CarbonStated

So recently I noticed the fact that Sean Astin might be the actor of our times. I was moved to this by randomly, not on purpose, taking in several of his films over the past few weeks, and noticing the actual breadth of what our neurotic little Samwise Gamgee has done.

Let's take Goonies, this first example.



Sean Astin plays Mikey, an inhaler-wielding visionary, who is both fearless and always a bit overexcited. He seems more aware of the Gooines spot in the social ladder than some (Data seems clueless, but genius), but he also does not let that keep him down. He is consumed with the quest for One-Eyed Willy's gold, and knows how to surround himself with useful folks. His relentless optimism and drive inspired an entire generation, and it is hard to reach the end of the movie and not feel just a bit driven to spend some more time pursuing one's seemingly impossible, or childish, but ultimately real, and worthwhile, dreams.

Then there is Rascal Moore, from Memphis Belle.



This is Sean Astin as the still-to-come breakout role, whose spicy personality lends some noob quotes and innocence for us to remark at as the tragic and heroic are wrapped up in the historic bombing run captured in this film. His role as the thankless ball-turret gunner is a placement for all of us in a frightening and claustrophobic experience, and his quick wit and backtalking presage the smart ass he is to become in the following films.

Now let's go to Toy Soldiers.



This movie flew under a lot of a radars, though it is a decently wrought action film, and has Louis Gossett, Jr. in it. Here Astin plays Billy Tepper, another "reject" like a Goonie, but this time a spoiled kid at a private school who is always up to pranks, and is at loggerheads with the headmaster. Yet when terrorists take over the school for ransom, Tepper shows his smarts and bravery by concocting a pretty genius plan, using the avenues and secret passages he found as a delinquent. This presages Harry Potter doing the same thing by a couple of decades. This is Astin as his crassest (like hacking into a phone line for a 900 number), but also his most heroic, until Lord Of The Rings.

Of course, my favorite of the Astin films is the following:


This is the fun side of Astin, sort of like the Ocean's Eleven movies, where actors in normally more taxing roles just kind of have fun around one another. What else will you do with Pauly Shore at his apex? Just let the fun happen and be your normal, neurotic self, playing the square, while those around you show you how to party for real.

Of course, everyone's hero is still:



This is a surprise for those who had not known Astin since Goonies, but for folks who know Toy Soldiers, they are aware that Astin really does have acting chops, and can carry an underdog, or sidekick, into truly great territory. Often it is Astin as an opposing character, such as Dave in Encino Man or Samwise in LOTR, but this time it is Astin against Notre Dame football, a character in its own right, that needs to be overcome for the length of the film.

Finally, the full-circle character of Astin's, that cements him in the pantheon of great films and supporting actors:



The quality of the series helps every actor involved, even Elijah Wood induced skepticism until these films came out, and suddenly he is in a myriad art films like Everything Is Illuminated and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. Samwise is often the true hero in the whiny and even more neurotic Frodo's shadow. He is basically the one who triumphs over the ring's power at Mt. Doom, and is all along a stubborn and curious foil to the schemes of everyone around Frodo, including the Ring, and Gollum. Astin brings the innocent, boyish character here, as in all of his work, but he also imbues a sadness and melancholy that fit with the surprising darkness of the stories, wisely kept in the films.

So. I encourage everyone to head out and rent your favorite Astin film, and pay honor to the surprising film hero of our time.