Zach Braff - artiste
From the NY Times’ review of “The Last Kiss”:
Mr. Braff’s panicky passivity is its own kind of magnetism, I guess. His wobbly chin and startled eyes might be taken for evidence of sweetness, and he is certainly a credible incarnation of the kind of mopey, wet-noodle hipster lately ubiquitous in independent movies, unsigned rock bands and certain Brooklyn neighborhoods. But the challenge of conveying both Michael’s weakness and his decency — the qualities that lead him astray and those that make him worthy of forgiveness — seems entirely beyond him.
Mr Braff arouses a visceral reaction in me - I’d like to punch him in the face. I get the same feeling when I see Jake Gyllenhaal bat his eyes, or hear John Mayer cute his way through “Yeh bahdeez a wahndehland”. Once upon a time I felt the same way about Adrian Brody, purely on the basis of his pained expression in “The Piano” trailers and hangdog look in the Zegna ads. Then I saw him in King Kong and all was forgiven.
Zach Braff is unlikely to redeem himself in like manner. Ugh. Excuse me while I go punch something. Thanks to Grumpus for the quote.