The Year So Far: The Five (Or Six) Funniest Acting Jobs
1.Daniel Radcliffe- Swiss Army Man
Does a corpse sound make you laugh? How about an, ahem, flatulating corpse? What if that corpse was played by Daniel Radcliffe? NOW I have you. Yes, for all its quirky charm, the most memorable aspect of Swiss Army Man is the brilliant performance by Radcliffe (playing a dead man, no less). With limited mobility and the tendency to say whatever comes to mind, Radcliffe has to play Manny with so much innocence and playfulness, yet keep us emotionally invested in the character. Manny is used as a BB gun, harpoon, motorboat, all while farting A LOT, and Radcliffe has to act out all of it in a very convincing way. Easily the funniest dead guy ever put on screen. I dare you to name a funnier one!
2. Ryan Gosling, The Nice Guys
Who knew Ryan Gosling had comedy chops? Well, you did, if you saw him host "Saturday Night Live" and star opposite Steve Carell in Crazy Stupid Love. But in Shane Black’s The Nice Guys, Gosling looks like a free man, ready to show the public that perhaps comedy is his forte, instead of the dramatic acting Hollywood has pretty much confined him to. As detective Holland March, Gosling gets to be his cool self while trading words with (also humorous) Russell Crowe in front of an 80’s backdrop full of wild scenarios like car show shootouts, and literally stumbling upon dead gangsters. Even though the mystery is a bit underwritten, you’ll follow Gosling anywhere because early on, his character hooks you in with his wit and charm. Have no fear, I will personally see to it that a petition to get Ryan Gosling to do more comedies is written up and brought to the right people.
3. Kate McKinnon, Ghostbusters (2016)
If I’m being honest, any of the wickedly talented ladies of this Ghostbusters reboot could have made it on the list. But I’m choosing to go with the wildcard that is Kate McKinnon. The Ghostbusters' engineer, Jillian Holztman, may be a straightforward cartoon character, but her silliness and wacky improvisational methods are a welcome addition to the group. She may not be as well-rounded a character as one would like, but her insanity brings about more laughs per-minute than the rest of the cast combined (expect maybe Chris Hemsworth, who is easily an honorable mention). Everywhere you look, McKinnon is doing something interesting. Even if in the background, she’s always on the move. I would watch a five hour long blooper reel or deleted scene cut of everything McKinnon was in.
4. Andy Samberg, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
You know him from "Saturday Night Live" and his band The Lonely Island, but you haven’t seen Samberg like this. Or maybe you have, because musical comedy has always been where the performer thrives. This caricature of a real life pop singer (think Justin Bieber), named “Connor 4 Real” will one day find its place in cult classic movie history. Hot Rod, Samberg's previous venture, is considered a classic among my friend group, and while that’s a funnier movie as a whole, Samberg goes all out in Popstar to bring us a character unlike any other you’re likely to see this year.
5. Aubrey Plaza & Anna Kendrick, Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates
This is a bit of a cheat, but I couldn’t help myself. Yes, the two leading ladies of Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates make it onto this list OVER the likes of Adam Devine and Zach Efron's title characters. While both parties involved have their zany moments, to watch Plaza and Kendrick be the enablers is undeniably fun. These two give the adrenaline shot that this otherwise lifeless comedy needs to keep going on.