With Gemini Man, there’s a definite “Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde Effect” that’s inescapable, where the formerly sparkly side evaporates and suddenly the horns come out. On an interpersonal level, this can be disastrous; yet it’s easy to see how it’s served Johnny Depp professionally: even the characters he plays all exhibit a marked extremism in their examination of the duality of “man v. beast.” From Edward Scissorhands to Willy Wonka to Jack Sparrow—the roles that have come to define him as an actor all revolve around the idea of someone who’s “lovable but dangerous.” So, who is Johnny Depp? Is he an altruistic outsider who’s simply misunderstood? Or is he a violent, self-destructive deadbeat?
Read more