Movieline Graph: Does Michael Cera Really Play the Same Role in Every Movie?
When did it go wrong for Michael Cera? Once upon a time, he was the hippest comic actor in the room, yet to judge from the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World box office, the audience has turned on him. The most common complaint is that Cera too often plays himself (literally, in the case of Paper Heart), so to judge that claim's validity, Movieline has assembled a graph of Cera's most frequent filmic characteristics.
Click on the graph to make it bigger:
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Does a baby go "Goo"?
Just because you can only play one character doesn't mean you can't have a successful career. Just look at The 3 Stooges.
The difference being that the Three Stooges were funny.
And people enjoyed seeing them on the screen. I think this guy has a couple things working against him.
1) His persona grates.
and
2) His shtick would be best in small doses spread out in supporting roles yet his agents, directors and his Momma keep throwing him into lead roles.
Cera is officially on overkill-mode. Pack it up and take a two year vacation and come back and star in an ensemble. And please, for the love of Jehovah, take Beyonce and Lady Gag' with you.
What, no "is a deadpan dork"?
I think the word "shtick" sums it up. When you're more shtick than talent, the clock is ticking on your career. Just ask Jack Black.
You need a graph to say "Yes"?
He didn't lose his virginity in Superbad. Unless I missed something.
No he doesn't lose his virginity during the movie. I guess it is implied that since he is probably going to start dating his love interest after the events of the movie, that he could lose his virginity over the summer after high school. But not during the movie. She comes on to him while wasted and he turns her down, because she is so drunk. Then she throws up everywhere.
No other column is necessary, actually. I liked him in Juno, but even my 16 year old is tired of him now.
He has the monopolized the staring at your shoes while awkwardly mumbling genre.
In Superbad, he didn't even get a blow j (with her mouth).
Look, it's really simple: Michael Cera is just not fuckable, OK?
It's fine to see him in the same geeky role but the guy is not leading man material. Women aren't attracted to him and men don't want to be him - EVER. So watching him as the leading man in a movie makes for an uncomfortable 2 hours.
Are you saying he's never a deadpan dork?
Michael, a few words of advice: steroids and a gym membership. Seriously.
I'm pretty sure he did play a guitar in Paper Heart- at the party when they met.
This chart was also missing Dates white hipster and Unconvincing angry stammer.
He may play the same character, but I still enjoy that character while he still looks young enough to pull it off. Besides Jesse Eisenberg stole all the good roles from him.
You know, I am willing to bet that the people who hate Cera only saw him in two roles, Superbad and Juno, and that they liked him or at the very least didn't mind him then. I think what did him in in their eyes was the trailer for Year One. Just the trailer, because I know they didn't see the movie, and I know they didn't see Paper Heart, Youth in Revolt or Nick & Norah either. So here we have a bunch of people who have turned against Cera, even though they loved him in his two movies they have seen, over the trailer for a movie they haven't.
What about a column on the graph for "has crush on his own cousin."? Oh, wait, that was Arrested Development.
Pay attention to the little cues - kids give you all sorts of cues as to what they want and what they need. First, mommy was now on her own, with no help from maids or grandma. And they had to to help mom to help them.
Nah, you don't need all that. Unless you want him to throw on some Ed Hardy clothing to complete the Douche look.
I think he just needs a vacation from the acting industry ... a very long one.
he's still hipster hot