BBC Radio 1 Movie Blog on How �Bel Ami� Benefits Rob�s Career

It�s certainly a good move for him to make. I remember reading the book of Bel Ami in my French classes at school and Rob�s character, the fame hungry Georges Dulroy, is a million miles away from icy Edward Cullen. This is the story of a social climber, a Parisian nobody who works his way up the financial ladder by being the arm-candy of frustrated housewives. It�s a great role.


And, of course, it�s a role that he needs to be a success to get away from that relentless curse of the franchise star � type-casting. As Zac Efron attempts the same thing � turning down the teen-tastic Footloose in favour of moody drama Charlie St Cloud � both guys face a battle with the media over whether they can be seen outside of their blockbuster bubble. Both, I reckon, have the talent to pull it off.


More importantly, they�ve also got the looks. Whilst Star Wars leading man Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) struggled to find other hit movies it was his decidedly sexier co-star Harrison Ford that hit the big time. Ditto Eilijah Wood and Viggo Mortensen from Lord Of The Rings. The jury�s still out on exactly who will break out of the shadow of Harry Potter although maybe R Pattz, as the former Cedric Diggory, has already claimed that prize. With upcoming movies co-starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz (Unbound
Captives) and Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz (Water For Elephants) he�s certainly got the cream of Hollywood on his side, with those projects reeking of awards potential.


Even if they do what Rob�s recent pic Remember Me did � ie. disappear without a trace � then I still think that the guy�s got the talent (and cheekbones) to do a Johnny Depp and, aged 40, find himself the toast of mainstream Hollywood with a wayout role in some Disney blockbuster. Don�t forget, Depp�s movies were generally only cult hits until Jack Sparrow came along.


So have another look at these Bel Ami pics and remember this moment. Come 2030, that guy you�re looking at now could be starring as a rum-swigging Jack Jnr in Pirates Of The Caribbean 12. Arguably a better career move than Taylor Lautner, recently signed up for Stretch Armstrong, a movie based on a plastic toy. Savvy?



bbc via spunkransom