We use the word love way too much when we don't really mean it. We always say how we love a professional sports team, a movie, a certain food. Do we really love them? Dictionary.com's first three definitions of Love are 1. profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. 2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend. 3. sexual passion or desire. I don't think that I feel that strongly about anything that isn't currently breathing. What I'm trying to say is we like things, but we don't truly love them. In my last blog, I state that I loved Jake Ryan. Love is a strong word. I mean he's a good looking guy and all, but I wouldn't call it love. Seriously, how can you love a character? Maybe the real Jake Ryan isn't a nice guy, who knows? Let's just call it a crush. Which leads me to my next topic. The Man Crush.
I don't think sports figures we like can be considered a man crush because it's our nature to like our team and have a favorite player on that team. I like the Boston Red Sox, but there is no player on their team that I go nuts about. Honestly, the last player I liked that much was Roger Clemens and he let me down. No, not the steroids. He became a Yankee! I also think we admire athletes skills more than the actual person. I think we are drawn to celebrities, because in general, they seem smart, they are rich, they have a lifestyle we wouldn't mind having, and in general they are much better looking than anyone we know.
Now as I have stated, I am a heterosexual male, but I will openly admit when a guy is good looking. The man crush goes a little further. The man crush is when you idolize someone in a non-sexual way. I have always liked actors and actresses and at times was mesmerized by their abilities, but never did an actor give a performance that I found myself almost dumbstruck. I had seen The Notebook, Murder By Numbers, and Remember The Titans, and thought Ryan Gosling definitely stuck out of the crowd, but wasn't ready to classify him as a great actor. I then saw the United States of Leland, which is far from a great movie, but he started to grow on me. I followed this up with Fracture, with Gosling and the great Anthony Hopkins. It started to hit me. Gosling was better in all the scenes he shared with Hopkins. I then saw Half Nelson, and started to realize that this 20-something young man is one of the better actors around. How many guys, have been in this many good films at such a young age? Then it happened. I saw The Believer. This movie isn't just a powerful film, it is the type you watch and can't sleep after. It's the kind you tell people about, but wonder if they will go into it with an open mind and appreciate not only the story, but the incredible job Gosling does portraying the main character. For those who haven't seen it. The Believer is the story about a young Jewish man growing up in NYC who is being torn by his heritage and his beliefs. He becomes a neo-Nazi and then starts talking to a newspaper reporter and promises to kill himself if the reporter tells his story. What amazed me about this performance was that Gosling was about 20 when he did this film and it was his first lead role. He nailed it! After this movie, I would probably watch Gosling paint a house and pay for it. I would even watch The Notebook again. Here's the thing. I watched part of The Notebook recently and realized that I didn't even notice the stunningly beautiful Rachel McAdams, I was glued to Gosling. Thus it was realized. I had a man crush.
I was in denial. I knew he was a good looking guy. I knew he was talented. I knew that when he was on screen I wanted to watch. I never thought about it before, but the feelings I got when watching him act were similar to those you get on a first date. I was falling for him. I tried to fight it, but then Lars and the Real Girl was delivered. Gosling shined bright in every scene, or maybe it was the golden aura that surrounded him that only I could see. I should also note that he is a schlep in this movie. An odd shut-in who orders a lifelike sex doll online for companionship. The problem is he treats her like she's real. This poses a problem for his brother and wife who don't know how to handle it. The real story is how the small town where he lives accepts his new friend. It's one of the more beautiful stories I've ever seen on film. It was after this film that I had given in to my desires. I came clean. I professed my man crush for Ryan Gosling.
I will always "love" Jake Ryan, but my heart truly belongs to Ryan Gosling!
I don't think sports figures we like can be considered a man crush because it's our nature to like our team and have a favorite player on that team. I like the Boston Red Sox, but there is no player on their team that I go nuts about. Honestly, the last player I liked that much was Roger Clemens and he let me down. No, not the steroids. He became a Yankee! I also think we admire athletes skills more than the actual person. I think we are drawn to celebrities, because in general, they seem smart, they are rich, they have a lifestyle we wouldn't mind having, and in general they are much better looking than anyone we know.
Now as I have stated, I am a heterosexual male, but I will openly admit when a guy is good looking. The man crush goes a little further. The man crush is when you idolize someone in a non-sexual way. I have always liked actors and actresses and at times was mesmerized by their abilities, but never did an actor give a performance that I found myself almost dumbstruck. I had seen The Notebook, Murder By Numbers, and Remember The Titans, and thought Ryan Gosling definitely stuck out of the crowd, but wasn't ready to classify him as a great actor. I then saw the United States of Leland, which is far from a great movie, but he started to grow on me. I followed this up with Fracture, with Gosling and the great Anthony Hopkins. It started to hit me. Gosling was better in all the scenes he shared with Hopkins. I then saw Half Nelson, and started to realize that this 20-something young man is one of the better actors around. How many guys, have been in this many good films at such a young age? Then it happened. I saw The Believer. This movie isn't just a powerful film, it is the type you watch and can't sleep after. It's the kind you tell people about, but wonder if they will go into it with an open mind and appreciate not only the story, but the incredible job Gosling does portraying the main character. For those who haven't seen it. The Believer is the story about a young Jewish man growing up in NYC who is being torn by his heritage and his beliefs. He becomes a neo-Nazi and then starts talking to a newspaper reporter and promises to kill himself if the reporter tells his story. What amazed me about this performance was that Gosling was about 20 when he did this film and it was his first lead role. He nailed it! After this movie, I would probably watch Gosling paint a house and pay for it. I would even watch The Notebook again. Here's the thing. I watched part of The Notebook recently and realized that I didn't even notice the stunningly beautiful Rachel McAdams, I was glued to Gosling. Thus it was realized. I had a man crush.
I was in denial. I knew he was a good looking guy. I knew he was talented. I knew that when he was on screen I wanted to watch. I never thought about it before, but the feelings I got when watching him act were similar to those you get on a first date. I was falling for him. I tried to fight it, but then Lars and the Real Girl was delivered. Gosling shined bright in every scene, or maybe it was the golden aura that surrounded him that only I could see. I should also note that he is a schlep in this movie. An odd shut-in who orders a lifelike sex doll online for companionship. The problem is he treats her like she's real. This poses a problem for his brother and wife who don't know how to handle it. The real story is how the small town where he lives accepts his new friend. It's one of the more beautiful stories I've ever seen on film. It was after this film that I had given in to my desires. I came clean. I professed my man crush for Ryan Gosling.
I will always "love" Jake Ryan, but my heart truly belongs to Ryan Gosling!
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