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I can’t decide what’s worse, seeing George Clooney’s face or Joel Stein’s name on the cover of TIME.
George Clooney’s movies are notorious for under-performing at the box office.
Yet he’s considered “The Last Movie Star” and his salary keeps going up and up because he’s Hollywood’s star.
His entire career is geared toward appealing to his Hollywood peers than the general audience. And the greater irony is that some of his films would have been profitable, if he hadn’t been paid so much in up front cash and points.
Not one of his best pictures, face shows that he didn’t want to be there, mouth and jaw too uptight, and his wardrobe stylist missed the mark…big time.
NOW, picture this… black turtle neck, sleeves pushed up above wrists, great expensive watch on wrist, arms crossed in front of chest, head tilted slightly down, slight smirk smile, and eyes looking up with the Clooney “eye sparkle”. Or, maybe a slight over-the-shoulder look. Women want the Clooney, yum, yum. This cover fails.
Signed,
btl FEMALE Teamster, cause not all teamsters drive trucks (but we love our drivers that do)
I just don’t get this George Clooney thing. He’s not that handsome and he’s really not an amazing actor. His movies basically never make big bucks or rise to any artistic heights. Most of the time he seems to just mug for the camera. Oh, maybe that’s what a movie star is today… a smug mugger.
Everyone says Clooney is a box office bomb. Yet, Michael Clayton has done decent numbers.
Michael Clayton: cost $25 million and has a WW so far of $82 million.
Good Night and Good Luck: cost,$7.5 mill, US BO, $31.5 mill. Oceans..all made money.
I would really love to see the numbers on his flops when it comes to DVD’s. I bet his films do better than expected when you count those numbers in.
Yes, his pre-2003 films all flopped but I would venture to say, his luck is changing…or at least his decision making skills have improved.
I don’t get why this is news? It’s Stan’s JOB to get Clooney’s face out there. Is it a slow news day?
Coming soon on Tmz…erm DHD
Clooney looks ready to star in THE MITT ROMNEY STORY biopic. The film will only be exhibited in Utah.
Okay,
How can you hate this man? Because he’s being paid “too much”? Because he looks like he has too much fun in his films? Because he’s good looking? Because he actually has a pet project that actually matters? Get over yourselves and your jealousy people. You all sound like he turned you down for the prom.
Nobody believes Clooney is the Last Movie Star. I’m sure many people wouldn’t even put him in the top ten. Stein’s main argument is that George agreed to go over to his house for dinner. That’s it. That accessibility makes him a movie star (because movie star have always been known for that quality, right?)
He also makes a ridiculous statement that: “There are plenty of huge box-office draws (Will Smith, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Johnny Depp) and even more famous celebrities (Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, Lindsay Lohan), but no one besides Clooney is so gracefully both.”
Now only Joel Stein would a) act like Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise aren’t huge box office draws, b) somehow act like Will Smith and Tom Hanks haven’t handled celebrity gracefully and c) mention Lindsay Lohan in a discussion of movie stars.
The one quote in the article that really makes sense is Sid Ganis’s who equates Clooney to Gregory Peck. I can buy that. But guess what, Peck wasn’t the only (or the biggest) star of his era and neither is George.
It’s a fluff piece that doesn’t even really pretend to be actual journalism. I’ll bet Clooney is already making jokes about how embarrassing this whole thing is.
Got jealousy? First of all the comment about the stylist is ridiculous. His grey pinstripe suit and white shirt match his distinguished salt and pepper hair. His expression to me says, ‘Humility’. You projected your own baggage onto him. As to his acting, there are so many examples of his talent. His best talent is that you don’t often catch him acting. On E.R. he was the king of destination and moment before. You wouldn’t know what that is because you have no training yet feel qualified to expound your expertise on his technique. The biggest evidence of his talent is his ability to clearly define his choices in obtaining his objective and bring them straight from within in the moment. He is one of the best moment to moment actors working today. Oh yeah, he writes and directed a hell of a good movie called ‘Good Night, Good Luck’. Why is it news you ask? Well, it’s news because everyone likes to hear about Clooney because he is an all around likeable guy. It’s news that says for all the ill adjusted freaks out there, there is still good eggs like Clooney. And no one pisses off bitter, jaded, malcontents than an all around great guy who also happens to be good looking, multi-talented, educated, informed, unselfish, and having a great life. I mean who wrote all those criticisms? O’Reilly? Is that you?
