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When Charlie Cox was announced as the next actor to wear the horns many fans were largely unfamiliar with his work. Hoping for a more famous face, people were quick to criticize the thirty-one year old Brit's lack of physical resembalance to Matt Murdock. But while you may not like every single one of Marvel's movies, there's one thing you can always count on them for - great casting. Cox is an awesome choice for the Man Without Fear, and is a far more superior actor than some of the names regularly thrown acround in Daredevil fan-casting. Here are some of the films that prove he'll deliver come May 2015.
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Stardust (2007) - This will be the one that most of you are likley to have seen. Back in 2007, the then fresh faced Cox starred as Tristan Thorn in Matthew Vaughn's fantasy adventure. Like most protagonists of the genre, Tristan transforms himself from a fearful, naive boy to brave, confident hero. What's great about Cox' performance is the sincerity he brings, which makes it extremely difficult not to like him. You cheer for him all the way through. Standing alongside screen legends like Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer, as well as highly talented actors like Claire Danes, you might expect him to get lost in their shadows, but Cox remains a bright star until the very end.
T Takes: Brooklyn '09 (2009) - This internet-exclusive short from Brody Baker is a charming film that looks at the relationships in the life of one man named Charlie, played by Cox. It is a charming story comprised of six segments that give us a glimpse into the way Charlie navigates his way through life whilst engaging with those around him, such as his friends, his mother, and his girlfriend (played by Kate Mara). Despite the short length and deliberate gaps in the storyline, the film is very interesting to say the least. And this is largely due to Cox' performance. What we get is a very relateable portrayal of adult life in the real world. Everything from his body language to voice control is as natural as can be. No exxagerated facial expressions or dramatic silences here, just effective use of dialogue and movement that is a pleasure to watch again and again.
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There Be Dragons (2011) - Undoubtedly in his best role yet, Cox plays real-life saint Joesmaria Escriva in Roland Joffe's film about friendship set against the Spanish Civil War. In the present day, Dougray Scott begins investigating his father's (Wes Bentley) relationship with Escriva, and how they went from being childhood friends to walking completely separate paths. Again, what really shines through in Cox' portrayal of the priest is an authenticity that encourages us to believe in the character. It's as if we were really watching Escriva himself. On top of that, despite being a born and bred Englishman it's possible to totally forget that Cox isn't Spanish at all since not once does his native accent ever break through. Supposedly, playing such an important world figure in a fictional account of his life would be challenging, but Cox pulls it off very convincingly. The film might have its critics, but it's a solid watch, and well worth it for Cox and Bentley.
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Legacy (2013) - A BBC televsion film directed by Peter Travis that sees Cox as Charles, a young spy in 1970s London. Charles is tasked with "turning" his former friend Viktor (played excellently by Andrew Scott), but discovers a terrible truth regarding his father. As Charles tries to come to terms with this new information, he struggles to establish what's right and wrong. Once more, Cox gives us a fine performance as a character who begins very sure of himself, but quickly starts questioning his motives as well as his own identity. It's a character we sympathise with and for whom we hope the best possible outcome. But this isn't Tristan Thorn. Charles often comes across as cold and its hard to make out what he's feeling, which makes watching him all the more interesting. His chemistry with Scott is great too and their scenes together are some of the best. Overall a strong cold-war thriller where Cox goes slightly darker than before.
Also worth watching...
Since I haven't seen these films/tv shows I can't yet comment but it might also be worth checking out Boardwalk Empire where it seems Cox gets even darker, or Stone of Destiny (2008) for a lighter, more family-friendly watch. Also be on the lookout for Dracula Untold (2014) and the Stephen Hawking bipoic The Theory of Everything (2014). And then of course prepare for Marvel's Daredevil (2015) in which I believe Cox will rise to the challenge like never before.