By Chris Toronyi
You always want to play the best, try to be the best. And when you do, you sometimes fail, but you do grow stronger, wiser and become more of a fighter. It's not how you lost that builds character, it's how you respond.
We've seen it time and time again this season. I've written about McConaughey and how he responded when his career seemed to plateau. Having to evaluate what he was, what he wanted and how he was going to get there. It's not about PR spins, or tangent stories that resurrect or even evolve careers, it's what they do.
Studios and producers can sign some of the best talent in the business, but if you don't have a good script and a good director you will go nowhere. There are plenty of movies that have been made with massive budgets, OK scripts and name brand directors and actors. But when it's all said and done, it's the product on the screen that matters. Acting matters. Writing matters.
Winning matters.
Take for example, 'Wall Street 2'. The original 'Wall Street' was a great movie made in the mid-80s with an amazing cast - included Martin Sheen, Charlie Sheen, Michael Douglas and the greatness of Terrance Stamp - great director and a solid script. Oliver Stone was able to produce one of the great movies of our time. Michael Douglas even won an Oscar.
But that's hard to believe if you've only seen the second 'Wall Street'.
The second one included the likes of Shia LeBouf and Carey Mulligan. It also had credibility with the return of Michael Douglas, Oliver Stone and of course the backing of the studio. But what it lacked was a new vision.
Having name brands is one thing, but fostering their talents to something magical is another. And let's not forget the huge financial investment.
Few can sculpt a story – or a football season – into something that is memorable. Something that is magical. Sometimes you gotta evaluate the situation before you jump in with a PR splash of brand names and false expectations. Be smart.
Basically… be Arsenal Football Club.
In the end writing matters. Acting matters. Directing matters. Winning matters. Brand names only sometimes do.
This week's Arsenal America Podcast welcomes Philippe Auclair who stops by to talk Napoli, Citeh and the implications of those results. Pod will also feature Tim Clark of @Arse2Mouse who chats Citeh, Chelsea and CL Draw. Please know the show is available at www.ArsenalAmericaPodcast.com, iTunes and you can also grab the RSS Feed.
Thanks for listening.
'Stateside Gooner' Chris Toronyi is a longtime Arsenal supporter and the host of The Arsenal America podcast. You can read more of Chris' thoughts on Twitter.
The views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect those of Arsenal Football Club or Arsenal Broadband Ltd.
Copyright 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
