What have people said about Gary's performances?
Fatal Vision"He gave me goose bumps. I don't think anybody expected him to do such a stunning job."—Joe McGinnis, author of Fatal Vision "His walk, his talk, his mannerisms--there's such perfection,
it's eerie."—Freddy Kassab, father-in-law of Jeffrey MacDonald, whom
Gary portrayed in the film.
The Shawl"Gary Cole (is) excellent as the ambitious young brute John craves."—Richard Christiansen, Chicago TribuneBang!"There`s a terrific star turn by Gary Cole as a macho-mad survivalist who is waiting for nuclear Doomsday.... Best of all, there`s Cole`s amazing performance as Roy. It has a feral magnetism that appears to be all-consuming and instinctive; but it`s refined with a rhythm and pacing that explode even dud lines into laughs. With his all-American good looks and physique, Cole looks as if he was born to play this role. But that`s deceptive. He has made the role his through a shrewd, sharp use of his considerable acting talent."—Richard Christiansen, Chicago TribuneMidnight Caller"(Cole is) the best dramatic lead actor in any new fall series."-- San Francisco Chronicle"Cole makes us believe the ennui that Killian is feeling as well as the self-indulgence that it breeds. It`s a grand performance...."—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune "Whatever is called for, he just nails it. He's an acting machine."—Robert
Singer, Midnight Caller Executive Producer
Those She Left Behind"Cole (of Steppenwolf Theater and NBC`s Midnight Caller) gives a moving performance in portraying a headstrong, confused man who does not always act in the most admirable manner as he works through his grief. Showing a gentle humor in his feeble attempts to care for the ever-present Katie, Cole stays away from the facile farce that has become so popular in sitcoms and theatrical films."—Clifford Terry, Chicago TribuneSpeed-the-Plow"Gary Cole and David Alan Novak now have taken over the leading male roles in Mamet`s story of two Hollywood hucksters whose enthusiastic embrace of all- out greed is momentarily broken up by a mysterious young woman, and it`s a pairing that has given the play an ideal duet in contrasting personalities. With his tall, blond good looks-and wearing a sleek power wardrobe that includes a Rolex watch and a small gold pinkie ring-Cole is the embodiment of the fair-haired boy on his way up. Elegantly turned out, he`s nonetheless a tough, brash, street-smart operator who spews out vulgar wisecracks and petty commands with nonchalant bullying.—Richard Christiansen, Chicago TribuneAmerican Buffalo"He has grown and matured as an actor, but, judging from his recent entry into David Mamet's American Buffalo in Remains Theatre`s long-running production, he has lost none of the demonic energy and focus he demonstrated more than a decade ago when he was wheeling about the stage as 'a demented Howard Hughes in Remains` staging of Sam Shepard's Seduced."—Richard Christiansen, Chicago TribuneSon of the Morning Star"It's hard to imagine anyone else as the brooding, monomaniacal commander of the doomed Seventh Cavalry."—TV Guide"Cole acquits himself with class, imbuing Custer with the vainglory
that was his undoing. Garbed in white buckskin, he shows a subtle ambivalence
at ridding the plains of Indians. He admires them but understands that
their extinction is a means to his self-aggrandizement."—Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune
Death and the Maiden"Gary Cole invests his role as her baffled husband with the shock, incredulity and consuming urgency that grips him as he, along with the audience, tries to sift through the tangle of memories and accusations that his wife has thrust before him."—Richard Christiansen, Chicago TribuneWhen Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn"Cole is terrific throughout. If it were not for the emotional nuance he brings to his part, the film would falter on its less than compelling dialogue and languid direction."—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune"Cole's acting credentials are well-established. He can play anything with conviction, from the earnest and heroic Jack Killian of Midnight Caller to "Green Beret" killer Jeffrey MacDonald of Fatal Vision. He makes Hearn despicable and sympathetic, which isn't easy."—Ron Miller, San Jose Mercury News "Cole is also quite good as Hearn, the reluctant, emotionally conflicted
hit man, a good man gone way bad."—Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press
The Brady Bunch Movie"But best of all is Cole -- he makes Mike Brady his own as if the role presented the challenge of interpreting a new Hamlet."—Daily Variety"In fact, if you closed your eyes, you would swear Cole was Robert Reed
reprising his role as architect Mike Brady. Cole's voice is that pitch-perfect.
