where he played Todd (he was also in Friday Night Lights, but I've never watched that) - a decent character, OK, but it's not like anyone gave a shit about him or his performance all that much.
Seem a little dismissive. He was easily the most prominent of the nazi characters, serving as a foil to Jesse. He was no Gus Fring, but his ability to be all boyishly courteous and kill without any trace of emotion was chilling.

asids

I was hoping for some unreasonable hate for Jesse Plemons from you lot and there is none forthcoming, which I'm extremely disappointed about. Close the thread.

In all seriousness, I don't hate the guy, I just found it funny/interesting that over the last 3 years or so he has jumped from blockbuster to blockbuster in relatively minor side roles and some TV appearances. You'd have think he would have his "big break" lead role by now (he had the lead role in Other People which came out a few years ago, but it was a relatively obscure indie film).

I didn't intend this so much to be a discussion of Jesse Plemons specifically but more as a topic where you could bring up examples of similar actors, people who started appearing in more minor roles in lots of big films over a small period of time, bringing up that feeling that they're always there just waiting in the background.

I'm glad Caleb Landry Jones has been brought up, he's another one - when I saw him in American Made I was sure I remembered him from the Netflix show Ozark, turns out he isn't in that at all. In fact, he's been in Get Out, The Florida Project and Three Billboards all of which I've seen yet I don't remember him in. If you told me who his characters were, I would remember seeing him in them, but I don't remember him as the actor in the films so much. He's picked good films to be in, though. I wish Florida Project had been nominated for an Oscar, then you'd have CLJ appearing in three different films nominated for an Oscar in the same year - has that been done before?

Lucas Hedges is another one that's beginning to creep up a bit. Was in Manchester by the Sea, then Three Billboards and now Lady Bird. He's the lead in some coming-of-age drama with Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman next year so maybe that will propel him to stardom.

Quote from: Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth on March 04, 2018, 10:25:44 PMSeem a little dismissive. He was easily the most prominent of the nazi characters, serving as a foil to Jesse. He was no Gus Fring, but his ability to be all boyishly courteous and kill without any trace of emotion was chilling.

Yeah, I haven't rewatched Breaking Bad since it was on basically so that's been a few years, but from what I can recall he was good but he wasn't extremely memorable or outstanding or anything. I need to give BB another watch sometime.

Ja'moke

I think Plemons is great, so no hate from me. Loved him in Friday Night Lights, where he played a much lighter, likable character than the creeps he often plays now - but that's because he nailed Creepy Todd in Breaking Bad so well. Fargo too. Ahh yeah he's ace.

To be fair, I haven't seen much of his film work, but his TV roles, top notch!

Twit 2

Don't care for his name, face or work. Shan't be posting in this thread.

Namtab

Only seen him in Black Mirror and Breaking Bad, but thought he was excellent in both.

Really enjoyed Landry Jones in everything I've seen him in too. So, ur... yeah. Quite like 'em.

Serge

I have seen Plemons in a couple of films, and, alongside his work in 'Breaking Bad' and 'Fargo', think he's a really good actor who is probably just making the most of whatever comes his way. As a young guy on his way up, he's not really going to turn anything down, is he? He's never going to be a mainstream leading man type, but will probably end up doing the lead in a few indie-type flicks eventually - and probably more TV work, as that seems to be increasingly where actors go for more challenging roles.

I've only seen Caleb Landry Jones in 'Get Out' and he was bloody awful in that. Though nearly everybody but Daniel Kaluuya and Stephen Root was, to be fair.

Bronzy

Quote from: asids on March 05, 2018, 01:09:05 AM
you'd have CLJ appearing in three different films nominated for an Oscar in the same year - has that been done before?

Literally been done this year by Michael Stuhlbarg, he's been in The Shape of Water, Call Me by Your Name and The Post.

Very similar to CLJ as well, always a supporting character bar his role in A Serious Man.

Shit Good Nose

Quote from: Bronzy on March 05, 2018, 02:40:19 PM
Literally been done this year by Michael Stuhlbarg, he's been in The Shape of Water, Call Me by Your Name and The Post.

Plemons, like Stuhlbarg, is just a great versatile actor who can believably inhabit any character in any genre - also cf. Dermot Mulroney.

To give Caleb Landry Jones some due, he did a pretty convincing English accent in John Boorman's Queen and Country (I actually thought he was English when I saw that), and was pretty good in War On Everyone.

phantom_power

And he was suitably fucked up and scuzzy in Twin Peaks

Serge

Michael Stuhlbarg, of course, was also great in 'Fargo', albeit in a different series. He really should get more lead roles, he's brilliant.

Twit 2

Yeah, one of those actors who looks different in everything, too. I watched Shape of Water without residing it was him, despite seeing him in other things.

Mister Six

Quote from: asids on March 05, 2018, 01:09:05 AM
I'm glad Caleb Landry Jones has been brought up, he's another one - when I saw him in American Made I was sure I remembered him from the Netflix show Ozark, turns out he isn't in that at all. In fact, he's been in Get Out, The Florida Project and Three Billboards all of which I've seen yet I don't remember him in. If you told me who his characters were, I would remember seeing him in them, but I don't remember him as the actor in the films so much.

He was in Twin Peaks as the drugged-up shitheel boyfriend of Shelly's daughter, too.

Surprised you don't recall him from Get Out and Three Billboards, though - especially the latter. In Get Out he was the girlfriend's psycho brother and in Three Billboards he was the advertising guy who gets beaten up and thrown out of a window by Sam Rockwell.

phantom_power

Quote from: Serge on March 05, 2018, 04:32:20 PM
Michael Stuhlbarg, of course, was also great in 'Fargo', albeit in a different series. He really should get more lead roles, he's brilliant.


And unrecognisable again in a more light-hearted role (but still great) in Men in Black 3

Custard

Think he's great, myself. Has a presence, and does creepy better than most

Don't agree with the comment that no one really cared about him in Breaking Bad. People were desperate for him to get his comeuppance! A great creepy as fuck, nasty bastard

Was great in Black Mirror, too

PLEMONS PLEMONS
WE LOVE OUR PLEMONS

Obel

Always enjoyed Meth Damon.

To me he's what would have happened if Philip Seymour Hoffman stepped into a teleporter and Matt Damon snuck in there with him.

phantom_power

Quote from: Shameless Custard on March 06, 2018, 10:25:49 AM
Think he's great, myself. Has a presence, and does creepy better than most


He does it by not playing up the creepiness. In Breaking Bad for instance he had the manner of a cub scout trying to do well and impress the grown-ups

Bronzy

When life gives you Plemons, make a decent supporting role

Wet Blanket

I had to Google him but having done so admit to having said to myself, 'who is that ugly bloke who turns up in everything?' so pleased to put a name to the face.

Perhaps he's the new Steve Buscemi, although he seems a bit lumpen to me.
Caleb Landry Jones has a good face but is impossible to understand. This Plemons cunt should have taken his role in Twin Peaks.

ieXush2i

Character actor, innee?

Domnhall Gleeson is in everything I watch (exaggeration) it seems.

edit: fuck I didn't even realise that was him in mother!