Brendan Fraser was the lovable goofball of the '90s. He had established himself as a light comedy actor who seemed bewildered at his surroundings. He was really good at it too. Through Encino Man and George of the Jungle and 1999's Blast from the Past, he became the go-to actor for these fish-out-of-water stories. His willingness to take on these roles, some of which were downright silly, made him a dependable leading man for a specific kind of movie.
In Blast from the Past, he plays Adam Webber, the 35-year-old son of Calvin and Helen Webber (Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek). In 1962, the Webbers locked themselves away in a fallout shelter beneath their home, thinking that Los Angeles had just been attacked by an atomic bomb launched from Cuba. Adam was born in the shelter and spends the next 35 years in isolation. During that time, he learns French, history, boxing, dancing and proper table manners. This is a concise way of saying that, free of negative influences, Adam grows up to be a gentleman. He is refined, educated and charming. He is also naïve. He doesn't understand baseball, and, having never experienced the outside world, the notion of a big open sky is foreign to him. That all changes when, after 35 years, the shelter's lock opens.
Calvin goes to the surface and is shocked by what he sees. His neighborhood is gone, and numerous businesses of ill repute have sprung up. He returns to the shelter in horror. However, diminishing supplies require an extended trip to the surface. Adam offers to go up, with 1960s cash and his father's baseball card collection to pay his way. This is where Brendan Fraser begins to shine in the role. He has a look of wonderment to everyday sights (public transportation, the sky, a black woman) but he also nearly allows himself to be ripped off when he receives an offer to sell his box of baseball cards for $500. Luckily, Eve (Alicia Silverstone) steps in to guide Adam through this new world. Adam doesn't reveal his true history, instead opting for a cover story (he's from Alaska) to explain his lack of knowledge of the modern world.
Much of the story involves Adam's search for supplies and his attempts to find a wife. Eve and her roommate Troy (Dave Foley) help him, but they don't initially understand why he acts the way he does. The movie follows Adam through various scenarios that allow him to take full advantage of his upbringing. He isn't from Alaska, but he knows its complete history. He impresses women at a club with his French skills and dancing abilities. He successfully defends himself from Eve's ex-boyfriend. Through it all, Adam never loses his cool. He is consistently cheerful throughout. This personality trait is also a weakness. He has a direct way of answering questions, so when the time comes for him to tell the truth about his past, he does so in a way that is straight to the point, but somewhat insensitive due to his lack of opportunities to practice communication.
What makes Blast from the Past work so well is Brandon Fraser's sincere performance paired with Alicia Silverstone's cautioned skepticism. They have great chemistry. He gets to play the hyper and wide-eyed guy who, in a way, was born yesterday. In Eve, Silverstone finds a character that utilizes her strengths and doesn't showcase her limitations as an actress. I once had a film professor who said Silverstone is a bad actress. I disagree. She can act within a specified range and excels in it with the right material. She proved this in Clueless and does so again here. Co-writer and director Hugh Wilson, who had a mixed career, hits all the right notes. He manages to deliver a consistent flow of comedic situations that emerges from Adam's inexperience, but the plot is always progressing. He doesn't stop the show for the sake of a laugh. Instead, he understands that every time Adam advertises his own awkwardness, he is also showing an advantage. It's funny that Adam can deliver his lines with a big smile on his face, but his choice of words is a sign of how educated he is. Eve, who has had a series of lousy boyfriends, is simultaneously put off by his behavior and attracted to it.
It's worth mentioning that Blast from the Past was not a hit at the box office. This is inexplicable. While the amount of money a movie makes should never be attributed to its quality, it is nevertheless an indicator of what audiences want to see or were driven to see. I don't remember how much advertising Blast from the Past received, but I do know that Brendan Fraser was on a roll during the decade. His breakout role was in School Ties, proving he could do drama, and he was hot off the success of 1998's critically acclaimed Gods and Monsters. Silverstone was in Clueless four years prior to this, and, though she starred in the unfortunate Batman & Robin, there was no indication in 1999 that her star had fallen enough to keep audiences away.
I have no answer for why this movie wasn't a financial success. However, it's a good movie with funny performances and a great concept. It's kind-hearted and optimistic, and Fraser's performance is the key to why it works so well.
© 2020 Silver Screen Reviews
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