With Brendan Fraser amid one of the best comebacks in recent history, thanks to The Whale, now is an excellent time to look back at some of his earlier, more underrated work. School Ties definitely qualifies. The story of a Jewish athlete facing anti-semitism at an exclusive prep school, the movie boasts an outstanding cast of Hollywood heavyweights, all of whom were not yet famous. Brendan Fraser, Cole Hauser, Chris O’Donnell and Matt Damon, as Fraser’s hateful antagonist, were all relatively new to the business. However, for Fraser, School Ties was actually his first feature, even though the quickly-shot the 1992 comedy Encino Man beat it to theaters. That film was a surprise smash, so by the time School Ties came out, Fraser was already a rising heartthrob.
While the movie was unfairly overlooked by many, it holds up well thirty years later. Fraser was fully formed as an actor, or at least seemed that way, while Damon is loathsome as the prejudiced student, a far cry from the nice guy roles he’d become known for later. It’s this week’s Best Movie You Never Saw and a worthwhile highlight of Fraser’s early filmography.
This episode of The Best Movie You Never Saw is written and narrated by Chris Bumbray and edited by Edward Clark. Stay tuned at the end for more Brendan Fraser movie recommendations.
Do you think School Ties holds up? Let us know in the comments!
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
What’s Not Allowed