Watching a preview for the upcoming Al Pacino movie Two for the Road last night, it dawned on me that we need a version of the television term "jump the shark" just for actors. Pacino once made classics like The Godfather, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, and Scarface. Now he churns out crap like Gigli, The Recruit, S1m0ne and The Devil's Advocate. We need a term for a turnabout of such monumental proportions.I humbly propose it be "regarding Henry," in honor of the awful 1991 movie of the same name, which marked a clear turning point in Harrison Ford's career. As the dean of the rock critics Robert Christgau once said of Rod Stewart, "Rarely has anyone betrayed his talent so completely." Please consider...
Before Regarding Henry: The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Blade Runner, Apocalypse Now, Witness, American Grafitti.
After Regarding Henry: Hollywood Homicide, K-19: The Widowmaker, Random Hearts, Six Days Seven Nights, Sabrina, The Devil's Own.
I rest my case.
Usage would be flexible. It could be a verb, as in, "I'm worried John Leguizamo is regarding Henry now that he's joined the cast of ER." Or it could be a gerund, as in, "Regarding Henry is the risk an artist takes when he values money over art."
