“Is it because I’m fat?” I think there is one Hollywood Mogul that will not be giving this play a high rating. This play was never going to disappoint with John Malkovich in a starring role. The guy is just an amazing actor. That coupled with writer and director David Mamet’s fantastic takedown of the former film producer Harvey Weinstein.
Returning to the Westend after 30 years, Malkovich plays the role of a movie producer Barney Fein, in a thinly veiled account of the disgraced Weinstein.
Malkovich plays this brilliantly where he shows a sense of entitlement and victimhood at the same time. He does a lot of “Is it because I’m fat”.
In Dangerous Liaisons (1988), Malkovich played the role of Vicomte de Valmont, a man that could convince women that they had no other choice but to let themselves be seduced by him. He brought a seductive charm to this villain.
Playing an older fatter ‘Harvey Weinstein” type character there is no charm here as he pops sex enhancing pills. Malkovich in a fat suit represents the producer as a sad pathetic loser who has to manipulate women so that they will sleep with him. His victim is someone who has a lot to lose by not giving in to giving him an 8-minute “blowjob” for what he promises in return, a career in the film industry. Yet still, she resists which results in him assaulting her against her will.
Malkovich plays the character as a desperate unattractive has-been. We see him lose everything and one point tries to atone for this. If you want to see one of Hollywood’s all-time great actors takedown of one of the most odious villains in the film industry, go see this play. I promise you its worth it.
At the Garrick theatre, London, until 14 September.
