“Reptile”: Benicio del Toro is the case in the Netflix crime film
Benicio del Toro plays a detective investigating a gruesome murder in the Netflix series Reptile, which also stars Justin Timberlake and Alicia Silverstone.
USA TODAY
An open letter to Justin Timberlake: We’re really excited about this ‘N Sync reunion and everything, but you know what got us even more excited? You’re a total scumbag.
Listen to us, JT. (Wait, can we call you “JT”?) You were in a wildly popular boy band and brought sexiness back to the music industry, parlaying that into a series of film appearances showcasing innate talent. Her lead performances weren’t exactly stellar, but the supporting performances were understated and to the point – like your poor murder suspect in Netflix’s new noir crime drama Reptile (streaming now). And we believe you can do more.
In other words, who’s ready for the JT character actor era? I will be that. (Sorry, had to.)
Here’s the thing, you play a damn good scumbag. It is a look at the clear protagonists that have inhabited you over the years. And among a whole host of shady people in “Reptile,” this new character, Will Grady, is arguably the sketchiest: He finds real estate agent/girlfriend Summer (Matilda Lutz) horribly stabbed, and although Will is devastated by the whole experience, Der Steadfast detective Tom Nichols (Benicio del Toro) immediately gives him a sideways glance.
Sure, there are a whole host of other suspects as the murder mystery unfolds, but Will has so much against him. Without giving too many details away, he’s a mama’s boy for matriarchal work Camille (Frances Fisher), he goes out with another woman shortly after Summer’s murder (never a cool move) and you make him so unlikable. But in a convincing way: There are cat-and-mouse scenes between Tom and Will that increase the tension significantly.
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“Reptile” also softens the boyish look. “I hate the beard. “It just doesn’t look good,” Will’s mother tells him, almost a knowing reference to her clean-shaven previous starring roles in the romantic comedy “Friends With Benefits” and the sci-fi flick “In Time.” When we hear your animated “Trolls” lead, Branch, joke and sing, we’re transported back to the fresh-faced ’90s guy who went from the Mickey Mouse Club to MTV. The guy who recently ate chicken wings at Hot Ones with his best friends is a throwback to the teen idol a generation idolized as children.
That’s all good. But you bring your best to it when you’re further down the call sheet. Imagine the wild-eyed weirdness – and an ace lip-syncing to a Killers song while breaking the fourth wall – as a disfigured Iraq War veteran in the criminally underrated Southland Tales, Napster’s tech-bro sleaze -founder Sean Parker in Facebook biopic “The Social Network” and the folk music awkwardness of a 1960s songwriter in “Inside Llewyn Davis.” OK, so that wasn’t too far fetched.
You’re also 42. Hey, we’re all getting older – I agree with you, buddy. This is the right time to move into these meaty character roles. Jesse Plemons doesn’t need all the plums. Get some strange guys, hardened cops, tortured siblings, loving fathers, baby-faced serial killers and ex-cons in need of redemption (“Palmer” showed the unseen side of her abilities). Robert Pattinson could always use a new Batman villain — just think of the TikToks the pairing would inspire.
Or find a great actor’s career to emulate and plan a path forward. Kurt Russell only directed Disney films at the time (“The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes”) before receiving a supporting actor nomination for a Golden Globe and becoming a fixture in action films in the 80s. Mandy Patinkin and JK Simmons were both singing and dancing men before they found film success. Maybe you want to embrace your inner Michael Shannon?
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JT, you have what it takes to be a character actor. Now you just have to master it the way Branch enforces “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” (I won’t forgive you for that catchy tune anytime soon, by the way.) It’s a chance to do something fascinating and substantial that you haven’t done before, and that’s different from peers like Lady Gaga and Will Smith.
They can probably tell you: As fun as it is to eat hot wings with your friends, the chicken served during awards season is probably a lot tastier.