Robert Downey Makes an Iron Strong Comeback

The commercial success of the Iron Man (2008) has revived Downey’s career. No question. In Hollywood, as anywhere, it is important to keep your reputation blemish free to keep getting good projects and to be in the good graces of the press who can make or break your career. After spending time in jail due to convictions all arising from his alcohol abuse and drug addiction, how does one get back on track? Let’s see. Rehab, check. Settling down, check. Starring in low-budget but conceptually promising films, check. Begging director Jan Favreau for the lead role in the movie adaptation of the Marvel comic book Iron Man, check, check, check. No, make that 5 tickets, 5 popcorns, and 5 stars.

In Iron Man, Robert Downey, Jr. plays Tony Spark, a billionaire industrialist and an inventor who is kidnapped and forced to create a destructive weapon. He invents a powerful suit, escapes from captivity, decides to save the world, and the rest is written in comic book history. Serious followers of the comic book, or graphic novel as they prefer to call it, had doubts at first for the choice of Robert Downey, Jr. to play the role. These doubts, we must admit, are somewhat well founded. He’s no Brandon Routh, not young (already in his 40s), not a fresh face (his is adorable but not that of a, say, Tom Welling), and not even considered a Hollywood A lister (clearly nowhere near Tom Cruise’s league when he was signed). His filmography boasts of versatility as he has played Chaplin before, but common sense and tradition dictate that to do well on the opening day, you’ll need more than talent. But as his supporters would say, it’s his versatility that won him the role, and also his humanity, his intelligence, his ability to represent the man inside the mammoth iron costume.

Robert Downey, Jr. deserves to play the role of Tony Spark because he is Tony Spark. Their brain is their superpower - Tony Spark invents groundbreaking technology while Robert Downey, Jr. creates unforgettable characters, composes heartbreaking songs, and writes witty screenplays. They are both vulnerable, weak, and shamelessly human. They’ve taken the fall several times but chose to bounce back and make good again to reclaim a spot that is rightfully theirs.

Robert Downey, Jr.’s newfound fame is also similar to the sudden interest of the non-comic book reading public in Iron Man. Both have been around for ages, but it would take a big-budget production such as this for people to take a closer look at them. Its attention well deserved alright, but the bigger question is, will they be able to sustain it? Iron Man raked in $100 million on its opening weekend. And as for Robert Downey, Jr., 2008 seems to be a good year. He already has projects lined up: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, an indie film, Lucky You, a drama that reunites him with Wonder Boys director Curtis Hanson, and Fur, the Diane Arbus biopic starring Nicole Kidman. He is also said to have signed a deal with a major publishing house for his book that will be out anytime soon.

Now that’s standing on solid ground.

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