Justin Bartha has made a pretty solid career for himself over the years and it’s showed since his first moments in Gigli. Back then he wasn’t much to look at and not even that much to consider as an actor, but as his career started moving forward he began to prove that he was more than just a role, he was an actor that was capable of taking on a role that could make you believe in that character while forgetting the actor for the time being. Catch all that? More or less he became the guy that could gain your attention by being loud and in the moment or he could fade into the background when he needed to and just kind of chill until it was his moment to come back.
But he’s an actor you can’t forget once you see him since he’s a very big part of whatever movie he’s in one way or another. Even if he has only a bit part in a film he’s bound to make an impact since his characters tend to be those that are at least somewhat important if not crucial to the story. Bartha show started out as a production assistant and then made his way onto the set of 54 as a random person in the club, has been climbing the ladder of success for a while and has come to the point where he’s poised to be one of the more memorable figures that you’ll see in any production.
Here are a few ways that he’s evolved as his career has continued along.
Gigli – Brian
Playing a mentally challenged individual has to be a test of one’s skill to start with, but keeping it up throughout an entire movie seems like it would be absolutely maddening at some points as you try to get it right. But Justin was spot on it seemed for this movie and became one of the best parts of the film. If you can believe it, and it’s not too hard, he managed to outdo Affleck and J-Lo at the same time since he was the most believable character in the movie and yet kind of had to accept that the film wasn’t bound to do much despite his hard work and effort. A movie is a team effort though, and it fails than everyone’s got to accept it.
National Treasure – Riley
Riley was the superstitious know-it-all that was kind of a whiner and didn’t enjoy going on adventures even though he kind of got dragged/volunteered into Ben’s schemes. The highlight of Riley however is that as annoying as he can be he’s unflaggingly loyal and is quite skilled when it comes to whatever Ben needs him for. This is a huge boon to such a character since he and Ben tend to do a few things that are highly illegal and would land most people in prison for a long, long time.
The Hangover – Doug
In this film and the next two he had to take a powder for a little bit since his character was, in the first film, the one that the guys were looking for. But despite the fact that he wasn’t present he was still considered a huge part of the film. That has a lot to do with the story and the fact that the filmmaker decided to keep him in reference the entire time. When you think about it Doug could have been forgotten pretty easily after the guys went on their adventure trying to figure out what they’d done all night. But it was wise to keep him in mind since in truth he was the biggest part of the story and the last clue to find. Plus he was the guy getting married in this one so it was necessary to keep him around.
White Girl – Kelly
This film is a certifiable nightmare that’s wrapped up to look like a young college girl’s foray into the drug-induced life of someone that has no idea what she’s gotten herself into. Kelly isn’t the most important person in the film but he does play a substantial part since he is bound to help Leah out. But of course he decided to be a creep just like any other guy in this film that she interacts with, as he’s a small part of the nightmare that she’s living. It’s probably one of his more despicable roles, but Bartha is definitely able to shift gears when he needs to and can dial up the creepy vibe as well as anyone.
At this time he has one project that is still filming and has a main role in a show called The Good Fight. It’s safe to say that he’s not going anywhere which is great since he is a very talented actor and can deliver a performance that makes him worth watching.