It's scary." —Tim Carman, Houston Post
American Gothic"Cole plays Buck with just the right pathological gaze and, alternately, avuncular smile; he's chillingly convincing in both roles." —Ginia Bellafante, Time"Cole is wonderfully, seductively dangerous as the evil Sheriff Lucas Buck." —Kinney Littlefield, Orange County Register "Often Gary Cole's extraordinary performance creates humor where other actors might not convey it. As Sheriff Lucas Buck, he can ooze malevolence, but Cole is also an accomplished comedy actor. . . . Buck incorporates both humor and horror, and Cole has the ability to switch gears instantly and bring black comedy to the fore in the midst of a horrific scene." —Craig Miller, Spectrum "It's a testament to Cole's talent that he made the scary role
of Satan-incarnate sheriff Lucas Buck on the CBS shocker American Gothic
funny.... And conversely, Cole made the funny role of Mike Brady in The
Brady Bunch Movie scary."
A Very Brady Sequel"There are... several hilarious moments provided by the four stars who stole the first film: Gary Cole showing surprising comic skill with his eerily perfect take on Mike Brady..."—Mark Dawidziak, Akron Beacon Journal"Finally somebody realized the gem they had in casting Gary Cole as
the Brady patriarch and gave him center stage. He may look a little different
from TV's Mike Brady, but that's the only difference. Cole inhabits the
essence of Robert Reed, from the voice to the mannerisms, doing the famous
Mike Brady double-take and doling out long, wandering bits of advice. Everything
was so right-on that tears welled up in my eyes." —Susan Rathke, Film.com
Flyovers"Cole, as Ted, the bully who used to beat Oliver for kicks, brings an easy air of macho authority and bravado. He's almost gleeful as a beer-swilling bigot and sadist not to be denied moments of unlikely charm and sharp conversational ripostes. Cole glides into the role as if it were written for him." —Sid Smith, Chicago TribuneUnspeakable "Using his natural voice throughout the story, Gary's exceptional acting
skills and creative inflection bring an enlivened clarity to the characters."—Kate
Breslin, Amazon.com
I'll Be Home for Christmas "(The film) doesn't even know what to do with an actor as versatile
as Cole (who played Brady Bunch dad Mike Brady so superbly for this director)....
Any filmmaker who doesn't know how to use Cole deserves a lump of coal
in the ol' stocking." —Mark Dawidziak, Akron Beacon Journal
A Simple Plan "Gary Cole, whose career includes both Jeffrey MacDonald in the TV adaptation of Fatal Vision and the patriarch of the revived big-screen Brady clan, combines the two to chilling effect in his FBI Agent Baxter."—Eddie Cockrell, Nitrate Online "Boosting the supporting cast is a subtly menacing Gary Cole, who may
be an FBI agent or someone more sinister."—Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune
Office Space "Gary Cole plays him at just the right comic pitch, high but not high enough to leap the line that separates satire from caricature. A veteran of stage and movies as well as TV, Cole is easily the most impressive performer in the picture."—Susan Stark, Detroit News "Cole as the creepy boss does a spot-on reading of a glad-handing, amoral
corporate weasal."
