What, me worry??Robert Downey Jr. was box office poison for a few years. I remember when he ws facing yet another drug charge a few years ago (cocaine and heroin...that old chestnut...) and the court of popular opinion seemed to be, "Let him rot in jail for awhile, maybe that will teach him a lesson...." Well, I hate the court of popular opinion and it's great to see it proved WRONG once again! Downey Jr. is a really fine actor, one of a handful of actors who are not over-hyped to within an inch of their lives, and that makes him ready for........the man in the iron mask. You really have to tip your hat to him, he has come a long way in the last ten years.
It was very smart to cast him as Tony Stark. The guy is a lot like Toby Maguire; both are excellent actors, and both wear their hearts on their sleeves. However, Downey is dangerous. He has a side to him, like a young Albert Finney or Richard Harris. Without him as the film's center, without his insouciant sideways smile and sardonic grin, the movie would be just another blow-em-up-over-the-top Hollywood spectacle. But the movie is good.....quite good in fact.
Downey's soul now belongs to the studios, at least for the forseeable future. I am sure he is contractually obligated to do Iron Man 2, 3, 4 and 5. I attended an opening day screening at a theatre in lower Manhattan and most shows that day were sold out. it will undoubtedly be the number one box office attraction until the next BATMAN installment comes around. If Downey has another fall from grace during the upcoming years, and I really hope he doesn't, it will be very interesting to note public reaction now that he represents a franchise.
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