The Recasting Couch: Ep. 55 Phenomenon

The Recasting Couch Movie Podcast

This week, we talk for entirely too long about Phenomenon. John Travolta plays a Joe Sixpack who gets hit by a ball of light only to get super smart and somehow learns how to bend the laws of physics. It’s like The Matrix if Neo were a corn farmer, and the matrix was actually a massive brain tumor.

What’s interesting about this movie is that it’s so dependant on just a few roles that even though the script was really strong, the casting absolutely made this movie. I mean, Travolta and Forest Whitaker as best friends doesn’t exactly seem all that great on paper, but it all came together. I would say Robert Duvall’s casting was probably the easiest, because he’s the ultimate ride-or-die-pal and he could play the small town doctor to a tee (and does). I’m not even a Kyra Sedgwick fan, but she’s charming as hell here.This movie is packed with That Guy’s, from the Area 51 scientist in Independence Day to Roger Podacter from Ace Ventura.