CS Weekly Archive > Weekend Read > 7/2/08

Not the Man You Think He Is

By peter clines

As he does every July 4, Will Smith rises up to deal with all-but-unstoppable enemies. This time it's that most dreaded, feared, and always unexpected opponent—the completely mis-marketed movie.

Hancock

Vincent Ngo and Vince Gilligan

Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and nigh-indestructible to boot, Hancock (Will Smith) is the resident superhero of Los Angeles—no matter how hard the city has tried to get rid of him. He's rude, sexist, rash, usually depressed, constantly drunk—and these are his good points. When he saves the life of publicist Ray (Jason Bateman)—causing millions in damage in the process—the thankful man decides to return the favor by reworking Hancock's public image into that of an inspiring and well-loved icon. Ray devises a plan to show Los Angeles how much they need their superhuman guardian while at the same time helping him work on his manners and anger-management issues. But his wife Mary (Charlize Theron) is all-too-familiar with Hancock's track record with property and people, and far from thrilled to have him spending time with her husband and star-struck son (Jae Head). But there's a lot more to Hancock's history than even he remembers, and when the past inevitably rears its head, it could end up reducing him to a mere mortal…and destroying Ray's family.

Hollywood never deals well with things that stand outside the normal lines, and the promotional decisions made for this film are a perfect example. Like Jaws or Nightmare on Elm Street, there are a lot of very funny moments in Hancock, but it's not really a comedy. It also has characters with superhuman powers, just like Firestarter or Jumper, however it's not quite a superhero movie, either. Instead, first-timer Vincent Ngo (who wrote the original spec script) and Vince Gilligan (The Lone Gunmen) have written a story that's much closer to a character piece than a summer action flick, and as such it doesn't have a lot of the standard beats, conventions, and structure we've all come to expect of those films.

On the surface, a lot of Hancock is a glorious celebration of bad manners. After all, no matter how good at heart we are, what kind of person would most of us be if we knew there was absolutely nothing anyone could do to stop us? We'd tell off that guy honking his horn, scare the hell out of that obnoxious little kid, and, yes, probably intoxicate ourselves to a level no mortal liver could handle. Hancock is that rarest of things in mainstream Hollywood, an edgy, almost repugnant lead character who all but revels in his obnoxious behavior—and is likeable because of it. Gilligan has praised Smith for not cleaning and polishing the role, and for pushing the envelope with just how crass Hancock can be at times.

The screenwriter has compared this aspect of the story to My Fair Lady and Pygmalion, where an outsider comes in to mold and polish the main character into someone "socially acceptable." This is the basic conflict of the story, as Hancock grows from someone making a half-hearted attempt to do good things into a man trying hard to do the right thing. These are also some of the funniest parts of the film, as an overeager Ray tries to teach his less-than-thrilled client to compliment people and dress in something a bit more fitting for a superhero. It's not surprising that marketing folks latched onto these elements and tried to pitch the film to audiences as a comedy.

On another level, however, the screenplay by Ngo and Gilligan looks at the idea of having to live a very lonely life under a microscope, and this is a much harder film to promote in a two-minute trailer. Much like any real-world celebrity, every mistake and misstep Hancock makes is judged in the court of public opinion. He's in the papers, on the news, even YouTube. At the same time, the man himself is made constantly aware of the fact that he stands a few feet apart from the rest of society, never truly part of the world whose weight he's carrying. His attempts to get close to people result in betrayal, and there's a wonderful, unspoken symmetry in the fact that opening himself to emotional pain eventually makes Hancock vulnerable to physical pain as well.

This aspect is at the heart of Hancock, which is less about the "super" and more about the man. Hancock is Peter Parker left alone and friendless, or Bruce Wayne without Alfred to rein him in. Rather than dealing with alien symbiotes, terrorists, or deranged Irish darts-experts, he's been struggling with the internal pressures that saving people—often ungrateful people —again and again takes on a hero, and he's all but lost that battle. There are still criminal masterminds and gun-wielding thugs, of course, but they take a back seat to the ongoing conflict Hancock has with himself. To this extent, he's a lot like suicidal cop Martin Riggs in the original Lethal Weapon. We laugh at his antics and attitude during the day, even while we shift uncomfortably as he debates putting a bullet in his head each night. And like Martin, the reason Hancock doesn't give up is because he has a job to do, one which outweighs his personal feelings.

Hancock isn't so much about a superhero as it is about a tragic hero, with all the super-stuff sprinkled on the side for flavor. Almost more of an introspective drama than a popcorn movie, it reminds us that great power doesn't just require great responsibility, but usually great personal sacrifice as well.

Hancock
Sony Pictures
Rated PG-13; 92 min.

Buy tickets now

Peter Clines has had a lifelong love affair with the movies. He grew up in New England, where he studied English literature and education, and now lives and writes somewhere in Southern California. If anyone knows exactly where, he would appreciate a few hints.

Hancock courtesy Sony Pictures

From the Trenches
Working screenwriters discuss in their own words a particular aspect of screenwriting, from the mechanics of writing to the personal and professional impact that writing has had on their lives. > VIEW ARCHIVE

The Big Picture

Features that cover all aspects of screenwriting, from our "Seven Best" lists to analysis of old favorites and new classics. > VIEW ARCHIVE

Weekend Read
Film, book, web site and technology reviews from a writer’s perspective. How can these items help a writer on his or her journey, or make that journey more enjoyable? > VIEW ARCHIVE

DVD Review of the Day
DVD reviews from a writer’s point of view. What aspects of this script and features of this DVD illuminate the writing, development, and storytelling process? > VIEW ARCHIVE