2020-01-17

My Ambivalence toward Kevin Costner

Kevin Costner portrays Ethan Renner in 3 Days to Kill    
Yeah, my attitudes toward Kevin Costner, his art, and his politics are somewhat tumultuous. He's done a few films I thought were absolutely abhorrent like The Bodyguard — but perhaps that also contains elements of my distain for Whitney Houston and her "cameraboy" moments where she appeared uppity and condescending. In retrospect I have heard opines from those I respect that she was a lovely person by and large and I'm not one to hold one's recreational habits against them.

Costner has provided me with some boring hours of his own accord. Didn't like Waterworld. Didn't like Wyatt Earp or Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves either. Then he turns around and makes me cry as Jonathan Kent in Man of Steel. He wowed me to the nth degree in 3 Days to Kill, and there have been intermittent moments that I'm glad I didn't miss thoughout his work.

All in all, Kevin Costner in the JFKs and the Field of Dreams and the Hatfields and McCoys and their like will be those hallmarks I remember and all my dislike has been tempered nicely over the years to the point that I view his body of work as something to be seen and enjoyed.

Kevin Michael Costner is an actor, director, producer, and musician from the United States. He holds two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, one Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

I just wish I had cultivated my respect a bit earlier because the sheer volume of his acting and direction may preclude me from seeing everything I might wish I hadn't missed.

Today is his birthday. Happy birthday to you.