Greetings,
There are quite a few actors who I enjoy. But a chosen few can be called my favorites. One of them is.Vincent D'Onofrio. And he also happens to be one of my favorite people in reality. Considering all of that, it seemed only right to review of one of his movies, the best one of them in my opinion. It's called The Whole Wide World.
Yes, I know. Most people have never even heard of it, much less seen it. That is very sad, because it's amazing. But now that I think of it, many amazing movies have been unseen by the masses. We'll get to as many of those as possible, eventually. Moving on.
This movie is about a writer named Robert Howard, the author behind the Conan the Barbarian and so on stories. Of course, it does explore his writing, and it is does so in a very fascinating way. The main plot, though, concerns his relationship with a young woman named Novalyne Price, a teacher and aspiring writer who fits into the norm of society but is intrigued by the "out of the box" thinking of this pulp writer. D'Onofrio plays Howard, while Price is portrayed by Renee Zelwegger in one of her first roles. I believe this movie was made just before she got super famous with Jerry Maguire. Hmm? From Vincent D'Onofrio to Tom Cruise? Hope she had a parachute. Look, I'm not saying that one is a higher caliber of actor than the other, though I do believe that; I'm saying that one is much taller than the other. That's the joke. I'm not good at this, am I? Let's press on.
Now, despite the fact that this man wrote the Conan stories, this film is nothing like the movies that spawned from them. This is a gentle, subtle, beautiful piece of art filled with some of the best performances I have ever seen from any of the actors here. That includes our two amazing leads, but also the late, great Harve Presnell, another actor that many of the young folks probably don't know about, but they should. And may I mention Ann Wedgeworth who played Robert's ailing mother. She was heartbreaking and brilliant, which may be my favorite acting combination
If you choose to watch this movie, you will find many great moments. However, if I must choose a favorite scene, few things are more enjoyable than seeing a little, tiny Renee in a shouting match with Vinnie D and having her be the one with whom you don't want to mess. I guess tough things can come in small packages. But besides that, there are many quiet and emotional parts where we see deeply into this complex, powerful and very real relationship. Even when they argue or take some cheap shots at each other, you can still feel the love.
The most incredible thing about this film is Vincent D'Onofrio's portrayal of Robert Howard, and not only because he is pretty much always a wonderful actor. I have seen him play other real people, Abbie Hoffman for one, but that is, in a way, easy. Or easier. Let me explain. Most of us know that man, his mannerisms, how he talked. D'Onofrio managed to grab the essence of who he was and become Abbie Hoffman. Robert Howard, on the other hand? Who knows what he sounded like or acted like? I personally have never seen any old film of him talking or anything. Maybe I didn't look hard enough. All I know of him is that he existed, and I'm thinking some people don't even know that much. And yet, when I saw the performance, I thought, 'Wow, he really reminds me of that guy' What?! I didn't know what Robert Howard was like, but it goes beyond what you can see or even what you know. You watch him act as this real life man and you can feel inside of yourself that he did capture him. It's undeniable and truly an amazing experience.
So, go on ahead and watch The Whole Wide World. I know that sounds like a command, but it is merely a suggestion. A good suggestion. If you want to see great actors at their very best, you will not be disappointed.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
