Ticket 2 Ride

Russell Crowe was one of the biggest stars in the world; big budgets and frequent award nominee. That was not too long ago, but time marches on in Hollywood. Crowe still works a lot, he’s a tremendous actor, but he has gone the way of other aging actors – mostly in films that stream, or part of the ensemble superheroes universe.

Crowe popped up in a film I’ve never heard of before, as I searched for something to stream one afternoon: Land of Bad (2024). Crowe is now gray, portly and 60 years of age. He’s a mortal senior citizen, certainly not Brad Pitt, more like Orson Wells. I’m not shaming him on age or appearance, just that I barely recognized him, and didn’t know the film. By the way, being compared to Orson Wells is not a bad thing, nor is aging. I can vouch for well-earned gray hair and extra weight.

Land of Bad is a story about a military operation against Islamic terrorists in the Philippines. Crowe played an Air Force captain, a drone pilot, who must provide cover and rescue intel to on the ground soldiers and pilots. Crowe’s role is not glamorous and he’s more of a supporting player, but his role is quite important to the story.

His age and appearance are key to his character’s place in the film, though I believe that the characterization he brought to the role was largely overlooked given the action-suspense elements. Crowe plays against type, at least his past films, and portrays his character in the quiet moments in the film.

As a senior citizen, Crowe is past the leading man prime of his career, although actors like Newman, Redford, Beatty and Nicholson still got those roles late in their careers. Pitt will too. Women above a certain age still struggle to land those kinds of roles, Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep may be the exceptions.

Crowe gets starring roles, but he is a featured or character actor, which still gets his name above the title, or in that revered position, “and” at the end of the main actors listing.

In 2024, Crowe had three live action films and one animated film, with seven projects listed as upcoming.

The last film I saw in the theaters starring Crowe was Noah, a big budget special effects film, which I thought was boring and much ado about nothing. I did see him in The Greatest Beer Run Ever, which he had a supporting role in, a comedy-drama by Peter Farrelly. The Beer Run was much more engaging than Noah; in fact, it was a very worthy film.

Noah is not the only “superhero” Crowe has played. He suited up to be Robin Hood, Jor-El and Zeus. In recent years, his roles have included an exorcist, a detective with a failing memory, an actor in a film about an exorcism,

The Water Diviner (2014) – Directorial debut of Crowe. Four years after the Battle of Gallipoli, Australian farmer Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) travels to Turkey to find his three sons, who never returned home from the war.

Over 100,000 men were killed in the Battle of Gallilopi, and had profound effects on World War I, and the conducting of amphibious warfare in future wars.

I saw this film when it was first released, and was impressed with the story and Crowe’s direction. He might have been tempted to overact as the grieving husband and father, but to his credit he’s restrained. The cast is a good one.

Unhinged (2020) – Rage, revenge and violence are at the emotional center of this film. It’s a fictional story, but the opening credits are a kaleidoscope of camera and cellphone videos of public acts of violence. Crowe plays a damaged and vengeful man who needs little provocation to lash out at a stranger after a traffic altercation. He’s fresh off of torching his ex’s house and killing the occupants. This is not an easy film to watch.

Crowe is believable as someone at the end of his rope, who is tired of being crapped on by life. He’s a victim in his own mind, and when a motorist fails to apologize to him, he sets his sights on destroying her life.

Crowe is quite effective as “Man” who has no humanity left. He looks the part of Joe Average pickup truck driver, and who can seemingly hide his crazy, until it’s unleashed. While the film is technically well done, and Crowe doesn’t overplay the part, there’s nothing to recommend this film.

I’m Poker Face (2022) – Facing his impending mortality, a wealthy man arranges a high stakes game of poker with childhood friends. The game is a means of settling old scores. Crowe directed, of-wrote and stars in this allegory-heavy small film.

I have to admit, Crowe makes good-looking films. The shot composition is exquisite, but the story is just not very convincing despite a premise that turns generic and runs out of gas. Compared to his first directorial effort, this was a step backward.

The Pope’s Exorcist (2023) – This film is so much like The Exorcism (1973) film, then I saw that it was based on a real person, Father Gabriele Amorth, who is reported to have performed over 100,000 exorcists.

Crowe plays Amorth with some swagger and attitude, whether that was like the real Amorth, who knows. Even though these films are not related, for audiences who never saw Max Von Sedow or Jason Miller in The Exorcist, Crowe’s performance will be what is associated with those who perform the ritual. Crowe is entertaining, but it’s hardly a meaty performance.

The Exorcism (2024) – Crowe is back for another exorcism film, and the results are about the same. This is a generic exorcism flick whose concept is clever, but can’t break through. Crowe plays an actor on the decline who accepts a role in an exorcist film, hoping to turn things around. The film is co-written and directed by Joshua John Miller, who is the son of Jason Miller, the co-star of The Exorcist (1974).

Crowe does some reasonable work in this film, he does the most with what he has to work with. The film has a capable cast and they are fearless in trying to inject originality into a genre that is worn out.

Sleeping Dogs (2024) – A modern film noir. Former police detective Roy Freeman suffers from Alzheimer’s and is undergoing an experimental procedure to build his memory. He’s asked to review one of his old cases that put a man on death row who will soon be executed. He doesn’t remember the case, yet begins to look into it because what he learns about case raises questions.

The film is full of suspects and more the deeper he digs the more tangled the story and more danger it creates for him. Adapted and directed by Adam Cooper, from The Book of Mirrors by E.O. Chirovici. This is not the mystery one will ever see, but it’s superior to most you’ll see this year.

Freeman is tired and sick, clinging to hope that the procedure can improve his quality of life. Crowe sinks his teeth into this character, making this the most engaging performance in the past decade.

Observations

Russell Crowe continues to apply his acting skills to many projects, many of which do not deserve him. Just because he’s not running around like he’s in Gladiator or L.A. Confidential does not mean he’s gone soft, looks can be deceiving.

Acting takes place from the inside out, a performance is created from between the ears, from deep inside the soul. Look at his characters in Land of Bad or Sleeping Dogs to see Crowe work his craft – an actor at work.