what happened to the career of Chris O'Donnell?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 9:34am

Rewatching "Scent of a Woman," in which Pacino's brilliant turn is in every way connected to the emotional responses of a very young O'Donnell, one cannot help but wonder why this young actor's career failed to ignite. (Yes, he won kudos in the revived Miller play, but since then--what?)

It was particularly ironic, because the bad boy in the "Scent" story, a grinning, smug Jack o'lantern preppie who almost brings Chris down, was played by ... a young, creepy Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Who would've looked at that film in 92, and predicted that Hoffman would be the Oscar nominee in 06? O'Donnell was the one on course. Anyway, O'Donnell's work holds up remarkably; in several scenes, he single-handledly sustains the raw tension so persuasively so that Pacino's shell of a world-weary Col. can shine in counterpoint. The movie is a duet, and how sad it is, 14 years later, to see so little of O'Donnell.

[bongoboy]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 9:43am

I hope he'll be back...he broke my heart in 'Men Don't Leave'. Brilliant movie.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 9:49am

Who would've looked at that film in 92, and predicted that Hoffman would be the Oscar nominee in 06?

Count me in. O'Donnell never matched this performance again, so I'm not surprised he's slowly faded.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 10:28am

He's kept himself busy. He was in "Kinsey" and did a TV series briefly in 2005. His next film starts shooting in a few weeks.

[Patronus]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 10:36am

Personally, I find O'Donnell to be boring and tedious as an actor. I find that he slows scenes down and I don't really care for him. I liked him in Scent of a Women, but even in that I think it was more a case of Pacino making those around him better than a glimpse of a bright career.

Batman & Robin didn't help him. He was atrocious in those films. He chose some poor parts.

He is going to have a story arc on Grey's Anatomy soon.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 11:06am

I would have married his character in this film...

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 11:09am

He defninitely needs a good director to guide him. His performances have been all over the map, from near-brilliant (Scent of a Woman) to very forgettable (too many to mention).

Problem is... you give a few forgettable performances in a row in box office bombs... and Hollywood forgets you.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 12:07pm

Chris lives in Chicago (or keeps a home here) and after a few years of over-exposure (remember that string of bombs...The Bachelor?) has kept a pretty low profile starting a family. He will be back, I am sure, but I think he chose to step out of the limelight for awhile. Smart move, if you ask me.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 12:31pm

He did a play at the Roundabout a few years ago. It was a forgotten Arthur Miller play that should have remained forgotten. I think it was called THE MAN WITH ALL THE LUCK. Chris was quite good in the title role, but the play was a mess.

Got to meet him afterwards. He's a real sweetheart.

[Mamie]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 12:35pm

Agree completely, Dollypop. He was impressive in an otherwise forgettable play.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 1:49pm

He kind of took an Affleckian Career Trajectory without the tabloid girlfriends.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 3:35pm

He's too white bread. He need's a scandal to make him more interesting.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 3:50pm

"He's too white bread. He needs a scandal to make him more interesting."

...and that's really kinda tragic.

I'm completely OVER getting our leading players from rehab, juvenile hall or the mental hospital.

Seriously... It's called acting. We need to have more people who can "act" interesting, instead of the audience marveling at how many obstacles they had to overcome just to say their damn line without screwing it up.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 6:10pm

He wasn't strange or distinctive enough. He was kinda all-purpose nice guyish.
And those kinda guys come up a new crop every season.

Updated On: 2/12/06 at 06:10 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 8:24pm

I think he'll go the Timothy Hutton route -- he was a boy wonder, but resurfaced in KINSEY looking like Clark Gable in THE MISFITS. Having begun this thread, moved by a revisiting of SCENT, I must also agree with those who've found his subsequent work erratic. More critically, in terms of Hollywood, he comes across a bit asexually.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 8:52pm

One could also wonder what happened to Matthew McConaghey's (sp?) careeer.

Besides the bongos.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 9:46pm

Corine's missing in action and we're talking about bongos?

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 11:19pm

Where does he live in Chicago?