Making Puck: Edward Norton Edition

This is Edward Norton.  He’s a badass.

To his credit, the man has starred in 17 films.  In just about everyone of them, he’s a badass.  But we’re not talking knock you on your head with a haymakerbadass – let the Vin Diesels of the world do that mindless child’s play.  This man is apsychological badass.  He gets inside your head, but in a non-Malkovichian way.  That’s why he goes by Edward.  He could just as easily cultivate the tough guy persona by going with “Ed” or “Eddie,” but he sticks with Edward.  Why?  Because it’s the name of an unassuming psychologicial badass.  No one’s afraid of “Edward.”  And then he kills a priest and creates a sheepish alter-ego that clears him of all charges and you didn’t even see it coming.  If it was Eddie, you’d suspect something long before Laura Linney gets played.  He plays roles where he doesn’t need to throw a punch to scare the hell out of you.  So while your action movie marquees come emblazoned with guys that are all brawn and no brain, and your Oscar flicks hype the DiCaprios and Depps of the world, Edward Norton is underappreciated.  We honor him with today’s Making Puck.

Afterall, you can’t spell psychological badass without “psycho.”