2. Gus Big Nothing
Really, I think that Simon Pegg should always have a British accent. It should be an immutable rule, like gravity. His best roles involve him either evoking a Scottish accent or using a variation upon his own, and it seems to be a formula that works well for him. Hes effectively taken on the mantle of the stereotypical British clown, and thats not a bad thing as his collaborations with Edgar Wright show, theres plenty of mileage and interpretation in such a role. However, Pegg is an actor and its an actors prerogative to experiment with new roles and personas. Normally I would applaud this, but when you end up with something as incongruous and strange as Big Nothing, all I can do is cock a sceptic eyebrow. In the film, Pegg plays Gus, an American scam artist with a dark streak. Its an interesting idea, but to my mind he never quite convinces in his new role, and the accent doesnt help matters. Hes buffoonish and over-the-top yet lacks the ability to truly sell the scene because he doesnt
quite convince as an American. Its a strange one because it almost works his comedic timing is just as fine as ever and hes his usual spectacular self with physical comedy. But this nasty, against-type character just simply doesnt come across well for me. It doesnt help that hes somewhat overshadowed by the earnest performance of David Schwimmer either.