Clint Eastwood’s speech to an empty chair at the recent Republican National Convention spread across the internet faster than most news stories because it involved a Hollywood icon. The behavior was considered bizarre and became ripe for parody the moment it hit the airwaves. But, it may have had another effect as well. According to a recent survey by Fandango, 61% of fans were more interested in seeing TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE due to the now infamous speech.
We live in an age where every single thing that happens to a celebrity is broadcast to every corner of the world via the internet and social media. Because of this exposure, things that would otherwise have been private or nothing more than gossip are now common knowledge. We have had a glut of celebrity personal issues that have become huge news stories: Kristen Stewart’s affair, Mel Gibson’s breakdowns, Tom Cruise’s divorce, Lindsay Lohan’s legal troubles, and now Clint Eastwood’s speech.
Clint Eastwood, much like the late Charlton Heston, has a conservative set of values, which he is entitled to believe in as an American. We do not have to agree with our celebrity belief systems, but it does affect how we view them as people which also affects if we watch their movies.
Clint looked every bit of his 82 years during that speech. He did not come across as the confident actor we have seen in GRAN TORINO or MILLION DOLLAR BABY. Those movies are not that old, but Clint didn’t look that old in them either. Of course, live on stage you have the harshness of the lights that do no favors for anyone.
TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE has definitely increased in buzz due to Eastwood’s speech, but it in no way alters my desire to see the movie. Unless you have a film where the direct result of the production was altered by something that the actor said/did, I rarely change my opinion on a film. I didn’t have much desire to see TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE BEFORE and I don’t have much now.
TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE opens on September 21st. Do you have more or less desire to see it because of Eastwood’s speech?