Happy birthday, Vince Vaughn: The rare actor who can do comedy and drama

The Chicago native is 55 years old today.

Most try their best, but few actors can do comedy and drama in their cinematic pursuits-or do it well enough to remember. Jim Carrey, Paul Rudd, and Seth Rogen are a few that come to mind. Neither of those talented fellas, though, could embody Bradley Thomas, the terrifyingly unafraid and dangerous character that Vince Vaughn inhabited so well in Craig S. Zahler’s Brawl in Cell Block 99.

Gone was the rabid party hound that Vaughn personified to a tee in Old School and Wedding Crashers, and in its place stood an imposing prisoner who fought like a boxer with nothing to lose. A working man who participated in a drug deal gone wrong, Bradley spends the better portion of the movie brawling with fellow prisoners in an attempt to be placed on Cell Block 99, where a certain kingpin needs to be taken out. After watching Vaughn in other comedies, one wouldn’t immediately assume the bald Thomas could bring the best speakers in town to his best friend’s fraternity party.

Then again, people often underestimate the height or size of an actor when laughing at their jokes. Like Ben Affleck, Vaughn isn’t a tiny guy and can bring some intimidation to a scene that requires it. That’s a versatility that can’t be taught. There’s a sea of working actors who would love to make some laugh out loud in a scene that calls for them to receive a handjob under a table at a fancy mansion, and then scare them during a scene where Thomas takes out his anger on the hood of a muscle car.

Vaughn turned 55 today, which only makes someone who caught onto his groove in his twenties suddenly feel much older. The actor’s energy was impossible to miss, and moviegoers who walked into Swingers thinking it was going to be another comedy that hit a mark before being forgotten forever. Jon Favreau knew what he was doing when he asked his best friend to star in the timeless gem; Vaughn enhances every single scene in which his character, Trent, plays a part. Audience members wanted to be next to him or climb into that persona for a few minutes.

That’s an effect that endures over a career that spans over three decades. As far as the comedic appeal goes, Vaughn’s knack for it has wavered a bit if you saw his Apple TV Plus series, Bad Monkey. It puts all of his gifts to use, except for the vicious punching. There aren’t a lot of people, Affleck included, who can conjure up multiple feels on the big and small screen. No wonder he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last year.

While I wait for a Wedding Crashers or Old School sequel, or just another zany performance from the Cubs fans (I’ll forgive him for that), go find one of his films and give it a watch. He’s the life of the party… who could happen to kick the crap out of somebody. A bourbon glass raised to you, Vince.