Caitlin Cronenberg/Entertainment One FilmsWe've seen the new Robert Pattinson film, but will you? From director David Cronenberg (A Dangerous Method) based on the wacked out novel by Don Delillo comes a weirdfest that's best described as Art Film With Hot Star. R.Pattz plays crusader for the One Percent—as Eric Packer, an uber wealthy Wall Street whiz kid, he spends (the most part of) one long day in Manhattan inside the coolest stretch limo ever. There he happens to have a few romantic encounters and some that are just plain bizarre. A far cry from when we first took notice of him as Cedric "the spare" Diggory in Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire. Or that other series he's been in. No doubt about it, Rob's grown as an actor. Cosmopolis is the proof. Not convinced? Read on. Warning mild spoilers!
1. He Has Sex. Plenty of It: His love, er, lust interests are plenty, including his young wife Elise (Sarah Gadon). However with Juliette Binoche as his backseat companion, their tryst is full of fidgets, conversation and even more writhing. Maybe this isn't all about his "acting" but we're not complaining. And then there's a prostate exam...
2. He Talks and Talks, but Never Glamors Anyone: We don't have the script to count his lines, but this has got to be the most he's ever spoken onscreen. He pontificates about life, death, the chaos of finance and the rigidity of cyberspace to anyone that will listen, even as his doctor does some pretty obtrusive prodding. Best line: "My prostate is asymmetrical." What does that even mean?
3. He Unsuccessfully Takes on the Paparazzi: A pie in the face by a performance artist becomes an unwanted photo op. R.Pattz tries to chase down the shutterbugs, but he's pretty terrible at it. Seeing how much this mirrors his real life you'd think he'd be better. However, Eric, the character, is not. Acting!
4. Rob's Not Afraid to Ugly It Up for a Role: All billionaire Eric really wants—beyond the women and the world at his techie fingertips—is a haircut from his father's old barber. A number of obstacles keep him from arriving at his destination,—POTUS is in town, a rapper's funeral—but when he finally gets a trim, it's incomplete and looks bad. And he's still got half that pie stuck on his face.
5. He's Handy With the Steel: Any fan of Cronenberg knows the Canadian auteur has a history of violence in his films. Although we don't get to see the full Pattinson (like Viggo Mortensen did in Eastern Promises) he does relieve himself in that limo, relieves some "one" of their own head and then shoots himself in the hand. In the course of this long day, Eric's gone from uptight control freak to crazed, messed up loner.
To Pattinson's credit we believe every second. Bravo, Rob, ya done good.
Is this kind of challenging role good for Pattinson's career? Or does he need to stay a chaste bloodsucker? Sound off in the comments!