“Do I look like I’m negotiating to you?”
Yes George you do look like you’re negotiating.
“Well I’m not. I’m angry. I don’t negotiate when I’m angry. I’m trying to win an Oscar here damn it!”
I’ll vote for you George you deserve to win.
“Damn right I deserve to win.”
I remember when he was in Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and then on that 1980s show about the girls living in a sorority.
I think the whole thing about him vs. Fabio in the restaurant says it all.
The ONLY film I’ve felt compelled to see of his was Syriana because I heard he had suffered a painful injury during the torture scene. I actually felt sympathy for the man and
I wanted to see exactly what he was doing when it happened. I was glad to know that he recovered.
As to his acting: He’s a total light weight. YOU NEVER FORGET YOU’RE WATCHING GEORGE CLOONEY.
He’s like the William Shatner from StarTrek – but without the likability from the fans.
Seriously, the guy’s a winner in my book. Most of his films are enjoyable, and he’s done great things for the industry. Michael Clayton? Rocked. Syriana? Rocked. Good Night Good Luck? Eh, okay. I really thought Confessions of a Dangerous Mind was seriously entertaining. Three Kings. Out of Sight. O’ Brother Where Art Thou. Now that I think about it, his choices have been getting better and better. Who can deny that he’s a smart guy?
This man is not only glib, he is also smug. He can’t open a movie, he is power hungry and he works so hard to cover his insecurities.
If he is the last movie star, then may I ask what Brad Pitt, Will Smith and Tom Cruise are. Because they are actually big world wide, it is amazing how far you can go in Hollywood with no talent as long as you have a good publicist, how else do you explain that Time cover and the headline?
Let’s be clear that I’m not an industry “insider,” I’m not a failed actor/writer/director/gaffer/best boy. This poster is a businessman in his 50′s with a wife and kids who WANTS to enjoy film but is sooo often (and I mean regularly) disappointed with the product and the self-important non-talents that make them.
So why am I writing? Simple: I like Clooney. If pressed, I might confess that he’s better-looking than me, but frankly I don’t mind because when we ‘hang out together’ George doesn’t lord over me; see, I’m IN ON THE JOKES. My Gorgeous Wifey likes Clooney (my counterpart fantasy crush is Nicole Kidman) but this is all in spirited fun because George is obviously a Good Guy. He’s not going to take my girl, but he gives me props for being good at what I do, whether he cares about my work or not.
His wars with the right-wingers (whether you agree with his stance or not) establishes him as one who will swing away simply to defend his principles rather than curling up like most celebrities do. (Case in point: Michael Jordan who refused to endorse a black candidate running against Strom Thurmond: “Republicans buy shoes too.” Sickening and something you’d never hear from Clooney.
And as for Box Office. You tell me that you people actually use this as a benchmark? Go ahead then, tell me of the greatness that was “Wedding Crashers,” “Norbit,” “Evan Almighty” and “The Heartbreak Kid” to name only a recent few. Yes, I’m well aware that Hollywood doesn’t actually set out to make horrible movies ON PURPOSE but nevertheless you people would have a hard time convincing the rest of America otherwise.
And as for always seeing “George Clooney” when he’s on screen, I would dare to venture that you have the same problem with Cary Grant, John Wayne, Clark Gable and the modern-day ‘yes it’s really me’ — Tom Cruise who simply is unable to EVER blend into a role.
Why this Time cover now? Beats me. I still think the guy is okay. But then again, that’s only my opinion and I don’t live in Hollywood.
Happy hating.
