The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Sequels should exist; Crowe’s peak and unrealized career
In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:52:42Read transcript
- A third installment ought to be approaching; early-eighties Hollywood or Mexico would offer settings, and Gosling’s present stature is thought sufficient to revive it.
- One participant calls this Crowe’s best performance, with The Insider the main rival, because he combines action, comedy and emotional warmth.
- Others debate Gladiator’s irreplaceable star presence versus a conventional role overshadowed by Joaquin; The Insider remains a strong counterexample.
- Crowe is compared with Shaquille O’ Neal: an early dominant peak, later conditioning/career frustrations and this film as a strong sidekick championship.