Philip Seymour Hoffman

I love Philip Seymour Hoffman (herein known as PSH) for all the wrong reasons. Well, one main and very wrong reason: He reminds me of my dead cat.

Allow me to explain.

My sister Cori and I have a very...particular sense of humor. We are each others biggest fans. When her and I lived together a few years ago we brought Big Kiddy to live with us. Big Kiddy had been in our lives since 1994. He was affectionate, sweet, and had personality to spare. In 2004 for my 21st birthday, I adopted a kitten for myself. This kitten, Ryan O'Reily as he became to be known, was a pippish little thing that loved attention, Big Kiddy, who was ten at the time, was not a fan. He became surly, and....robust (he wasn't always "Big" Kiddy) BK always had the prettiest coat. He was a blonde cat. How many blonde cats do you see around, really? One day, Cori and I were perched on our couch watching, I believe Oscar coverage from the year PSH won, 2005? 2006? Something like that, anyway, she made the comment that, "If Big Kiddy were a human, he would be Philip Seymour Hoffman." No truer words have been spoken.

BK passed away a little over a year ago. He was fourteen, in failing health, and ready to go to that big ball of string in the sky. I was very upset when this happened, I had this cat since I was eleven years old, but, I am comforted now when I see pictures of my Big Kiddy...and oddly enough, when I see Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Oh, yes, I still have my pippish Rypants, too.

PSH first credit ever, according to the IMDB, was an episode of Law and Order, so he earns his character actor stripes with that credit alone.

He did win an Oscar for his role as Truman Capote, but I don't think professional accolades immediately disqualify you from C.A. status, do they? Well, the Oscar aside, everything else about him is standard C.A. fare. His build, for one, all, well, let's stick with robust, and unconventionally handsome. He is another one that ping-pongs between minor roles in huge, crappy movies, "Mission Impossible: III", really, P? Did you lose a bet? And "Twister". To not-as-crappy bigger movies like "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Cold Mountain".

I guess PSH physical appearance and talent can work against him at times. Now forgive me for this sketchy memory, but here it goes. I remember watching Ebert and Roeper, I do believe, when PSH's movie "Love Liza" came out in 2002. He played an gambling-addict or some such, an aimless sad-sack, from what I gathered from the review. Anyway, one of them, Ebert or Roeper said that PSH was "too perfect for this role." Wait a minute, how the hell does that work? Isn't that suppose to be a good thing, when you are perfect for a role? Ebert and/or Roeper was not pleased with PSH's performance at all because of that fact. You're too good at playing a dumpy guy down on his luck. WTF? I was angry on behalf of PSH. Really, what do you guys want from him?! Who was suppose to play a role like that? Adam Sandler in a fat suit? And really, why do I remember movie reviews from seven years ago? If only I could fill my brain with useful knowledge....

Philip Seymour Hoffman will always hold a special place in my heart, even if it is weird and kinda morbid, but, it is what it is. Plus, that rouge DJ on a boat movie he's in looks kinda cute.