March 31 marks the 55th birthday of English actor Ewan McGregor, famous for his comedic and commanding leading roles since the 1990s. Today I will be covering some of his best work, from Southern Gothic and musical love stories to sci-fi epics. No one has a face like McGregor, and the following works are some of the best examples.
“Moulin Rouge!” (2001)
Schmaltzy, grand and heartrending, Baz Luhrmann’s “Moulin Rouge!” is a quintessential modern film musical. Starring McGregor as lovestruck writer Christian opposite Nicole Kidman’s tragic Satine, the movie blends wry historical and musical humor with strikingly intimate sequences of the stars.
At once starstruck and primal, McGregor guides the film’s mania through his grounded and committed performance. If Luhrmann starts to lose you, the lead’s bright, intense eyes draw you back into the moment. In fact, when I first watched McGregor belt out the intro of “The Sound of Music,” it became permanently stuck in my brain.
By no means a perfect movie, but who needs perfection when you have fun?
“Robots” (2005)
Childish and crass humor has often turned me away from movies I otherwise enjoy, except in the case of “Robots.” Tongue-in-cheek humor can often be hit or miss in children’s films, but that is not the case here.
McGregor stars as Rodney Copperbottom, a young robot inspired to dream big by his idol Bigweld, founder of Bigweld Industries. But when Rodney reaches the city to pitch his passion project, he’s promptly rejected and begins a quest for truth, justice and his own identity. A compelling plot isn’t everything, though, which is why the film is packed with physical comedy sequences and extremely silly jokes.
A mainstay from my childhood, this classic still resonates in the goofiest way.
“Big Fish” (2003)
Tim Burton’s ode to absent fathers finds its perfect protagonist in McGregor, who plays the young version of Albert Finney’s Edward Bloom. Told nonchronologically, from Bloom’s childhood meeting with a witch to his deathbed as an old man, “Big Fish” explores how fantastical stories told by parents influence the lives of their children.
Featuring a star-studded cast including Danny Devito, Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Buscemi and Jessica Lange, this tale is marked by Burton’s unique filmmaking style while feeling wholly unique in his canon. Again, McGregor’s bright eyes shine through this film, giving it life when at times the film feels empty of it.
Enjoy this film as it tells a tale larger than life.
Revenge of the Sith (2005)
I would be a terrible reviewer and writer for you all if I did not mention McGregor’s magnificent role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in George Lucas’ Star Wars prequels. From a young Jedi thrust into the role of leader after his mentor is killed to a pained master seeing his student fall, McGregor runs the gamut of emotions while giving the audience (high) ground to stand on.
Though Lucas’s prequels were, and often still are, critically panned compared to their predecessors, McGregor is an undoubted high point throughout the three films. Capturing the attitude of a person caught in the shifting tides of politics, war and time itself, Obi-Wan Kenobi went from a vague guide in the original trilogy to a real, relatable man in a chaotic universe with McGregor’s portrayal.
McGregor makes what could have been thoughtless a thoughtful examination of a changing world.
Trainspotting (1996)
Drug addiction has never looked so garish and unreal as it does in Danny Boyle’s sophomore effort “Trainspotting.” Following McGregor as Mark “Rent Boy” Renton as he succumbs to, plays with, is tortured by and eventually escapes the throes of heroin addiction; the horrors of drug abuse are put on full display, horrific visuals and all.
Whether he is diving into a dirty public toilet, crossing an impassable expanse of carpet or seeing the dead on his ceiling as he battles withdrawal, McGregor encapsulates the anxiety, depression, guilt and fear of addiction. Suffocating cinematography combines with sharp dialogue to provide us with McGregor’s best performance to date.
I promise you won’t ever forget this film once you’ve finished watching it.
Thank you so much for reading and celebrating another auteur’s birthday with me, and I hope you get a chance to check out one of these films soon! Stay tuned for more celebrations of the artists who move, change and inspire us.
