I was a kid when I headed to the movies with my parents to watch The Goonies. I loved it and had a mini crush on actor Josh Brolin, especially working out in his grey sweats and tank top. I also like him in the short lived series The Young Riders which aired in the early 90's.
Josh with Ty Miller in The Young Riders
The bloom quickly went off the rose as Brolin got older. For close to the next twenty years, Brolin did very little on screen that really drew me to the theatre. In addition, I began to hear tidbits about his personal life, nothing huge really, but enough to cement my short lived crush was done. Brolin also became a little hardened looking, maybe just natural aging, or maybe helped along by his lifestyle.
Josh with McKenzie Astin in Goonies
Jump to about a month ago. I am home sick in bed with the flu, snow raging outside. Cold water and Hot tea on the table by my bed. A slew of magazines, newspapers and books lay on the comforter. One of the books, Joyce Maynard's Labor Day was just dropped off by a co-worker who brought over most of the reading material currently surrounding me. It was interesting as I had seen the preview for the movie version of Maynard's book just the week before when I was at the movies. Although not a Brolin fan, I do love Kate Winslet and the few brief scenes, along with music playing caused me to want to see it.
I am not sure if seeing that preview helped or hurt by reading experience but I loved the book and devoured it in one day. Maynard's writing doesn't so much invite you into the world she is writing about as much as assure in the first few pages, that the experience will be worth it. I very quickly fell madly in love with Frank, the character played by Brolin, and the man who Kate Winslet's Adele brings home from the store. I tried, but could not help but picture Brolin while reading. His hardened face, all of a sudden made sense given the history of the character and the pain Frank had experienced. I could not help but now love the man who played the characters and by the time I put the book down, Brolin, at least his physically, had become Frank in my mind.
I look forward to seeing Labor Day when it opens and hope my love for Frank continues as I see see what my mind has already beautifully visualized. I have loved fictional characters before, I think all readers have. I have not however, had one change my perception of an actor, especially prior to seeing a film adaptation of the book in question. I will let you know? Also curious if anyone has a similar change of heart about an actor based on a character or book?
Oldboy (2013)
Not sure what he is looking for but Josh sure looks great looking for it.
