A Look Back at Central New York Native’s First Leading Man Role
Few things make me happier than a lazy day spent at home watching some classic comedy.
Seriously, this is my version of Utopia.
I decided to take in some movies I had never seen before recently and one of them was the 1991 comedy Career Opportunities.
If you have never had the pleasure of seeing this movie, the trailer is below.
For me, it is never enough to just watch a movie. With the smartphone always at arm's length, I am constantly looking into the film's stars to see just where it is I know them from. Sure, co-star Jennifer Connelly has gone on to a rather successful career. And Dermot Mulroney had already been in Young Guns and would go on to star in many more films and tv shows.
But what of the top billed player in the film?
In his first leading role, Frank Whaley is so fun in this movie. The Syracuse native's charisma is infectious from the outset. We watch him lying and manipulating and yet he is so charming that he is obviously who we are rooting for in the movie. It is this charm and ability that has kept the Anthony A. Henninger High School graduate working seemingly non stop all his life. His face was instantly recognizable to me from his many roles in some of my all time favorite TV shows like House MD, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Dead Zone and Psych.
As for the movie itself, it is worth checking out for the cast performances alone. Like Whaley, many of the actors were on the younger side and just starting to come into their powers as performers.
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