I predict he will run for Congress in 10 years then be elected to the Senate and eventually be President. I think he’s growing bored with Hollywood. George is destined for much more important things than showbiz. He’s very smart and very well educated not from school but from life. His films are important and they resonate with political sensibility. President Clooney 20 years from now sounds about right. He’ll be the Democrat Reagan.
Joel Stein? I DON’T GET JOEL STEIN. He’s not a good nor interesting writer. Is he blowing Mr. Time or something?
Wow. Is your taste for Schadenfreude not being met? Damn you for being successful George! Get a grip, haters.
Ever since the Charlton Heston incident he’s been dead to me.
In January 2003, Clooney accepted some award and said, “Charlton Heston announced again today that he is suffering from Alzheimer’s.”
To kick a man for having an incurable disease is cowardly enough. But when Liz Smith offered him a chance to withdraw the comment, he had to kick a defenseless man a second time saying, “I don’t care. Charlton Heston is the head of the National Rifle Association; he deserves whatever anyone says about him.”
On the outside Clooney is handsome and charming, but on the inside there is genuine ugliness and cruelty.
I’d love to know why George Clooney is called a movie star when the only hits he’s had have been ensemble pieces. In other words, he alone is not enough to bring in an audience. He needs big name co-stars to do so.
Therefore, he’s not a movie star.
On another note, surely I’m not the only person who’s sick to death of seeing his face and hearing about what he’s said. Does George Clooney NEVER shut up? Jesus.
Too bad he’s not like the smarter stars who disappear when they don’t have a movie yet. That way he’d be missed rather than being in my face every single damn day.
There’s a lot of complaint here about Clooney’s movies not making enough money. What seems to be overlooked is that when you look at his resumé, he has mostly chosen movies for their creative merits over the possibility of a box office smash (and the exceptions, like the Oceans movies, have done well and turned out to be pretty solid movies).
And on his “art films” (dare I use the phrase?) the projects often have *tiny* budgets, so that they don’t have to make big bucks, but can still break even. I’d also agree that his films likely do stronger DVD business than theatrical in many cases.
Is it really such a dig at the guy to point out that for the most part he has resisted the temptation to sell out? Is it so bad to take a risk instead of going for something safe and mainstream?
And I have to point out that there are very VERY few stars who consistently can guarantee a blockbuster – Will Smith is the only one who comes to mind (maybe Ben Stiller, although he hasn’t made many movies lately? maybe seth rogen can get there after a couple more hits?). Even a Tom Cruise or Tom Hanks doesn’t mean you’ll even break even any more. Same with Pitt, Jolie, Sandler, Russell Crowe, Colin Farrell. Pretty much all of them, for every big hit there are three or four that lost money.
Besides Will Smith, is there anyone consistently guaranteeing big box office?
Sean,
Your post is disturbing. Even though I work in this industry, and worked a couple of days on Good Night and Good Luck………..and thought George Clooney was one of the nicest “Movie Stars” in this business, I’m disgusted that he said these comments.
My Grandfather died from Alzheimer’s Disease, it destroyed my Grandmother, and broke our hearts.
So, I take back my playful wardrobe change comment, because if your statement is true………they should have dressed him in SHIT.
You now know , I don’t usually watch the Oscars………dog and pony show.
Clooney is Gregory Peck?????????
That’s offensive and silly. Peck was a gentleman, class, gravitas and warmth, stunningly handsome. A true movie star
Clooney, not. Clooney is aging, smug, self-important, a one-note overrated tv actor who whines and complains immaturely about paparazzi and media attention, then goes and does media stunts like this.
A true movie star is iconic, incomparable. Clooney’s always styling himself after the Rat Pack, now Peck. He and others, like Pitt, are big bores and passe. The studios have no guts or imagination to gamble on fresh talent.
“The Last Movie Star”?? I love Clooney, but gimme a break.
Don’t worry George, you’ll always be the very best Batman who ever put on the cape and cowl. Your pal,
Robin the Boy Wonder