The Best and Worst of Jay Baruchel

“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” star Jay Baruchel.

Films starring Jay Baruchel that I've seen:
Almost Famous
Million Dollar Baby
Knocked Up
Tropic Thunder
Fanboys
She's Out of My League
Goon
This is the End
RoboCop
Goon: Last of the Enforcers

Best Performance: This is the End (2013)
He may not have had as many as scene-stealing moments as his co-leads, but Baruchel's turn as the faux-humble version of himself who is wildly jealous of his longtime best friend Seth Rogen's success and new Hollywood friends is still a key component of This is the End's enormous success. He's a terrific counter to the more animated acting of his peers and the relationship between and Rogen is at the center of the few sweet moments that occur in this otherwise wildly vulgar movie.

Worst Performance: Goon (2011)
Being the even-keeled member of an otherwise colorful group of slackers is Baruchel's calling card as a comedic actor. When he flipped the switch and played a hyperactive manchild with no filter in Goon, he just wasn't as convincing or funny as he is typically is.

Best Film: This is the End (2013)
With the end of the 2010's now in sight, I'm pretty confident that nothing will be able to top This is the End for the title of Funniest Movie of the Decade. This disaster movie/general Hollywood satire featuring a bunch of comedic heavy hitters (Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride, Jonah Hill, Baruchel, Craig Robinson) playing exaggerated version of themselves dealing with an apocalyptic event is a depraved, inspired and consistently hysterical gem that only becomes funnier on repeat viewings.

Worst Film: RoboCop (2014)
RoboCop is an enjoyable, well-acted reboot that I felt got way more flack than it deserved. However, it lacks the satirical edge and frantic, gory action scenes that made the original a masterful B-movie, which is enough for me to put it below the rest of the titles from Baruchel's filmography that I've seen.


Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Greta” star Chloe Grace Moretz.