The incomparableLiam Neesonfinds himself stepping into a new era of his career with his lead role in one of the summer’s biggest comedies,The Naked Gun. A hilarious reboot of the iconic spoof movie franchise which starredthe late, greatLeslie Nielsen,The Naked Gunsees Neeson using his dry wit and gruff exterior for comedic purposes, effortlessly slipping into the role of Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Nielsen’sFrank Drebin from the originalNaked Guntrilogy, and reviving the long-gone spoof subgenre for a new generation of fans, while still honoring the legacy of the beloved series. And considering its stellar reviews from critics and audiences alike— an overwhelmingly positive reaction which I also share— it seems thatThe Naked Gunhas exceeded its prospects (now let’s just hope its box office pays off).
Akiva Schaffer’sNaked Gunrebootisn’t the first time that Neeson has starred in a comedy, however. First, there was his terrific voice performance as the hysterically straight-faced Bad Cop inthe Oscar-nominated 2014 animation,The LEGO Movie. But his first in live-action was his villainous portrayal of Clinch inSeth MacFarlane’s 2014 Western comedy,A Million Ways to Die in the West. But despite having a solid supporting role in the MacFarlane-directed flick, Neeson’s comedic talents were largely underutilized in what was largely a straight-faced role in an otherwise goofy comedy.Despite this, Neeson would soon get a chance to truly flex his comedic chops in a way he had never done previously, with another Seth MacFarlane-directed feature in 2015.
Liam Neeson Shines with His Hilarious Cameo in ‘Ted 2’
One would probably not expectTed 2, of all movies, to feature some of Liam Neeson’s finest comedic acting, but here we are. A sequel toSeth MacFarlane’s gut-busting, 2012 smash-hitTed,Ted 2features an unforgettable scene where Neeson cameos as a customer at the grocery store where Ted works. Except, Neeson has a particular goal in mind; he isn’t looking for his daughter, nor is he seeking any sort of revenge. He simply wishes to purchase a box of Trix cereal, but is wondering if he could get into trouble for this (legal or otherwise), seeing as the commercials state that “Trix are for kids”, and Neeson is not a child himself.
The deadpan nature of Neeson’s delivery here is sheer comedic gold. He takes this simple idea and runs with it, playing off of MacFarlane’s bewildered Ted beautifully. Neeson acts as though he’s stepped right out of one of his dramas, delivering his lines with the same dry intensity as he would in a film likeTakenorA Walk Among the Tombstones, and his performance is all the better for it.The scene only lasts for a little over a minute, but it’s easily one of the most hysterical moments in the entire film, if not the most. Just from this quick cameo, it was clear why Neeson was chosen to take on the role of Frank Drebin Jr and introduce theNaked Gunseries to a new generation.
Liam Neeson Is Possibly Entering an Exciting New Era in His Career with ‘The Naked Gun’
Neeson’s brief yet memorable cameo inTed 2may have graced the silver screen ten years ago (my, how time flies), but it showed a glimpse at whata more comedy-oriented Liam Neesoncould look like, andwithThe Naked Gun, we could be seeing Neeson enter a brand-new chapter in his career, and one that capitalizes on the comedic potential that he had previously only shown glimpses of. With Neeson being in his early seventies now,the action-focused era of his career— an era which I and many other Neeson fans have adored, for all its ups and downs— is beginning to fade. But with that comes an opportunity for Neeson to explore a side of his talents only briefly tapped into in the past.
Liam Neeson is a one-of-a-kind performer, and it’s such an impressive accomplishment that he is still able to switch things up this drastically so late into his career. In what could have been a throwaway cameo, Neeson truly makes the most of his brief screen time, standing out as one of the highlights of what is an overall pretty fun, albeit messy, comedy sequel. He carries this same hilarious energy into hisNaked Gunperformance, and it proves that Neeson can and should have a prosperous next chapter in his storied career.
Ted 2is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.
