The Many Faces of Gerard Butler
Posted on Friday, February 19th, 2010
The first time I paid attention to Gerard Butler as an actor, he had sculpted his body to play an ancient Greek warrior in 300 (2006). I went to the theater to see this film and as I sat fascinated by the vivid, artistic theatrics – my sweetie was not impressed…at all.
Next, Butler’s “ghost” leads his sweetheart Hilary Swank on a journey to rediscover her life after he dies in the romantic comedy P.S. I Love You (2007). A battle of sexes erupts in yet another romantic comedy titled The Ugly Truth (2009), which paired Butler opposite Katherine Heigl. I actually thought this movie was kinda cute even though Heigl’s onscreen and off-screen antics wear on my last nerve sometimes.
Shifting from sweet kisses and passionate embraces, Butler has provided us with a handful of action, thriller, and suspense films, such as Gamer (2009) and one of my all-time favorite movies, Law-Abiding Citizen (2009) – with a revenge plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Basically, Butler plays a man haunted by the brutal murder of his wife and child, who suffers a judicial injustice that forces him to take matters into his own hands. Throw in an ambitious lawyer (Jamie Foxx) and cryptically orchestrated plans, and you actually leave the movie theater feeling sorry for the ‘bad guy.’
Interestingly, before Butler donned the armor and beard of King Leonidas, he played Beowulf (in Beowulf & Grendel – 2005), Angelina Jolie’s love interest in Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003), and even Dracula in Dracula 2000 – all movies I’ve overlooked as part of his acting career.
Butler shows no signs of slowing down. His 2010 movie calendar is packed with the releases of an IMAX 3D Experience project, an action/romance/comedy with Jennifer Anniston, a movie adaptation of a William Shakespeare play, and a biographical film.
What’s your favorite Gerard Butler movie?
