11/13/07

Therapy and item number 8860

Jake Gyllenhaal, ACLU rentboyDays like today, when I'm sitting at work and completely uninterested in doing any aspect of my job, I find myself loading the same web pages over and over again, looking for news of Jake that doesn't consist solely of rehashings of paraphrasings of sightings posted only so that the author can get those keywords into the stream again for the day. I couldn't begin to tell you what I'm expecting to find, but it beats the hell out of updating attendance records and scheduling interviews. I did feel a perverse glee when I confirmed that Lions for Lambs currently has a 26% rating at Rotten Tomatoes, which makes Rendition's 45% seem positively glowing by comparison.

One of the things that happens when you pass out in the shower and then tearfully confess to your family that you have been severely depressed for a while is that the ER doctor tells you to see a therapist. This is different from seeing the psychiatrist who has been prescribing your antidepressants for about seventeen years, because the pill doctor's job is to fix your brain chemistry. The therapist's job is to make you think about stuff. I think about stuff too much already, so I was never helped by or interested in therapy. But considering how badly the latest depression scared me, it seemed like a good idea to comply, so I went yesterday.

When the doctor asked me what type of man I'm interested in, I laughed and plucked my Jake in '08 t-shirt away from my chest. "This guy, right here," I told him. He was amused and not overly concerned. He also didn't recognize Jake, which really didn't bother me, as he may not get out to the movies much. But when we talked about my complete lack of romantic interaction, he pointed at Jake on my chest and asked, "If he came up to you tomorrow and asked you out, would you accept?"

And the question was so apt, I gave the most honest answer I could: I don't know.

I don't know what Jake is doing here, but he's adorableBecause my problem is, and always has been, my perception of myself. If Jake Gyllenhaal wanted to be with me, could I let myself trust his judgment that I was, in fact, worthy of him? I wish I could just shout an emphatic yes, yes, YES! in reply, but I'm not there yet. It's something I have to continue to work on. The FedEx delivery guy that came in the office this morning seemed a little weak in the knees; he looked like I feel when I stumble upon someone who really attracts me. He wasn't bad, either. But who knows. Maybe he just ate a tainted Egg McMuffin this morning.

Of course, being approached by Jake for a date is quite a different issue from winning one in a charity auction, but it did make me wonder what it is I think I'd say to the man if given that chance. His ACLU of Southern California price is currently holding at $5,000. I don't blame Jake that the opening bid was far too high, because for all I know it was based on the results of last year's auction, and in either case I'm sure Jake had fuckall to do with setting the number. For that price, Jake ought to be cooking and serving the lunch.

They're right, you know. Jake has brains AND he's beautiful.I wonder if he's even seen the auction's headline. It appears to have been written by someone who scanned the fan sites and forums for ideas. Or, hell, maybe Jake's incredible appeal is just that universal and simple. Do other male celebrities get called beautiful by random observers? I mean, it's my word of choice for Jake, too, but I'm rather biased. Anyway, what would we talk about? He's already answered my cilantro question. Honestly, I love Donnie Darko, but I don't need Jake to explain it to me. Maybe I could explain it to him. Oh, and I could ask him what the story is with all those sneakers. But then he'd know just how creepily interested in his life I really am.

Auction photo thumbnailed from Charity Folks. Other photos found in assorted places on the web.

8/20/07

Ruminating and anticipating

Jake with director Gavin Hood in MoroccoAdditional photos of Jake on the Rendition set in March have appeared on IHJ. That hair is killing me. Reminder to self: put spare underwear in purse for this movie.

There is no doubt I'll be physically attracted to Douglas Freeman (I already am), but will I like him? He promises to be a departure for Jake: conservative, ambitious, buttoned-down, perhaps even suave. How different will he be from the likes of Donnie Darko or Tony Swofford? One of the many reasons I'm a Gyllenhaalic is Jake's ability to imbue every character with a tremendous dose of humanity. No matter what questionable situation the character may find himself in, I'm moved because I actually care about a person Jake has made real.

Jake Gyllenhaal, hotter than the Moroccan climateWith someone as visually striking as Jake is, it might be reasonable to think audiences would have a tough time embracing his Robert Graysmith or Harold Dobbs; what socially backward obsessive cartoonist or lovesick mediocre mathematician has ever looked like that? But Jake pulls it off expertly every time. He's so believable that he is that character as I watch.

So, will Doug Freeman, CIA operative, win my heart? I know he will.

Maybe I've lost all objectivity. I watched October Sky followed by Zodiac yesterday, and while there was arguably more subtlety and nuance required for the part of Robert Graysmith, 18-year-old Jake's Homer Hickam is more than credible sharing the screen with Chris Cooper as John Hickam. Some things you can learn with experience; some things are just about talent. I'm inclined to believe that Jake's incredible work is the result of both, but especially talent.

Photos: IHJ.