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By Geoff Carter
He is a versatile actor whose roles have included a psychotic serial killer, an amiable, winsome, free-spirited oddball, a dimwitted but fiercely loyal police officer, and a pleasantly cynical Nazi officer. Not only is Sam Rockwell a gifted dramatic actor, but he is also a great comedic performer. In JoJo Rabbit, his Captain Klezendorf is a subtle mix of bitterness, cynicism, burlesque, absurdity, and yet, when he saves Elsa, a young Jewish girl, from being discovered by the SS, Rockwell reveals an underplayed and unexpected flash of humanity and compassion. A lesser actor might have let that opportunity slide by.
Even in his most serious roles, like Dixon in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Rockwell manages to inject enough humor into a despicable character to make him seem almost human. The scene in which Dixon is confronted by Abercrombie (Clark Peters), the new police chief, is a masterpiece of comic timing and physical humor. He is so helplessly clueless that we almost can’t help feeling sorry for the guy even though he has just recently beaten the hell out of an innocent man.
The Way Way Back and Box of Moonlight are two other films that showcase Rockwell’s offbeat charm and idiosyncratic humor. In The Way Way Back, Rockwell plays Owen, the manager of a rundown water park who takes Duncan, a lonely teen, under his wing and in his peculiar tough love way makes the boy an integral part of the park’s culture. The character’s calculated zaniness overlaying his concern would be difficult for many actors (except maybe Robin Williams) to carry off, but Rockwell does it well.
In Box of Moonlight, Rockwell plays The Kid, another free-spirited and offbeat character. Compared to Owen or Captain Klezendorf, Rockwell portrays this character with a definite laid-back sixties type of vibe, working as a perfect foil for John Turturro’s portrayal of the tightly wound Al Fountain, a man in search of meaning in his life.
Sam Rockwell is a peformer whose rare combination of comedic sensibilities, weird charm, and sometimes dangerous vibes make him as versatile an actor as we have working today. He is a gifted character actor as well as a leading man and is not afraid to take on characters who might, in lesser hands, border on the archetypal or stereotypical, or—even worse—the cliché, but Sam Rockwell always his particular brand of humanity to his people.
The Ten Best Films of Sam Rockwell
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri: This harrowing drama centers on Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand), a mother whose daughter was raped, murdered, and burned alive. Bitter and angry at local police chief Bill Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) because no one has been brought to justice for the murder, Mildred posts three pointed messages about Willoughby on billboards outside of the town, causing a local furor. Jason Dixon (Rockwell), an Ebbing police officer, takes matters into his own hands when he beats the man responsible for renting the billboards. Willoughby, who is stricken with cancer, tries to keep the peace, but events take a strange turn when he decides to take fate into his own hands. This is a beautiful and harrowing movie about revenge, justice, retribution, and forgiveness. As the sometimes moronic, volatile, but dedicated and loyal Dixon, Rockwell creates an ignorant comic bumbler who somehow captures the heart of the audience. This is some of Sam Rockwell’s finest work.
Starring: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, John Hawkes, Peter Dinklage, Abbie Cornish, Lucas Hedges, and Clarke Peters. Written and directed by Martin McDonagh.
Moon: In this science-fiction psychological thriller set in the near future, Rockwell plays Sam Bell, the caretaker of an automated lunar mining operation that harvests Helium-3, a lucrative new energy source for Earth. Except for his automated companion GERTY, Bell is alone on the base. He does have a pregnant wife back on Earth. Nearing the end of his three-year-contract, Bell begins suffering hallucinations, one of which results in an accident with his lunar rover. After waking from the accident, Bell returns to the base where he encounters his doppelganger. Bewildered by the other’s existence, both Bells argue and then work together to try and understand the situation. From here, the plot takes a number of unexpected left turns and hard rights before reaching the dramatic conclusion. As two (and more) versions of Sam Bell, Rockwell delivers a tour-de-force performance. The subtleties of interaction between one persona—and one only slightly differentiated by time—are beautifully realized by Rockwell.
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Dominique McElligott, Kaya Scoledario, Benedict Wong, and Matt Berry. Written by Nathan Parker. Directed by Duncan Jones.
