Bradley Cooper Returns Home For The Words

By NATHAN LERNER
Film Critic

Hollywood hunk, Bradley Cooper, returned to Philadelphia recently for a special red carpet and pre-release screening of his latest film, The Words. Outside the Prince Theater, the strikingly handsome six-footer with piercing blue eyes acknowledged the enthusiastic response of onlookers. Adoring female fans visibly swooned.
Cooper first gained critical raves for his portrayal of the narcissistic lothario, Sack Lodge, amidst the hilarity of Wedding Crashers. He followed up with surprise summer smash, The Hangover and its sequel. Cooper has displayed considerable versatility, augmenting comedic performances by appearing in more serious vehicles, such as Limitless, and even an action flick, The A-Team.

At a V.I.P. reception after a screening of The Words, sponsored by the Philadelphia Film Society, Bradley Cooper is joined by our intrepid film critic, Nathan Lerner. Photo by Tracey Welson-Rossman

In the contemporary drama, The Words, Cooper portrays a struggling novelist, who is confronted with an ethical conundrum. The protagonist exhibits considerable talent, but can’t get anything published. Then one day, he receives a battered briefcase. By happenstance, it contains a dog-eared, albeit compelling manuscript. The unpublished, typewritten tome was drafted decades before by a seemingly deceased author. Will the young writer be able to resist the temptation to claim this long-lost masterpiece as his own?
Off-screen, Cooper proved disarmingly introspective and articulate. I asked Cooper how his background as a struggling actor had informed his portrayal of a struggling writer. “Like anything, you try to bring whatever you can from your own life so that you can make yourself believe the lines you’re saying that have been written for you. Rejection on a daily basis, multiple times, as an actor, starting out and even still to today, is something you have to become accustomed to.”
Cooper spoke lovingly of the resonance that films hold for him, “I used to sit in my house, watching Apocalypse Now and The Deer Hunter and all these overboard movies. I just wanted to be in that world and create that world.” He reflected, “I am definitely a victim of the magical essence of movies. I still to this day feel like I did when I was 10-years old going to the movies. I love when the lights go down and the movie’s about to start.”

The 37–year old thespian grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs of Rydal. Making The Words gave Cooper the opportunity to reunite with two childhood chums, Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal. The duo co-wrote and co-directed the film. Cooper acknowledged the benefits of working with close friends, “They allowed me to open up. Whenever you feel safe on a set you really can explore more and more. I was able to do that with them, and that was a surprise to me.”
In The Words, Cooper plays opposite the venerable Jeremy Irons. Cooper recalled, “The first time I met Jeremy and heard his voice in real time, it was incredible. And then, very quickly what starts to happen is that he became human. That process is amazing.” He mused, “When you’re acting with a great actor, it’s not as if you’re playing against them in a sport. They’re on your team, so you want the best actors. I don’t want to be playing against Jeremy Irons. I want to be playing with him.” He added, “Acting is a collaborative sport, and what you’re up against is telling the story. So you’re all on the same team.”
Cooper reflected on his character, “One thing I really liked about this guy was that I thought you could really relate to him, if you could get past the moral dilemma. He’s not just a stock character, who’s super ambitious and who’ll do anything to get ahead. It’s quite the opposite. He’s actually a good writer, which I think has a nice hook to it.”
Cooper was officially anointed by People Magazine as the sexiest man alive. You might expect that such an accolade would leave him with an inflated ego. Asked if the recognition had any career or other ancillary benefits, Cooper self-effacingly scoffed, “I don’t think so. I think it’s just the butt of a joke more than anything.”
Nathan Lerner, the director of Davenport Communications, sees over 200 feature films each year. He welcomes feedback atlernerprose@gmail.com.

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