Entertainment :: Movies
Jason Bateman’s Second Chance by Fred Topel
EDGE ContributorWednesday Jul 2, 2008 Hancock may look like just another Will Smith Fourth of July blockbuster, but this is not his usual "save the world" fluff piece. He plays an alcoholic superhero in bad need of a publicist. He finds such a representative when he rescues Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) from an oncoming train.
"What’s fun about that character is just that he’s so appreciative that his life was saved by this underappreciated superhero that he wants to reciprocate," said Bateman. "He wants to kind of give back and he wants the public to see Will Smith[’s character] as the hero that he really is. So that’s his mission. His mission is to get his image back together. That was a fun thing to play, a very idealistic guy that’s trying to build up this suicidal, homeless alcoholic."
Some of Ray’s lessons include handling the media, minimizing destruction and suiting up with a uniform. "He’s persona non grata, because he’s a drunk and when he solves crime he creates a lot of collateral damage because he’s banging into buildings and landing on cars instead of a sidewalk. So they don’t like him. I’m teaching him how to navigate those waters and be more polite in press conferences. I’ve got to get him a little outfit and a cape and everything."
As an actor, Bateman is familiar with the PR world. He has a publicist himself but did not base Ray on him, or anyone else in the industry. "No, my guy is much more of a corporate PR guy. I would think that they’re a different breed."
As Ray delves into Hancock’s issues, those issues start to involve his whole family. His wife Mary (Charlize Theron) has a gut feeling against bad boys, and his son Aaron (Jae Head) starts emulating Hancock’s worst traits. When dealing with family issues, the actors never went for campy.
"What Will and [screenwriter] Akiva Goldsman and [director] Pete Berg wanted to do was to play this for the real. They’re constantly bouncing tones back and forth. It’s a really ambitious thing to do in the film but they pull it off. That’s played very much on the real, that I have an argument with a superhero and my feelings are hurt. It’s like you kind of back into the comedy there, but there’s definitely not winking."
It is still a big action movie though, and Bateman was around to see all the familiar Will Smith spectacle. "It’s this gigantic Sony movie that I’m just so sort of fortunate to have this great seat to watch. It’s this flotilla of trucks and effects. There’s flying and special effects, and things are blowing up, and trains are getting tossed. It’s so much work. I’m a lucky boy."
The last few years has seen a renaissance in Bateman’s career. A survivor of child stardom on ’80s sitcoms, Bateman seemed relegated to bit parts other people’s star vehicles. Then the critical darling "Arrested Development" reminded the industry of his comedic skills.
"It feels really lucky. Not a lot of people get a second chance. I think for a while there, my name kind of got in my way a bit, based on all of the television I was fortunate enough to do. But after a while, you sort of wear out your welcome in that genre, in that medium. I was very surprised to get a reading for ’Arrested Development,’ because it really seemed to be the opposite of that which I was known for doing. Fortunately, I guessed right on that day in the audition room, as far as what they wanted from a character, and they ended up giving me that part."
"Arrested Development" struggled for all three of its seasons, owing much of its longevity to acclaim than actual ratings. "Not a lot of people in America were watching the show but the people here in LA were. They were some people that were in charge of giving out some good jobs. So I’ve kind of been able to hit the reset button a little bit on who I am, and what people think of when they hear my name, I hope. I think."
Now he’s "That guy from ’Arrested Development’," for whatever it’s worth. "A lot of that goes to your hire-ability. It has less and less to do with your talent, I think. I don’t mean to sound cynical but a big part of being hired is what you add or detract from the project as far as pedigree goes. That show was very well-received. So I’m just trying to take the good roles that are coming my way, and try to perpetuate that level of whatever it is, and try to get another few years of employment out of this tough town."
These years of employment have kept Bateman quite busy. One of his films was the indie smash Juno, not to mention this summer’s sure thing. "The only bummer is that doing films, you’re out of town a lot. With television you’re in town a lot so I need to kind of get used to that. I’m not complaining at all. I’m very, very lucky and just trying to do things that will help me stick around longer. I’m not looking for the quick hit that might, in failure, escort me out the business. So I’m happy with small, tasteful things like ’Juno’ that speak to longevity as opposed to celebrity."
Fans of "Arrested Development" still hope for a movie to reunite the Bluth family. Bateman is still in the loop and the hope lives on. "I talked actually to Mitch [Hurwitz] this weekend. It’s not dead. It is not dead. There are a couple of projects that we’re talking about together and we did touch upon the ’Arrested Development’ movie and it is not dead. So we’ll see. We had the greatest time you could ever imagine doing ’Arrested Development.’ And as grateful as we are for the careers we have afterwards, we still miss it. We were all so proud to be a part of that, and we were all such big fans of the show. Perhaps we’ll all get back together again and fire up those characters again in some form or another. We’re all sort of hoping."
It always lives on with the DVD releases, as do Bateman’s earlier shows. "Silver Spoons" has begun releasing complete season in boxed sets, though Bateman has not looked back. "I haven’t watched it yet. I should, although it’s tough to see you acting at that young an age. I don’t know how well your parents sort of did or kept home movies but it’s very odd to have every year of your life on camera from ten to 38. Lot of bad hair. There’s a lot of weird voice stuff. But I remember having a lot of fun on that show."
While the movie career is going strong, Bateman has all but ruled out returning to the small screen. "If you’ve got something, I’ll take it from you at the end of the meeting. No, I’m so proud of ’Arrested Development,’ that I would like to wait at least a bit more before I step back in there. I mean, I did so much television, to be able to leave on that high note. Couple that with being invited to this new medium, why not? If my goal is longevity, then why not graduate television and become a freshman in a new medium? That should speak to longevity. I mean, that’s the plan. It’s also why I’m going to try to take a slow path in that, and not jump up to the top of the call sheet just because I get an offer to do that. I would like to pay my dues, learn as much as I can and try to get a bunch more years."
Hancock opens today.
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