Sam Elliott plays a washed-up actor in “The Hero.” (Sundance)

Sam Elliott plays a washed-up actor in “The Hero.” (Sundance)

Sam Elliott perfect for ‘Hero,’ where he practically plays himself

Can you be a movie star on the sly? Sam Elliott is an instantly recognizable and much-liked actor, with a collection of leading roles behind him.

And yet Elliott never quite became a top-line star. He didn’t seem interested in the trappings of Hollywood, he worked in TV before TV got cool, and he stuck with the Western long after the genre had gone out of style.

Ever since “The Big Lebowski,” in which he plays the twangy cowpoke who counsels Jeff Bridges in the ways of the world, Elliott has become an even more treasured figure. You couldn’t hear his resonant commercial voiceovers extolling the virtues of beef — “It’s what’s for dinner” — without smiling.

All of this makes him the ideal actor for “The Hero,” a pleasant character study. Elliott plays Lee Hayden, an actor almost exclusively known for a single iconic role he played 40 years earlier.

Lee can’t find much work — we first see him doing commercial voiceover for barbecue sauce — and he’s got mixed feelings about an upcoming Lifetime Achievement award from a small Western-movie organization. (This film was shown at the recent Seattle International Film Festival, with the actor in attendance for an achievement award — a nice bit of serendipity.)

The screenplay, by Marc Basch and director Brett Haley, wastes no time setting up Lee’s life. In the first five minutes we learn of his career doldrums, the looming award ceremony and a cancer diagnosis.

He visits his pot dealer buddy (reliable Nick Offerman) and meets a mutual friend, Charlotte (Laura Prepon, from “Orange Is the New Black”). Lee is 71 and Charlotte is not much older than Lee’s estranged daughter (Krysten Ritter), but that never stopped a movie romance from moving forward.

Nothing earth-shaking happens, and there are too many flat dialogue scenes with people standing around talking. But it’s a pleasure to watch Elliott stretch out in a big, emotional part. His slow drawl makes a quirky rhythm with Prepon’s rapid-fire millennial delivery.

Elliott even shares a few scenes with his real-life wife, Katharine Ross (the leading lady of “The Graduate”), who plays his ex. Clearly, this project, however modest, is a labor of love.

For diehard Sam Elliott fans, think of this as a bookend to his 1976 cult picture, “Lifeguard,” in which he played a beach hunk contemplating the meaning of it all. He’s not riding off into the sunset just yet, but “The Hero” is a genial gift for a hard-working actor.

“The Hero” (2½ stars)

Sam Elliott plays an actor known for an iconic role 40 years earlier, and now in a long career doldrums. Nothing much happens, but Elliott’s signature laconic charm carries this character study.

Rating: R, for language, subject matter

Opening Friday: Pacific Place, SIFF Cinema Uptown, Sundance

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.