THERE HAVE BEEN a great deal of visitor stars in The Bear— to the point where we, as an audience, have actually sort of been conditioned to anticipate any significant off-screen character to ultimately appear with a well-known face. That’s what an episode like season 2’s “Fishes”– where Jamie Lee Curtis, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, and John Mulaney were amongst the visitors at a previous Berzatto Christmas supper– will do to an audience.
Season 3 was eventually a bit lighter on star-power, reviving a few of the above names while including individuals from the real-life food world playing themselves. One essential look, and a masterstroke in casting, came in episode 4, “Violet.” Midway through the episode, Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) drops his child off to stick with Frank, his ex-wife Tiff’s (Gillian Jacobs) brand-new fiancé (who was pointed out in season 2). And in this minute, we discover 2 really crucial realities: Frank is played by Josh Hartnett, and he’s a very good guy.
That tosses a wrench into things! When you’re following a character like Richie who’s both pleasant and on a course of self-improvement, the natural sensation is to wish to root for him to right the important things he’s ruined, which consists of making things right with his ex-wife (and perhaps even reviving something). He messed things up, and she’s engaged now, however he’s altered– and he has the opportunity to win her back. That’s what rom-coms would have us believing, a minimum of.
In those rom-com situations, however, the brand-new fiancé is normally some sort of an asshole, or a jerk, or somebody simple to root versus. Within minutes, it’s clear that’s not who Frank is, or what he’s about.
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A fast wrap-up of the scene: Frank respects Richie’s child. Frank makes a self-depreciating joke (Eva calling him “Waldo” is much better than calling him “Asshole,” he quips). Frank says sorry, heartily, to Richie for not speaking with him before proposing to Tiff. Frank desires Richie to come to their wedding event. Frank wishes to consume at The Bear.
It’s yet another example of The Bear expanding its nuanced world, one that comprehends the method people are and how they communicate much better than almost any other program on tv. It would be Simple if Frank was an arrogant, abundant, conceited guy. It would be so simple to make a box that states “Jerk” and put Frank right in it. That’s not what the program does, and that’s difficult. The audience requires to acknowledge and accept the truth of what’s in front of them– that Frank is a swell guy.
Hartnett’s casting speaks volumes by itself. Not just is Richie naturally comparing himself with this guy who’s great, with a great home, who’s weding his ex-wife, however he rather actually appears like a motion picture star– since he’s played by one. Hartnett is 45 now,