There is no debate that Wolverine might be Hugh Jackman’s best known and best loved role. The actor has brought the fan-favorite Marvel character to life for more than 25 years, starting with Fox’s X-Menmovies and carrying through to the MCU with Deadpool & Wolverine. For many, that’s the role that defines his career. It makes it easy to forget that Jackman’s career is much more expansive than that. The actor, who is just an Oscar away from EGOT status, has appeared in just about every kind of movie you can imagine and turned in some incredible performances in some very successful films. However, it’s his role in a film that bombed at the box office that might just be his best performance, even if it’s a complicated one.
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Released in 2006, there is nothing simple or straightforward about The Fountain. Written and directed by Darren Aronofsky, The Fountain stars Jackman and Rachel Weisz and is a story told through three parallel storylines across three different eras, all centering around a man’s heartbreaking and desperate efforts to save the woman he loves. It’s a story that digs into grief, love, and mortality. It’s decidedly high concept and visually, it’s stunning. But the movie got mixed reviews from critics, audiences were confused, and it tanked at the box office. However, there is one thing everyone agrees on: Jackman is at his absolute best in this layered, nuanced film.
Jackman Is Playing Three Roles in The Fountain And They Are All Brilliantly Done
I’m not going to try to explain The Fountain to you. It’s a sci-fi romance that is so complex it almost redefines the world complicated. On the surface it sounds simple: you have two people bonded by love across time and space but also destined to be torn apart by tragedy. But then you layer in the historical aspect, the different timelines, and how it all ties together and what you get is movie that needs to be watched multiple times to grasp. However, what doesn’t require audiences to take notes and really think about what they’re watching is the excellent nature of Jackman’s work in the film.
In the film, Jackman is technically playing three characters, 16th century Spanish conquistador Tomas, modern-day scientist trying to cure his dying wife, Tommy, and a cosmic traveler in the 26th century dealing with his own grief, Tom. While it’s suggested (depending on your reading of the film) that all three characters are iterations of one figure, Jackman makes them feel individual and distinct in ways that transcend their chronological settings. In doing so, he presents three different takes on the idea of devotion. Tomas’ is fierce in his quest to find the Tree of Life to save his queen and kingdom. Tom is obsessive in his efforts to stop death and Tommy is something akin to a bit of both as he is haunted by his grief and memories.
Given that his roles previous to The Fountain largely showcased Jackman’s skills as a highly charismatic performer that reads more as an entertainer than something dramatic and contained, his work in the film is incredibly stripped down. This is Jackman at his absolute most bare bones, the result being a performance that is quiet, raw, and at times painfully vulnerable. Being able to do that and carry it across three distinct characters is no small feat, especially since much of Jackman’s other work also has a physical action component to it to sort of prop up everything else. The Fountain doesn’t have that. It’s intimate, it’s exposing, and it’s, at times, transcendent.
Even Jackman Is Aware of How Significant The Fountain Is in His Career
Of course, you don’t have to take our word for The Fountain being one of Jackman’s best roles. Jackman himself has acknowledged the significance of the film, telling Vanity Fair a few years ago that the film was “a real turning point” for him as an actor. He would explain how making the film helped him learn how to trust in the collaboration of others on projects. He also has spoken about how people who have seen the film also tell him what the movie means to them and have ‘the most passionate response of any move I’ve done.”
More than Jackman’s own appreciation for The Fountain, however, is how it has aged with audiences. While the movie may not have done well when it hit theaters and may always be a very complicated sci-fi epic, it’s ended up a success every time it pops up on streaming and has prompted more than a few people to reevaluate it. The film has slowly and steadily been getting an all-new appreciation from audiences — and that includes Jackman’s incredible, powerful performance that may well end up being the best of his entire career.
The Fountainis currently not available to stream but is available to rent on Amazon.
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