Maybe I’m wrong to say this, but the new role for Richard Armitage as Chop in a story based on Bernard Hare’s non-fiction book, Urban Grimshaw and the Shed Crew, is the kind of role I’ve been wanting to see Richard Armitage portray for a long time. A long, long time. A book about the human condition, and a true story at that. From the site about the book:
Twelve-year old Urban Grimshaw is Britains’ most runaway child, he’s even been on TV’s Crimewatch. His mother is a junkie and his father might as well be dead. He can’t read or write, and he doesn’t go to school. His average day is spent sitting round a bonfire with his mates smoking drugs and stealing cars. When he meets his mother’s new friend Chop’, a 37 year old, disillusioned, ex-social worker also living on society’s margins, on one of Leeds’ roughest estates the two become firm friends.
But even ‘Chop’ with his own penchant for drink, drugs and hard living is shocked by the state of Urban’s life. After much soul searching, he resolves to clean up his own act and do his utmost to save the kid. But as their friendship deepens, Urban introduces him to the Shed Crew – the anarchic gang of kids between the ages of ten and fourteen; joy-riding, thieving runaways, no strangers to drugs or sex and it’s only then that we see exactly how long the road to civilization really is.
When ex-social worker Bernard Hare turned his startling experiences with a group of young delinquents into a novel it was described as one of the year’s most compelling and best selling books. “Urban and the Shed Crew” is a stunning piece of ethnography described by ‘The Guardian’ as “moving but never sanctimonious, another City of God, this time for Britain rather than Brazil.”
Check out the website here.
Now we get to see something besides the heartthrob, and I’m feeling great about it. Maybe I shouldn’t say that either. But isn’t Richard Armitage talented, or is he only or mostly good as an object? I’ve thought all along that it’s the former, and how interesting that this role is about a bunch of kids who are encased in an existence created by the mean streets of the drug culture and trying somehow to get out. Maybe I’m reading too much into that. I very well could be, but I find the possible analogy to Richard and Hollywood fascinating.
Rich,
I know I said don’t give us what we want, but in this case, thank you for granting one of my, er, desires.
I’m so looking forward to this and without the great noise of squeeeing. Oh, I’m sure there will be some sequeeing, but hopefully it won’t be the din that your other roles have created. Yep, I’m calling it noise ’cause after a while, well, it’s a distraction. Oh, I admit I’ve been part of the distraction. I admit. I admit. I admit! Yes, I’m guilty of that big time, but it was never the main reason I’m here no matter what anyone thinks. I believe you can act and not merely pose.
I’m sure my comments won’t win me any friends, but I don’t really care. I’m to the point where I want to see you in something that really shows your chops again (okay, someone had to say it. :D). I hope this is it!
Take care,
A crazy fan who is feeling almost vindicated (yeah, I’m sure that crack won’t win any friends either Sue me. LOL!)P.S. Gone to read the book!
Thanks to RichardArmitageNet.Com for the news.
RAFrenzy 