JoJo Rabbit: In this biting yet strangely poignant World War II satire, young JoJo (Roman Griffin) is infatuated with the Hitler Youth to the point where his imaginary playmate is none other than Adolf (Taiki Waititi) himself. During a Nazi Youth rally, JoJo is disfigured by a hand grenade and is assigned to work with Captain Klezendorf (Sam Rockwell) and Fraulein Rahm (Rebel Wilson) to bolster the Nazi war effort. Rosie (Johansson), JoJo’s ebullient mother, is working with the German Resistance, and while at home, JoJo discovers she is hiding a young Jewish girl in the attic. Fearing for his mother’s safety if the girl is discovered, JoJo comes to an uneasy détente with her while trying (with imaginary Adolf whispering in his ear) to unsuccessfully cow his unexpected houseguest. As Klezendorf, the disillusioned, cynical, and comically oafish Army captain relegated to supervising the Hitler Youth because of injury, Rockwell is a combination of immaculate comic timing, absent-minded compassion, and an embodiment of the absurdity of war.
Starring: Roman Griffin, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Thomasin McKenzie, and Alfie Allen. Written and directed by Christine Leunens and Taiki Waititi.
The Green Mile: Another ubiquitous film based on yet a Stephen King work. This prison story takes place on Cold Mountain Penitentiary’s Death Row, better known as “The Green Mile” and follows the relationship between guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) and John Coffey (Michael Clark Duncan), an inmate sentenced to death for the murder of two children. Paul becomes aware that Coffey has a strange gift and that—very possibly—he has been set upon the Earth for a divine purpose. Notable for a great supporting cast. As Wild Bill Wharton, another death row inmate convicted of two heinous murders, Rockwell’s manic maliciousness and obnoxious pranks are perfectly portrayed; while bordering on the cliché and steretypical, Rockwell manages to keep Wharton believable, funny, and frightening.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Sam Rockwell, David Morse, James Cromwell, Barry Pepper, Written by Steven King and Frank Darabont. Directed by Frank Darabont.
Heist: In this gripping David Mamet caper film, Joe Moore (Gene Hackman) runs a ring of high-end professional thieves. After his face is caught on camera during a jewelry store robbery, he decides to retire on his sailboat with his wife Fran (Rebecca Pidgeon) but is instead forced to follow through on a previously planned airplane heist for his fence Mickey (Danny DeVito) who also insists Joe take his nephew Jimmy Silk (Rockwell) along on the job. During the robbery, which entails an ingenious series of impersonations, misdirections, and deceptions, the gang is able to walk away with a fortune in gold. Along the way, Fran decides to leave Joe for Jimmy and Mickey decides to kill Joe, but in a series of unexpected twists, Joe manages to escape. As Jimmy Silk, Rockwell creates a smooth-talking punk who thinks he’s a lot smarter than he actually is; while in another actor’s hands, this could simply be another stereotypical bad guy, Rockwell infuses Jimmy with a vulnerability and cluelessness that simultaneously humanizes and diminishes him.
Starring: Gene Hackman, Rebecca Pidgeon, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, Sam Rockwell, and Ricky Jay. Written and directed by David Mamet.
The Way Way Back: In this coming-of-age story, Duncan, (Liam James), a shy teenager, is forced to go with his mother Pam (Toni Collette) and her new boyfriend Trent (Steve Carrell), to his summer beach home in Cape Cod. Repulsed by Trent’s rudeness and the adults’ immature behavior, Duncan sets out to explore the town and happens upon a rundown waterpark run by a very odd man named Owen (Rockwell), who takes Duncan under his wing and hires him to work at the park. The group of oddball employees befriend Duncan, who finds his niche among them. He also befriends a sympathetic neighbor girl Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) who discovers his new secret place of employment. Tensions come to a head when Duncan reveals that Trent is having an affair with one of the neighbors. As Owen, Rockwell conveys a sort of ironic zaniness that is a little reminiscent of some of Bill Murray’s work, but as a Duncan’s protector, he reveals a heartfelt compassion and honest protectiveness.
Starring: Liam James, Toni Collette, Steve Carrell, AnnaSophia Robb, Maya Rudolph, Allison Janney, and Amanda Peet. Written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash.
