Blast from the past

Robert Downey Jr made 3 important movies 10 years ago

Share:

Oh Robert Downey Jr. How i love you. I’ve loved you ever since i saw you in Weird Science. Let’s face it. He was the main reason i went back to binge-watching Ally McBeal, and he’s been my favorite super-hero in this past decade. But i want to talk about 2008 and some great things that he showed us (his fans) exactly 10 years ago.

Yes, i’m very aware of the fact that he’s been promoting and making movies since the late 80’s and even his crippling drug/alcohol problems in the better part of 90’s didn’t interfere all that much with his career. It did, to be honest, but not to the extent of all those jail/rehab stints to be career ending fuck ups. He continued to make movies, but after the small career revival of 2005 with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, 2008 proved to be even more pivotal year in his life and career.

By 2008 Robert was sober and happily married, and it was i that year that we all saw the full potential of Downey’s talent and full on charm. He had a movie that was in the top 10 grossing movies list of 2008, he had a great indie quirky film, he was in a Marvel blockbuster movie and won an Academy Award nomination.

I’m going to start with Charlie Bartlett. Seriously. If you haven’t seen his movie, by all means…. Do it. Watch it, and thank me later. It has a great cast (the late Anton Yelchin, Kat Dennings, Hope Davis and are in this movie besides Robert) and it’s my feelgood movie of 2008. The film received mixed reviews and flopped at the box office when it was released, but it’s a beautiful movie made even more awesome by the presence of Robert in the role of Principal Nathan Gardner. He was damaged alcoholic but he managed to see the good in his daughter (played by Dennings) and his students.

Moving on to the man himself. Iron Man. Seriously. Iron Man was a lightning in a bottle for Robert. Not only the movie made him a household name, Iron Man made him a quintessential star, bankable A-List super-start and a god damn super-hero. It’s hard to imagine any other actor in the role of Tony Stark, and yet it’s even harder to admit that he stared in it all. The dude that everyone had written off and left for dead, now in his early 40’s was becoming a blockbuster Marvel star. Iron Man still holds 94% of approval on Rotten Tomatoes and let’s not forget that earned over 500 million dollars on the box office back in 2008. Without Robert and Iron Man there wouldn’t have been the Avengers and frankly most of the solo Marvel movies. So you have Robert and Jon Favreau to thank for that.

And last by not least… Tropic Thunder. Sure Tom Cruise was awesome in Tropic Thunder but god damn it…. So was Robert. And quite frankly who can forget the iconic line….

I know who I am. I’m the dude playin’ the dude, disguised as another dude!

The Ben Stiller directed action comedy earned 188 million dollars at the box office, but Robert earned a Golden Globe win and an Academy Award nomination for this fantastic movie. And it is fantastic. Haters gonna hate it, but besides poking fun at the Hollywood actors for being spoiled and superficial it showed us a lot of great acting, awesome action scenes and great cast.

I look forward to his upcoming projects. Robert was amazing in Avengers: Infinity War, and i can’t wait for The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle and Sherlock Holmes 3. So in honor of the 10 year anniversary of the 3 brilliant Robert Downey Jr. movies i suggest you take a pick and watch one of them today. Or all of them, if you’re in the mood, and if you have the time.

Share:

Leave a reply