Charlie’s Angels (2000) is the epitome of how seriously Drew Barrymore takes herself: the hair flips, the silly punk rock past of her character, action sequences so absurdly, self-consciously over-the-top that they make you smile.
Playfulness seems to be Barrymore ‘s signature, what distinguishes her from her lesser rom-com peers. So it wasn’t surprising that this was a film she chose to produce, an ode to a dumb TV show celebrating sexism/female empowerment/both (depending on your point of view).
The show (1976-81)– for those younger folks out there–featured a wealthy but reserved guy (Charlie), who hired three beautiful detectives (the angels) for his agency. All we ever got of Charlie was his voice, as he never appeared in person and let all arrangements be managed by his assistant, Bosley. The term ‘angel,’ use of possessive, Charlie’s condescending voice, the quick rotations of actresses for the roles (suggesting they were interchangeable)—any of the four could make a feminist cringe. But the women were tough and smart, using their looks to blindside unwary men, much as Columbo used his folksiness.
The film is both a parody and tribute, using the TV show’s theme music, graphics, and basic concept, but mocking the silliness of it too. Cameron Diaz plays the supposed airhead (Natalie) to perfection. Lucy Liu takes on the kind of tough role she always plays, even imitating a dominatrix/efficiency expert in one ploy as detective Alex. As Dylan, Barrymore mocks the over-the-top femininity of her predecessors by embracing a badass, punk rock aesthetic. The strange connection the women have to Charlie is brought to the forefront when their client (Sam Rockwell) suggests that Dylan has daddy issues.
Hopeful to meet Charlie in person…
Whatever part she’s in, Barrymore always seems to be playing herself, and part of what keeps us watching her is just how likeable she is, this woman who went through a painful past of abandonment and substance abuse as a kid, and emerged as a woman with empathy for those who contributed to the conditions that put her there. She is both the most tender of the three actresses onscreen—Barrymore always captures vulnerability effectively—and the most sarcastic. Perhaps hers is an earned playfulness, but Barrymore wears it lightly. (How else could you repeatedly perform with Adam Sandler, and more bafflingly, not only star with, but marry Tom Green? Tom Green!) While her acting never wows me, she does.
In Drew’s performances, I don’t see much of her forebears, that famous acting dynasty whose members mesmerize audiences still today. Only in her youthful roles did I ever see traces of the Barrymore family’s skill with drama. I would argue that Irreconcilable Differences (1984); an underrated film about a girl who wants to separate from her narcissistic, divorced parents (in an eerie foreshadowing of Barrymore’s own decision years later); was her strongest dramatic role. Perhaps it just was a part she knew really, really well.
But usually, the actress just prefers, and does better, at comedies. Certainly, Drew lacks the intimidation or gravitas of her great-uncle Lionel…
the nuance of her great-aunt Ethel…
or the presence of her grandfather John…
Of course, her troubled past brings to mind her grandfather’s. But it’s in her self-deprecating goofiness that I see the clearest link to the Barrymore dynasty. While it’s certainly not present in all of the Barrymores’ roles, I see it in John’s charming turn in Grand Hotel, and, of course, in his hilarious supporting character in the glorious Midnight (1939). There’s such a lightheartedness to his approach to the role of Georges Flammarion, and though he was already at the cue card stage of his decline, his humor, at least, had not reached the self-parody stage.
John Barrymore in Midnight
Such lightheartedness is key to Dylan’s (Drew Barrymore’s) character, even when she’s in the direst straights. In the best action sequence in Charlie’s Angels, Dylan has been tied up by her sleazy client, Eric Knox (Sam Rockwell), who has betrayed her after sleeping with her, and tried to kill her already. Knox departs to perform his nefarious schemes, leaving her to his five henchmen. After managing to get her lighter back, she spells out what she will do to escape, buying time but also revealing her confidence.
As she sits in her chair, she calmly explains, smiling at her adversaries all the while, “By the time this is over, every one of you is gonna be face down on the floor, and I’m gonna moonwalk out of here.”
As they rush toward her, she interrupts, looking at each man in turn, “You’re not listening to me. See first, you’re gonna help me out of my chair, and then I’m gonna leapfrog over you, before I break his nose…I’m gonna do all of this with my hands tied behind my back.”
She does exactly what she says:
And her moonwalk is a joy:
You can see the full clip here.
Any actress could have had fun with such a sequence, but there’s so much self-amusement in Drew Barrymore’s portrayal that I kept thinking of her grandfather in Midnight. Sure, he had much more range and talent than she does, but in self-amusement, the two are matched.
