Is James Franco For Real?

image via NY Mag

Until about a year ago, I couldn't stand James Franco. In the few films of his I had seen, he either didn't seem to fit in the role (like in the Spider-Man films, he felt out of sync with the other actors) or somehow didn't seem to be all there. He got a lot of praise for Pineapple Express, which I thought was insanely long and not funny, and his subsequent SNL appearance - with the worst opening sketch I've ever seen, Agent 420 - was a shambles.

But then something changed, and I can't quite put my finger on what. His second SNL appearance was infinitely better - check out the crazy Digital Short or his monologue below - and his appearance on General Hospital was so bizarre it was awesome. Suddenly, I was fascinated. Who was this guy who took a role on my favorite soap while juggling grad school and an increasingly well-regarded film career?

This week's New York Magazine has an article that basically poses the same question: Is James Franco For Real? It's an intriguing read, and I found myself really liking him; his intense focus and drive and his desire to try everything is a lot like me (or me if I wasn't so lazy), and I admire him for his ambition. Then on the other hand, I feel like the article paints him as even more of a mystery, but in a good way. The public persona, or our perception of his persona - more Pineapple Express than Allen Ginsberg - doesn't fit with the intellectual workaholic he appears to be in the story. I really want him to be the latter because it holds the promise of a truly memorable career. I think I'm more inclined to watch his films in the future - if he has so much on his plate, he should only pick projects that are really worth his time. Below are his SNL monologue from this year and the trailer for Howl.