Kevin Costner: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked
5 Awesome Performances
5. Denny Davies - The Upside Of Anger
Kevin Costner may not always prosper as a romantic leading man, but when he chooses a certain type of role, he does it right. In The Upside of Anger, he plays Denny Davies, a retired baseball player turned radio jockey. Denny is resentful of his past, to the point where he will not even discuss his baseball career and he deals with these frustrations by drowning them in whiskey and beer. His neighbor Terry (Joan Allen) has problems of her own: her husband just abandoned her, and she must now deal with the problems of four teenage daughters on her own. So, the two decide to start drinking together. To quote Billy Joel theyre sharing a drink they call loneliness, but its better than drinking alone.
These people may be flawed, but its hard not to like them all the same. Denny is overweight, sarcastic, completely unconcerned about personal space, and has really no shame about his drinking. This is not your typical Kevin Costner romantic-persona but somehow Costner still brings charm to his character, making him sympathetic and likable; and the scenes between him and Joan Allen provide the heart of the film.
It just goes to show you - sometimes you need to take an actor out of his element so that they can adapt to a completely unique identity. Costner is not just a charismatic, good-looking celebrity. Hes also an actor. And a good one at that.