If forced to choose I would say that Mr Sam Rockwell has to be my favourite American actor. He is funny, he is charming, he is slightly unnerving and unpredictable and he can dance. I first became familiar with his brilliance in a film called Lawn Dogs (1997) where he played a working class gardener called Trent who befriends a young Mischa Barton. Rockwell is outstanding in a role that could have been extremely creepy and disturbing, he brings an innocence to Trent but there is something subtle there that keeps you on your toes. One of my favourite films of all time and a must see if you haven't already discovered the charming Lawn Dogs.
I next saw Sam in a completely different film, Charlie's Angels (2000), as Eric Knox. Aside from Bill Murrey, Rockwell is the best thing about this film and I began to see his unique style and flare that he could bring to a role and we caught a glimpse of that dancing. After this I actively sought out Rockwell films and I am never disappointed. He is capable of commanding the screen as a lead, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), Choke (2008) and Moon (2009), but also completely at home in the smaller quirkier roles, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), and appears to pick his roles carefully, not avoiding Hollywood blockbusters such as Iron Man 2 (2010) but not settling for something mediocre.
We will next see Sam in Cowboys and Aliens (2011) a film I was interested in when hearing about the hybrid genre but on learning of his presence I am now definitely going to go and see. I hope he doesn't let me down! He is also in a very exciting film coming out next year, Seven Psychopaths, directed and written by Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, 2008) and starring Colin Farrell, Mickey Rourke and Christopher Walken! Over the next few weeks I am going to be reacquainting myself with some of Mr Rockwell's best performances for an upcoming article and perhaps you should do the same.
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