Larry Brown had the most best scenes in The Deuce 2.6 tonight. His acting not only animates Candy's Little Red Riding Hood feature, but he's a first-class ad-lib writer, and his being beaten by cops who mistake him for the real thing when he's chasing Lori in the streets of New York leads to Candy getting a much-needed twenty grand for her movie. Not bad for an hour's work in The Deuce - creds to Gbenga Akinnagbe in the role - and it more than justifies Candy calling him "bad bad Larry Brown" in an homage to Leroy. (Hey, I was too busy to review last week's episode, but I'm back now, from outer space.)
Meanwhile, Candy does some fine acting herself (and Maggie Gyllenhaal some fine acting as Candy) after she insists that Frankie fire his wife for her poor portrayal of Grandma and Candy plays the part herself. And I have to say that I was completely wrong when I said that Frankie seemed to be fading from the show a few weeks ago. In this and last week's episode, he's had a much stronger part than Vincent.
About that, Vincent's second thoughts about his life with the pimps and parlors is a bit trite and even boring. The Vincent we've come to know always surmounted his doubts and gets on top of the situation. In contrast to Frankie, who makes a silk purse out a sow's ear, or something like that, Vincent seems to sinking into a morass of self-doubt and pity. But kudos to James Franco for consistently good acting in this double role. (And while I handing out praise, I've been meaning to say how much I like the rendition of Elvis Costello's great 1978 "This Year's Girl" that plays at the start of very episode. The vid of Costello original singing of his song is right below.)
Still unresolved is what's going to happen with CC and Lori. He has contempt for Larry and his acting - remarking that he's no longer a pimp - and he's putting up with Lori only because she's still giving him her earnings. But this unstable situation can't last, and I'll be back here next and the weeks ahead to review how it all explodes, falls apart, or resolves.
See also The Deuce Is Back - Still Without Cellphones, and that's a Good Thing ... The Deuce 2.2: Fairytales Can Come True ... The Deuce 2.3: The Price ... The Deuce 2.4: The Ad-Lib
And see also The Deuce: NYC 1971 By Way of The Wire and "Working with Marshall McLuhan" ... Marilyn Monroe on the Deuce 1.7 ... The Deuce Season 1 Finale: Hitchcock and Truffaut
It all starts in the hot summer of 1960, when Marilyn walks off the set
of The Misfits and begins to hear a haunting song in her head,
"Goodbye Norma Jean" ..
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