This post is part of the Barrymore Trilogy blogathon, hosted by Crystal of In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood. See the fantastic entries here!
Intriguing comparison. It is something I will be aware of in the future.
Thanks, Patricia!
Love this! When Charlie’s Angels first came out, I was about 9 years old and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. It’s still one of my greatest guilty pleasures — glad to see you highlight it and Drew’s performance. Great, great post!
Thanks, Michaela! It was a fun movie, wasn’t it? It’s great to see all of them just having fun.
Hi, Leah! This is a great post, with nice coverage of a fun movie! You hit the nail on the head with this film she is certainly having a good time. Out of curiosity, when you said, “I don’t see much of her forebears, that famous acting dynasty whose members mesmerize audiences still today. Only in her youthful roles did I ever see traces of the Barrymore family’s skill with drama.” were you referring to all her performances or her performance in Charlie’s Angels?
Thank you! I meant in general. I think she’s OK as a dramatic actress, but she never stands out much to me. I always feel like someone else would be stronger in the role she’s in. The only exceptions are in her early dramas, like ET or Irreconcilable Differences, where I feel like the movie would be different with another actress.
I’ve never really thought about it before reading your post, but Drew Barrymore is VERY likeable. I’ve only seen bits of Charlie’s Angels, but now I’ll watch the movie, with your post in mind.
It’s fun to watch. She’s more of the focus of the movie, but I have to say Diaz may be the funniest in it–also an actress who really embraces silly roles:)
I also had never thought of the self-amusement this family has. Since I’m a bit more used to John Barrymore in silent film, I haven’t had th chance to see his funnier self in films such as Midnight. But you did a great comparison – and I do agree Drew Barrymore may have a lot of fun in her career as an actress and producer.
Don’t forget to read my contribution to the blogathon! 🙂
Cheers!
Le
Thank you! Of course. I always love reading yours:)
Lovely post. The good thing is that Drew’s sense of fun does not border on the tragic self-parody of grandpa Jack. She is a credit to the troubled and talented family name.
Thank you. It’s true. She’s just having fun, and so those of us watching do too:)
THE BARRYMORE TRILOGY BLOGATHON: A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL PARTICIPANTS | In The Good Old Days Of Classic Hollywood.
[…] Cary Grant Won’t Eat You: A Legacy Of Self Amusement: John and Drew Barrymore […]
Hi Leah. Thanks so much for participating in the blogathon. I’ve only just got around to reading the entries now, and I must say that yours was highly worth the wait. I’ve never seen “Charlies Angles” in it’s entirety, but I must do so now.
I’ve also just announced a new blogathon that you might be interested in participating in. The link is below with more details
https://crystalkalyana.wordpress.com/2015/08/17/in-the-good-old-days-of-classic-hollywood-presents-the-lauren-bacall-blogathon/
Thanks so much for hosting, Crystal! It’s a wonderful blogathon. I haven’t had a chance to catch them all yet either, but look forward to it! I haven’t seen enough of Lauren Bacall. That sounds like fun.
I confess, Leah. that I’ve always found both Ms. Barrymore and Charlie’s Angels to be acquired tastes, but you hit the nail on the head with your assessment of the (familial?) self-awareness in her work. She could have easily gone off the rails like her grandfather at an early age, but she’s managed to, by and large, keep things together over the years. The hostage scene you describe sounds a lot like Scarlet Johansson’s intro in the first Avengers film, where she’s tied up and calmly proceeds to escape and kick butt. Drew seems to be enjoying it more, though. Very nice article.
Thanks, Gary! Yes, I can see what you mean. She’s not my favorite actress, and Charlie’s Angels isn’t my favorite film by any stretch. But it, and she, are fun to watch. I haven’t seen Avengers yet, but am liking SJ less and less with every film (she always seems so flat to me, whether the role requires it or not). Perhaps I’ll just catch that scene…:) Leah
I love John Barrymore – can’t see that much resemblance in Drew’s work, though I do think she looks a bit like him at some angles.Must confess I don’t really remember Charlie’s Angels (never watched the series), but I liked her with Hugh Grant in Music and Lyrics, which I thought was quite underrated, and she has a lot of fun in that too. Enjoyed reading this!
You didn’t miss much with the series! Hard to take. You know, I never saw that one, and I love Grant. Thank you for the rec. I’ll check it out!