Performer to Watch: Dane DeHaan

If you saw The Amazing Spider-Man 2 this past weekend you saw Dane DeHaan steal every scene.  Well maybe not every scene, Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone have enough chemistry to power Vegas, but DeHaan is magnetic as Harry Osborn/The Green Goblin.  In the past Harry has always been to whiny, needy, I often feel as though he was more cartoonish like Scotty in Austin Powers (Seth Green).  In this franchise there is some of that father issues present, but it builds to a darker resentment.

Norman Osborn was a sociopath, so it makes sense for his son who feels this resentment to take this to a whole new level.  DeHaan has more of a David Bowie vibe; he is suave, but has cracks on insecurity.  I wish I got to see more of him in the film, which allowed him to flesh out the character more.  This was more of a problem with the script rather than a problem with his acting.  DeHaan is a star on the rise.

This was not the first time DeHaan has been impressive; he starred in two great films films last year (2013), The Place Beyond the Pines, and Kill Your Darlings.  In Pines most would think the focus is on Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper, but the third act focuses on Dane Dahaan's character as a troubled teen, the son of Gosling.  DeHaan's character has had a deeply troubled past, and he is fantastic in the film.

DeHaan is magnetic, and is often described as a young DiCaprio, in part because he looks like a younger version of him, but his role in Kill Your Darlings, displays the magnetic nature DiCaprio brings to all his roles. I first saw DeHaan in the television series In Treatment (2010), and though this right away.  DeHaan has a way of creating wonderfully complex characters, and giving them true depth and meaning.

Going forward like James Franco, who played Harry Osborn, DeHaan will also play James Dean in a film called Life from director Anton Corbijun (The American).  The film focuses on a phtographer assigned to take pictures of Dean for Life Magazine.  This will no doubt further prove the magnetic nature of DeHaan's acting style.  DeHaan will also be back as the Green Goblin, for many sequels to come.  DeHaan has made a strong name for himself, and will be exciting to see his career take off from this point.