James Brolin isn’t simply Mr. Barbara Streisand, he is this week’s Screen Icon. An incredibly underrated talent, Brolin has more than 120 acting credits to his name and here are a few of my personal favourites.
Westworld
Brolin starred in this cult sci-fi thriller about a theme part inhabited by animatronic robots. However an infection spreading through the androids causes chaos, with them turning against the customers of the theme park. Brolin gives an understated performance and does incredibly well working alongside the scene-stealing Yul Brynner. Definitely worth a watch. See our Forgotten Classic Feature for more info.
The Car
The Car is another forgotten classic, in fact even Guillmero Del Toro has cited it as one of his favourite films. This is a really entertaining horror about a stylish car that terrorizes those that come into contact with it – it sounds ridiculous, and it is, but it’s great fun. Brolin stars as the town sheriff, in one of his coolest performances.
Capricorn One
Another sci-fi film, Brolin once again goes all out and puts in a fantastic performance as an astronaut involved in a conspiracy involving NASA sending a shuttle to Mars. That’s an incredibly vague summary and it’s actually a very complex and intelligent conspiracy thriller with lots of 70s charm and an all star cast.
The Amityville Horror
The Amityville Horror is certainly one of the most iconic horror films of all time, spawning 8 sequels and one remake (and three more entries in production!). Brolin plays the incredibly unlucky George Lutz in the ultimate take on the haunted house genre. His performance is nothing short of perfect, and by God, can he sharpen an axe!
Hotel
This is a wonderful forgotten soap from the genius behind some of the biggest TV hits of all time, Aaron Spelling. Brolin played the manager of San Francisco’s St. Gregory Hotel, appearing in every episode of the show’s five season run. It’s a fun soap, not as entertaining as Dynasty but still worth a watch.
The Reagans
Brolin played the former President in this 2003 Showtime TV Movie – earning both him and his co-star Judy Davis Golden Globe Nominations. This probably Brolin’s most critically accepted role and although critics picked problems with the movie, his performance was largely praised. This is an unbiased look at the Reagan’s terms as President and his relationship with his wife, Nancy. It’s an incredibly strong and powerful performance from Brolin. (His son also played a conservative President in W. – don’t rush out and buy it though…)
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
It’s not a great film, but every scene Brolin appears in is worth a watch. He plays the owner of a failing garage who enlists the help of an elite car sales team. Brolin’s character – although married, seems to get romantic ideas involving David Koechner’s car salesman. It’s hilarious to see Brolin let go and have some fun in the role and his come-ons are rather amusing.
