Facing up to the challenge

"Renly, this role is meant for you!"

As Renly looked at Drake, whose eyes were like small black beans accentuating his chubby cheeks, there was an unwavering determination that made Renly chuckle silently. He could genuinely sense Drake's resoluteness and sincerity, as if he could see a blazing, passionate heart pulsating. This affirmation and praise touched Renly deeply.

"Like Crazy" was that kind of film. It appeared to lack much complexity in acting, but when truly immersed in performance, delivering an astonishing act proved incredibly challenging. It seemed to be a mere artistic vignette, just a bit more refined and profound than the average romantic comedy. However, upon closer examination, the depth and breadth the work revealed were like treasures buried deep within Atlantis, brimming with endless possibilities.

If taken lightly, it could be missed. But if explored thoroughly, it would yield tremendous surprises.

Thus, this placed exceptionally high demands on the actors.

In a previous version, "Like Crazy" had been portrayed by Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones. Both actors had given commendable performances, at least above the baseline. Felicity had showcased her acting talents, which later led her to an Oscar nomination for "The Theory of Everything". However, Anton's performance was rather ordinary, not remarkable.

In fact, Anton, who had started as a child star, had great screen presence. His eyes exuded a certain spirit, but his performance lacked depth and thickness. It was merely a more nuanced version built upon the foundation of idol-like acting.

If "Like Crazy" were solely a romantic comedy, then Anton would have shined, surpassing mere eye-candy performances and lending the film a unique artistic quality. But the requirements of "Like Crazy" went beyond that. Anton's portrayal of Jacob lacked the complexities of emotions, the struggles of torment, and the aimless confusion. This lack of impetus in emotional transitions affected the film's overall emotional journey, thereby impacting the quality of the finished product.

At the Sundance Film Festival, while "Like Crazy" won the Jury Award, Felicity also received a special award. However, Anton didn't achieve any recognition. Although Hollywood's standards for male actors were generally stricter, often positioning female actors as visual indulgences, female actors tended to garner more acclaim when their performances were on par. It was harder for male actors to stand out. But the fact remained that Anton's performance didn't measure up to Felicity's.

The character Jacob was, in fact, a quintessential example of the Method acting style: relying entirely on the actor's foundational skills. The emotions conveyed through facial expressions and eye movements—happy, angry, sad, and joyful—the rollercoaster of emotions and dialogues. In the absence of sharp character edges, the Method style's contribution to elevating the character was limited. Conversely, the Interpretive style could bring forth the character's emotions vividly. Importantly, the character lacked explosive points, such as alcoholism, illness, or neuroses. This required the actor to find the leverage for performance within the mundane of everyday life, which was more challenging. Undoubtedly, it was the type of character most favored by the Method style.

Taking the simplest plot from "Like Crazy" as an example, after Anna was forced to return to England, both suffered the torment of longing. Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, Jacob flew to London and reunited with Anna. Yet when Jacob returned to Los Angeles, he found himself cohabiting with another woman, Sam.

Many viewers were left bewildered by this plot development, labeling Jacob as a "scumbag" for betraying Anna like that. This unbalanced the emotional scales and disrupted the cohesion of the story.

However, in reality, during Jacob's time in London, he felt like an outsider. He had only been apart from Anna's life for a few months, yet during that time, Anna had built a life in London that he knew nothing about. It was as if he had been cast out of Anna's world.

Meanwhile, Anna's parents also pressured Jacob. It seemed everyone was persuading him to leave Los Angeles and live in London so they could reunite. No one stood up to say that Jacob had his own life in Los Angeles, his own family, and a fledgling career.

An outsider. This was the only feeling Jacob had in London. It was as if both were on the same path, maintaining the same pace, and suddenly, Anna had surged forward, leaving him behind. In Jacob's heart, he felt lonely, fearful, and lost. He had no idea what had transpired in those few short months.

After returning to Los Angeles, the two broke up.

Yes, in fact, they broke up. Though the script didn't explicitly state it, the details in subsequent scenes indicated that they had indeed broken up. Only after the breakup did Jacob begin another relationship, attempting to fill the void within him.

In truth, Anna's trajectory of development was the same. Physical distance brought about emotional distance. In London, Anna found herself in a romantic relationship too. She experienced what Jacob went through, needing someone by her side to share joys and sorrows. This brought the film back to its central theme: Is true love merely a burst of instantaneous passion or a long-lasting romantic commitment?

