BRET LOVE CHATS WITH HOLLYWOOD’S LATEST COMEBACK KID.
DO YOU LOOK AT YOUR RECENT SUCCESSES AS REDEMPTION?
I don’t believe in redemption in a social sense, and I don’t believe in forgiveness either. I have too much evidence to the contrary. I don’t think the Universe necessarily gives a damn about the details of my personal forgiveness. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t try to make amends and be somewhat honorable, because I do believe in personal redemption.
IS IT FAIR TO CALL YOUR RECENT WORK IN FILMS LIKE IRON MAN AND THIS MONTH’S TROPIC THUNDER A COMEBACK?
A motivational speaker once said to me, “The bigger the setback, the bigger the comeback.” Nowadays, any time you can complete one thing and move onto the next thing, the board is washed clean. You suck again, or still suck. Everything’s a comeback. I think it’s become incredibly tenuous and precipitous out there.
HOW DID YOU IDENTIFY WITH TONY STARK, THE CONFLICTED BILLIONAIRE SCIENTIST WHO BECOMES IRON MAN?
He has to deal with the fact that he’s become lonely in all of his glory, material success and influence. When you see him in his workshop, you realize his best friends are computers and robots and he really needs to get a life. He needs to do something worthwhile because what he has been doing – building a better mousetrap of death – isn’t any way to live.
DO YOU FEEL MORE AT PEACE WITH YOUR LIFE AS YOU GET OLDER?
Yeah. I’m 43, and I know what my part was in everything that happened. Everyone calls the shots in their own lives up to a certain point. I’m under the impression that it’s not necessary to suffer at all in order to grow and change. I think at certain times in my life I’ve basically just had huge attitude problems. But it’s changing. If you have a better attitude, you’re happier, I guess.
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