Kinnear commands authority on screen with varied character roles

Greg Kinnear is best at playing authority roles with a twist.

He can be unusually pompous and self-assured, but he maintains enough charisma that he is never truly unlikable.

In "You've Got Mail" (1998), directed by Nora Ephron, Kinnear plays Frank, Meg Ryan's boyfriend at the beginning of the picture. Playing into the formula of classical Hollywood cinema, the audience knows exactly how the story will end from the beginning of the film.

Kinnear is cast as a bookish, self-important writer. The character is slightly off-putting without ever being truly unpleasant, but we know that Meg Ryan can't end up with him. He is characterized as less of a man than the Tom Hanks character. Of course, Hanks is the much bigger star, another clue as to who will get the girl. Kinnear is quite good at playing this character.

While all this might seem obvious, these tropes of the romantic comedy are rooted in classical Hollywood cinema. We know Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell will end up together in Hawks' "His Girl Friday" (1940) from the very first scene. What makes a film like this enjoyable or not is how it reaches its conclusion.

Kinnear doesn't play only one kind of character, however, and thankfully branches out from playing nerds. He is at his best when in some kind of authoritative role. He appeared in "Mystery Men" (1999), directed by Kinka Usher, as Captain Amazing. The Ben Stiller superhero farce doesn't quite hold its own as a film, but it boasts a great collection of comedic performances. Kinnear's Captain Amazing is arrogant and kind of a jerk, but hilarious to watch. He is reluctant to accept help from other superheroes and meets an untimely though humorous demise. Stiller as Mr. Furious is good, doing his usual uptight shtick before it wears out its welcome, and William H. Macy grabs the meatiest role as the Shoveler.

In "Little Miss Sunshine" (2006), directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Kinnear plays the father of a dysfunctional brood. As the patriarch, he is flawed but well-meaning. He demands nothing but success from everyone in his family, a trait which drives some of them away. He is tough on his young and overweight daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin), butts heads with his suicidal brother-in-law (Steve Carell) whom he doesn't understand, and clashes with his wife (Toni Collette) over money. His character travels a subtle arc and in the end he learns how to better relate to his family.

Kinnear has had a varied career from an Oscar nominated role in "As Good as it Gets" (1997) to the Miley Cyrus vehicle "The Last Song" (2010). No matter the quality of his projects, the character actor is a great talent on screen. He's always a commanding presence, even when he's not in charge.

tom helberg is a senior film studies major. Reach him at tomhelberg@dailynebraskan.com.