"Gary Cole's silver-tongued snake-like boss is just perfect."—Bob Thompson, Toronto Sun "The boss (is) played with an oily purr by the superb Gary Cole."—Chris Garcia, Austin American-Statesman "Cole proves there's more than Mike Brady in his pitch-perfect comic arsenal."—Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter "Gary Cole, from A Simple Plan, delivers the best performance
of the movie. As Lumberg, Peter's main boss, Cole gives a chillingly gracious
interpretation of a boss who appears compassionate on the surface but underneath
is all of life's annoying bosses rolled into one."—Steve Rhodes, Internet
Reviews
Kiss the Sky "William Petersen and Gary Cole -- two superb, theater-trained actors
who rarely get to play film roles with this much depth -- play Jeff and
Marty.... Cole, playing a more vulnerable, inward soul, makes even
his character's ambivalence highly attractive."—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood
Reporter
The Collected Works of Billy the Kid "As the enigmatic killer Pat Garrett, Gary Cole is the tall, dark, silent
type, a pleasure to watch meticulously eating an apple while others tell
the narrative of his alcoholic past."—Anne Marie Welsh, The San Diego
Union-Tribune
One Hour Photo "As Sy's boss, Gary Cole scores some genuine points; he's the epitome of every by-the-book creep that retail management seems to attract. His performance should be a real kick to all those employees that Wal-Mart has kept working after they're off the clock."—Charles Taylor, Salon.com "Gary Cole stands out as a corporate-talking store manager (kind of the flip side of his "Office Space" character - he's got just the right quality of malleable blandness) who senses something sinister in Sy."—Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times
"Solid supporting work is provided by...the priceless Gary Cole (Office Space) in yet another dead-on portrayal of a store manager."—eFlimCritic.com
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! "Cole steals every scene seemingly effortlessly. Whether he�s throwing movie lingo at Tad, wearing his �Project Greenlight� t-shirt...or giving Pete advice on life, Cole steals the movie. He did the same thing in �Office Space,� but in an entirely different manner, showing how valuable of an actor he is."—Jacob Ziegler, 411mania "Veteran character actor Gary Cole's turn as Rosalee's father, who tries to talk showbiz lingo with Tad, is hilarious."—Kit Bowen, Hollywood.com "The great character actor Gary Cole, in particular, stands out as Bosworth's father, who tries to impress Duhamel by reading the trades, thumbing through Julia Phillips' autobiography, and donning a Project Greenlight T-shirt. He and Grace seem incapable of giving uninteresting performances."—Scott Tobias, MetaCritic.com "Providing the film with some of its biggest laughs is the always reliable Gary Cole as Rosalee's dad, star struck by his daughter's dating a movie star."—Bob Grimm, Reno News Review "Gary Cole (as Rosalee's dad) and Kathryn Hahn (as a bartender who pines for Pete) steal every scene they're in."—Chris Dickerson, Daily Mail
Wanted "Gary Cole is always worth watching - an actor of restrained craft and no phony baloney. Cole, moving always at a precise clip with a ramrod bearing has the spine to keep it all together. He�s at his best in the personal scenes trying to make sense of his still flirting relationship with his wife or improve the spotty companionship he provides to his son, he doesn�t go soft, just yields enough to become momentarily fully human. Then he snaps back to form. When two of his crew debate his judgment, he says, �I will beat you both until your heart stops.� And most likely you�ll believe him!"—People �Wanted� has Gary Cole and this is a good thing. I prefer Cole's deadpan comedy (he was a great Mike Brady in �The Brady Bunch Movie� and his role as an obsequious boss in �Office Space� is to be cherished). But he�s believable as always, including here as a driven cop and loving but absentee father to his son and daughter."—LA Times "Cole is always an effective actor in just about any role."—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.com "Gary Cole is a genuinely talented actor with a wry wit."—LA Daily News
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby "Three cheers for Gary Cole as �Ricky�s� self-destructive, alcoholic father who shows up to retrain him how to drive. As �Reese Bobby� he owns every scene he�s in (hell, even scenes he isn�t in) and conclusively answers the question, �Is there anything Gary Cole can�t do?!� (That would be no)."—www.aint-it-cool-news.com "The superbly versatile Gary Cole turns �Reese� into one of the most memorable beer-chugging, rage-aholic potheads ever seen."—Seattle Times "The scenes of redemption feature the brilliant comic actor Gary Cole, as �Ricky�s� ne�er-do-well dad, sharing the spotlight with Ferrell. Cole makes an exquisite dirtbag, disheveled and almost feral in his allergic reaction to traditional family life."—Sacramento Bee "But the unexpected surprise here is sophisticated Gary Cole as �Ricky�s� reprobate dad, who pops in and out of his life at the most inopportune times. Cole is priceless as a scruffy codger who is the worst father with the best intentions."—Wichita Eagle "Predictably, Gary Cole again outshines his movie's lead performer and delivers a charming and complex villainous performance. Gary Cole is a new age comedic Robert Deniro, a talent capable of molding his personality into a variety of characters."—Miami Poetry Review |
Contents of this site are ©1997-2002, Write in Style.