In the film, the director didn't allow the characters inner monologues. Nor was it explicitly stated. It all relied on the actors' gaze, expressions, and even body language to convey. These delicate and nuanced emotional details were the most demanding test of acting skills. Unfortunately, Anton couldn't express Jacob's feelings of alienation, loneliness, post-breakup sadness, and helplessness. That sense of unease and fear was almost lost in the chapters of the story.

As a result, what the audience saw was like a domino set missing several key pieces, abruptly severed. With confusion, they loudly exclaimed, "Weren't they just happily together in London a second ago? How did they end up cohabiting with someone else then?"

Within the confined space, among the trivial details, maximizing the power of performance, this is the British Method acting style's forte for characters of this sort. But Hollywood, accustomed to commercial operations, wasn't too keen on it. In comparison, they preferred to see actors burst with exuberant acting skills.

The most direct example was Colin Firth, the previous year's "A Single Man". Colin had delivered an award-worthy performance, impeccably portraying a bereaved single man. His sadness was subdued, pain was tranquil, suffering was detached, and the hidden intensity in his gaze was astounding. However, the Oscars didn't favor it.

And this year's "The King's Speech", Colin's role is different. Apart from overcoming the congenital disadvantage of stuttering, there's also the pressure and anxiety of a king. In the film, there are several scenes that allow Colin to burst freely, and this has garnered a chorus of praise from Hollywood.

In simple terms, Jacob's role is ungrateful and challenging. If not portrayed well, the work might not meet expectations, but with the script's depth, it can still maintain a certain level. People would only lament that the actor couldn't extract the essence. If performed well, it's not the kind of role that award seasons love. Being optimistic, it's overshadowed by Felicity, and being pessimistic, it's entirely ignored. To make matters worse, the inherent challenge of the character is far from easy.

The previous version of "Like Crazy" was just like this. It went empty-handed during award season, or more accurately, it wasn't even mentioned much. Merely a year earlier, "An Education", another British arthouse film that told a love story, secured nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars. In comparison, "Like Crazy" was truly night and day.

However, the greater the difficulty, the bigger the challenge, the more excited Renly felt. Though "Like Crazy" differed from "Buried" and tested more of the actor's expression-based skills, for Renly, this was just the beginning of his acting journey. The formidable challenge itself was a way of honing his skills. It could definitely be called a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

In reality, when Renly confirmed that the project Drake was inviting him to join was "Like Crazy", he had already made up his mind: he was going to take on this project! Not only because he loved "Like Crazy" so much, but also because Jacob was such a challenging character, and because Drake's sincerity was undeniable.

However, the previous eagerness of Drake was truly overwhelming. He hadn't left any room for Renly to respond, which was quite amusing.

"Alright," Renly replied.

Drake, however, frowned and urgently said, "Renly, I'm serious. You truly are the only choice, no, the best choice. Besides you, I can't find a more suitable option. Honestly, I think the reason I couldn't find a suitable actor before was because I was waiting for you to join."

The corners of Renly's mouth gently curled upwards, as he repeated once again, "I said, alright."

"I know..." Drake subconsciously began to speak, but after saying that, the words got stuck in his throat. He hesitated for a moment, then widened his eyes. His small eyes had instantly become as big as buns. He couldn't help swallowing his saliva and silently asked with his eyes, "Really?"

Renly also nodded earnestly, confirming his decision.

Drake felt that the surprise had come too quickly, catching him off guard. His heart couldn't quite handle it. He burst into hearty laughter, but then quickly restrained himself, worried that it might be his own misconception. He looked down at Renly, seeking confirmation once again, "You mean, you nodded in agreement? You're willing to work with me? You've decided to take on this project?"

Seeing Drake, who resembled a child, Renly's mood became exuberant as well. He could genuinely sense that kind of passion for the movie. "Yes."

"Yahoo!" Drake tightened his fists and swung them forcefully in the air, cheering himself on. He was just an unknown independent film director, his previous two works hadn't garnered any attention. In contrast, Renly's starring role in "Buried" had made appearances at both Toronto and Telluride. He knew Renly had plenty of options, but despite that, Renly had agreed. Without even reading the script, he accepted the invitation to act.

Drake was ecstatic at this moment.

However, his joy got stuck in his throat. He suddenly realized something—something crucial. His expression turned cautious all of a sudden. He stammered, "But... Renly... when it comes to remuneration, I might have some difficulties... because this time's investment is only... um, cough, cough... $250,000."