Fencing With A Muse: Exciting Days For Gerry

Having his profile and name sharing equal space with Ralph Fiennes on the New Coriolanus movie poster and the release of the Machine Gun Preacher poster and trailer, this has to be a very rewarding week for the Gerard Butler.

With another movie starting to come together with the hiring of an actor to play the central character (Mavericks), the announcement of a promising role in the spy drama The Bricklayer, and the good buzz for his turns in both Machine Gun Preacher and Coriolanus, he must feel like a million bucks.

It was a bold and savvy move by Ralph Fiennes (and/or producers-distributors), giving Gerry face time in that kind of poster, which almost insures bringing in the 300 male fans who fondly remember Gerry's turn as the "kick ass" Leonidas. Where Ralph's reputation may bring in the Shakespearean fans, Gerry will bring in the action guys. The more serious movie fan will discount the poster altogether and go for the performances of a stellar cast. Win win for Ralph's directorial debut and passion project.

As for Machine Gun Preacher, I liked the trailer and I think G looks to give a good performance. I will withhold raves until I see the movie though. Like everyone else I worry a little about the accent. But to be honest, if he captures the emotional center of the character and the director has done his job well, the accent will not matter.

I wish Gerry sunshine and shooting stars with this one. If it's good and brings in the kind of audience that usually goes to action films (and again that includes the 300 young male fans), as well as those that already know about the topic, the hope is that it brings a little awareness to the plight of these innocents in Sudan to a segment of the population that might not normally give attention to it.

The arts should illuminate dark corners and perhaps this movie, along with others in this vein, will do that for some people. Even if parts of the real Machine Gun Preacher's (Sam Childers) life has its own darkness, the good things he's done and continues to do, hopefully balance the scales in his favor.

And if Gerry, in his performance, should come across as a little more sympathetic than the real Sam, well all the better for Sam's cause and the children that stand to benefit from the likewise sympathetic people who will respond to this movie, hopefully with their supporting $$$ for the Angeles of East Africa and other charities like it.

Perhaps I'm being overly Pollyanna-ish in this, but one can hope.