I decided something last year, and seeing In Good Company this
past week only solidified it. I like Topher Grace. A lot. He"s
like a young Tom Hanks, only with a softer, gooier center. To
see it, you"ve got to get past the sarcastic weaponry he waves
in front of him for protection; an armor of irony and
affectation to wrap around a humble, everyman center.

Recent rumor has him fully abandoning "�That 70"s Show"� in favor
of trying a full on movie career. I"m all for it. Ashton
Kutcher, who decided to stay with the show despite growing film
success, is naturally pissed. But then Ashton never had any
actual talent to begin with. With Topher, we"ve only scratched
the surface.

In Good Company is a huge step in the right direction for him,
as a corporate asshole who"s not really much of an asshole. He"s
thrown into a position of wealth and authority far too young,
and can"t think of anything more creative to do with his
newfound success than buy a Porsche. He buries his emotional
damage beneath a forced, congenial exterior as he"s barraged
with personal and professional failures. It"s impossible not to
like and sympathize with Topher, even when he"s playing the
right arm of a faceless, life destroying, corporate monster.

He"s followed up his throwaway appearance in Win a Date with Tad
Hamilton by showing up in a smart, low-key, Hollywood film
manned by a proven, respected director/screenwriter. For your
next trick Topher, stay away from lame animated voice-overs
(don"t answer your phone if you receive a call from Madonna),
avoid buddy-cop comedies, and run like hell if you should bump
into McG. Take a lesson from your In Good Company costar
Scarlett Johansson and simply pick good projects. Don"t go for
the money, at least not at first. If you need a paycheck movie,
do that later, after you"ve proven your mettle. Scarlett waited
until last year to show up in The Perfect Score. By then she"d
already been in contention for an Oscar.

Besides, you"re coming from a successful, long running sitcom
that after you leave will still be on the air in heavy
syndication. You don"t really need more money, unless you plan
to form some sort of massive, rapper-like posse. For you though,
I don"t think an entourage is the right idea. Here"s a good way
to handle your career: Don"t take advice from Ashton Kutcher and
don"t hire Dax Shepard.

About the author:
Joshua Tyler is the Creator of CinemaBlend.com and a nationally
published Film Critic. His reviews are available for paid
syndication at http://www.cinemablend.com

Author : Joshua Tyler
Site : www.goarticles.com

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