Vice: This engaging biopic of Vice-President Dick Cheney (Christian Bale) follows the controversial politician from his early days as lineman to his work as a political aide in the Nixon White House to his stint as a Wyoming representative, and—finally, to his ascendancy to Vice-President under George W. Bush (Sam Rockwell). The film suggests that Cheney agreed to run with Bush only when the president-to-be agreed that Cheney would be in control of many of the executive responsibilities ordinarily accorded to the president. After 9/11, Cheney, in cahoots with Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carrell) masterminded the American invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. While the film veers from Cheney’s political career to his family life—including the tribulations of his gay daughter Mary (Alison Pill)—and his supportive wife Lynne (Amy Adams). As President Bush, Rockwell conveys the amiable though less than brilliant politician who seems more interested in being likable than in running the country and is an easy mark for Cheney’s manipulations.
Starring: Christian Bale, Sam Rockwell, Steve Carrell, Amy Adams, Alison Pill, Tyler Perry, Jesse Plemons, and Lily Rabe. Written and directed by Adam McKay.
Richard Jewell: In this retelling of the infamous 1996 bombing of the Centennial Olympics in Atlanta, security guard Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) discovered an explosive device under a bench in the Olympic Park and calls 911. Initially hailed as a hero, Jewell subsequently becomes a suspect in the crime. FBI Agent Tom Shaw (John Hamm) realizes that Jewell, because of his fascination with law enforcement, previous problems with the law, and the fact he lives with his mom (Kathy Bates), fits the profile of a possible perpetrator. Shaw leaks that Jewell is a suspect to overzealous reporter Kathy Scruggs (Olivia Wilde) who turns it into front-page news. Bewildered by his change in fortunes, Jewell enlists the help of acquaintance G. Watson Bryant, Jr. (Rockwell), an attorney. Besieged by reporters at their home, Jewell struggles to understand what has happened to him. As Bryant, Rockwell portrays Jewell’s initially reluctant savior whose outrage at the unjust treatment of his client finally leads to his vindication.
Starring: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, John Hamm, Kathy Bates, Olivia Wilde, Nina Arianda, and Ian Gomez. Written by Bill Ray. Directed by Clint Eastwood.
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: In this version of Chuck Barris’s “unauthorized autobiography”, Rockwell plays the game show host who, in the memoir, claimed to be a CIA assassin, which the agency repeatedly denied. Rockwell plays Barris, tracing his career from an aide to Dick Clark on American Bandstand to his roaring success on The Dating Game, The Newlywed Game and The Gong Show. At one point, before his success, Barris is approached by CIA agent Jim Byrd (George Clooney), who attempts to enlist him for the CIA. Barris accepts the offer and eventually travels to Germany, where he is told to assassinate Hans Colbert, which he does with the help of another agent named Keeler (Rutger Hauer). After his subsequent success with The Dating Game and The Gong Show, Byrd tells Barris the reason why he was recruited for the CIA, a revelation which causes Barris to collapse. Rockwell was dead-on perfect as Chuck Barris; the character is as zany and bubbly as Barris, but Rockwell reveals an inner intensity which is the driving force behind the man.
Starring: Sam Rockwell, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore, Rutger Hauer, Jerry Weintraub, and Brad Pitt. Written by Charlie Kaufman. Directed by George Clooney.
Box of Moonlight: In this quirky comedy, Al Fountain (John Turturro) is a straightlaced, by the book businessman who has come to a crossroads in his life. After he loses his job, discovers a gray hair, and realizes he is connected to no one, he decides to go to Splatchee Lake, a resevoir of fond childhood memories. Unfortunately, the lake has been ruined by pollution; Fountain doesn’t know where to turn until he meets The Kid (Rockwell) a sort of man-child outcast who has set up his living quarters in a clearing in the woods. The Kid wears a coonskin cap and shows Fountain his box of “moonlight” and encourages him to shoot at things, do the unexpected, and to live his life. When a couple of young women show up, Fountain finds himself rejuvenated. As The Kid, Rockwell is a fountain of exuberance, goodwill, and fancy. His amiable, hippielike, free-spirited Kid is a perfect foil to Tuturro’s tightly-wound businessman.
Starring: John Tuturro, Sam Rockwell, Catherine Keener, Lisa Blount, Dermot Mulroney, Annie Corley, and Alexander Goodwin. Written and directed by Tom DiCillo.