In “Big Bold Beautiful Journey”, Farrell plays David, a man who is taken in a magical trip to Sarah (Margot Robbie), where the two can review several aspects of their lives so far. In the case of David, he was brought back to his high school days, at a time when he was 15 years old and played the main role, J. Pierrepont Finch, in a production of the musical of Frank Loesser in 1961 “How to succeed in business without really trying”. Farrell shines in the game, giving the opening number, “How to Subceed”, such an old Hollywood enthusiasm he gives to Robert Morse (who played Finch in the cinematographic version of the 1967 musical) a race for his money. It is not too surprising that Farrell has a great feeling of timing; After all, some of its best performance is based on its comic chops, such as “In Bruges” and “The Lobster”. He is surprising, however, that he has such a voice with a pleasantly clear tone and that he is physically agile with regard to dance choreography. In other words, unlike some stars in a hurry to make musical numbers (looking at you, half the distribution of “Mamma Mia” films), Farrell nails absolutely which could have been a simple joke in less hands, the idea that we see the average age in his adolescence.
Of course, “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” is not a real film musical (however, given its allusions to the new French wave, in particular the films of Jacques Demy, perhaps might have been). So, as delicious as this Farrell performance, is not enough, and is only the appetite for more actor in musical mode. “How to succeed in business without really trying” is probably too old to justify a cinematographic remake with a big budget, so we cannot just suggest that Farrell is thrown into something like that. There is always the possibility that he featured in a brand new film musical in “The Greatest Showman” or “La la Land”, which could be great. If it is a preexisting musical in which Colin Farrell should play, however, my vote would be from 1947 “Finian’s Rainbow”, by Ey Harburg and Fred Saidy. Yes, the musical is 78 years old, and yes, the tastes of Francis Ford Coppola and Fred Astaire made a cinematographic version in 1968. However, the scenario is sufficiently based on fantasy so that it was comfortably updated towards modern times (something that Coppola did with his proud Irishman and, as seen in “Big Bard” material.
Whatever happens, let’s hope, we will see Farrell directing the cast of a great musical from Spishhy film in a few years.
