I can count on one hand the number of people I know who genuinely like Shia LaBeouf. For that matter, I think even Captain Hook can count on one hand the number of people who like Shia LaBeouf. By that I mean the hand with the hook. You knew that, right? Otherwise why use “Captain Hook?” Otherwise it wouldn’t make sense, that would be like saying, “You remind me of Robocop—you both like smooth jazz.” Which makes no sense; I mean who does like smooth jazz? Anyway . . . Point is, I don’t know anyone who likes Shia LaBeouf.
However, there is one person who likes him a lot, and that would be Steven Spielberg. And if you’re going to have one fan, Spielberg’s a pretty good pick. LaBeouf has some other fans. If you watch Project Greenlight Season 2, you will see everyone gush over him, how awesome he is, how grateful they were to have him. The movie they were making was The Battle of Shaker Heights, and during its making, Shia tread the dangerous line bordering perfectionist and diva. Oliver Stone likes him too, casting him in the central role of Wall Street 2.
Yet, I’ve had numerous conversations that went along the following lines:
Someone: “You should see such and such movie.”
Me: “No. Shia LaBeouf’s in it. I can’t stand him.”
Someone: “But it’s a good movie.”
Me: “I don’t care.”
Someone: “Have you seen a Shia LaBeouf movie?”
Me: “No.”
Someone: “Then why do you not like him?”
Me: “I just don’t.”
People who make movies seem to love him. People who watch movies seem to hate him. Why this disconnect?
Look! He's really doing it!
The thing is, he’s a good actor. No one cries like he can. See the tears streaming down his face. Watch his lip quiver. He can cry! LaBeouf also has a strong screen presence. I once saw Eagle Eye. Don’t ask. Seeing the movie was preceded by a dimly remembered conversation, which vaguely contained the lines “I’m bored,” and “How bad can it be?” But the one thing that struck me was that Shia held my attention. He seems genuine. He seems real. He captures your attention. I still didn’t enjoy the movie.
It could be because he rose to fame so quickly. There was no slow and steady upwards trajectory. He didn’t make a name in a series of indie movies and acclaimed supporting roles (I’m not counting Holes and Constantine). He was cast in Transformers, and overnight he was the subject of fawning articles in glossy magazines and the subject of romantic rumors with members of Maxim’s top 50 Hottest Women.
There’s an adage that in America we love success stories but hate success. Not true all the time, but generally the case. In this capitalist, Dale Carnegie culture where you can be anything and can make your own fortune, there is the inevitable after effect that we are jealous of people who obtain the dreams that we haven’t or can’t ever achieve. LaBeouf has had the success without the success story. No one asked for him, no one looked at him and said “why isn’t he in more movies, where can I see him?” He was just foisted on us. Grew up with the
"It says, 'The awesome treasure hunter will father his own franchise's epic fail.' Must be some kind of prophecy."
Transformers? Hey look, we put him in the lead of the movies. Like Indiana Jones? Guess who his new sidekick is. Thought Wall Street was great? Here’s the sequel, only we took out everything you liked in the original and replaced it with LaBeouf—have a great time. So maybe there is a bit of resentment when we see his name everywhere.
And he hasn’t diffused that resentment by making any good movies. That’s one of the problems with today’s current media culture. Pumped up with the steroid known as internet media, people become famous instantly, before they’ve made any movies. Specifically, movies that people enjoy. We know someone’s name before we’ve seen their work. And if the work disappoints, that many more people are going to walk away saying that person sucks.
So let’s talk about LaBeouf’s actual work. If you’re going to be successful because of a series of Michael Bay movies, you are not going to be given credit for your acting skills. It’s just not going to happen. Unless your last name is Cage or Connery. Getting a part in an Indiana Jones movie should be helpful (unless your character has the unfortunate name “Short Round”), but don’t underestimate the power of the Dark Side of the Force a.k.a George Lucas’s franchise destroying CGI fetish.
So too much fame, too quickly, and a stream of disappointments. But the same could be said of Alicia Silverstone. And nobody disliked her. So why is this venom directed at LaBeouf—someone who can act? Who is not bad looking but does not get by on his looks?
I think the final reason may be that . . . well . . . he seems like a jerk. That seems infantile and simplistic, but it might be the only answer. I’m sure he’s a nice guy in real life. Well, I’m not. But let’s say he is. This is the movies, and that doesn’t matter. Spielberg—I think—called Shia “the next Tom Hanks.” Tom Hanks is someone who reeks of likeability. He also plays likeable guys. Shia keeps playing men who are self assured to the point of being obnoxious. In Transformers 3, his character laments the fact that he’s saved the world but can’t find a job. A great character device. Only when he says it, he’s not bemoaning his current state. There’s no pathos or pity. He’s angry because he’s better than everybody and should be handed the keys to the city. Watch him use that line to humiliate a group of soldiers guarding a top secret base, who had the nerve to ask for some I.D.
The best way to describe his demeanor is pugnacious. He looks like he’s waiting for an excuse to put everyone down. Say one bad thing to him and he will punch your dog in its face. His reactions to those who cross him aren’t righteous indignation but withering contempt.
I think Shia’s best moments came in the first hour of the first Transformers movie. He finally shows some vulnerability. Granted, it took a giant killer robot. But it was there. He was scared and vulnerable. He was human, and that made him not only sympathetic but also charming and funny, if you can believe that. Notice also the end of Wall Street 2, when his character has lost everything and is in a moment of crisis. There again, he’s sympathetic and likeable. Sure he’s rich and brilliant, but he can be hurt like everyone else.
"The sad thing about these moments is you can see the glimmer of a great leading man."
The sad thing about these moments is you can see the glimmer of a great leading man. when he lets his guard down and is not trying to prove something. Take my word for it, he can be likeable when he makes the right choices, be it his acting choices or his choice of movies. But he just doesn’t, for reasons I don’t know. It can’t be every role he picks is wrong. It can’t be every director. Somewhere, at some point he must have said “I’m going to be this way in this part.” And the result is no one likes him. And why? Only he knows the answer.
