I interviewed Jennifer Garner a few years ago for a movie called The Odd Life Of Timothy Green. Going into that interview, she wasn’t my favourite. But I could find nothing to criticise about the experience. She was there to do her job. So she was warm. She was gracious. She was thoughtful. She gave me some cute soundbites and I walked out of there appreciating that she is a total pro.
Jennifer Garner is currently promoting Miracles From Heaven. Sarah reviewed it yesterday – click here for a refresher. Basically the movie… for a certain audience. But Jennifer Garner is universally effective, whether or not you’re into the story. So they’re counting on her to sell it. And she is selling the sh-t out of it, especially to the people who are most likely to see the film. In every single interview, from Kelly & Michael to the morning news shows to The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, she’s irresistible. To me, she was especially irresistible with Fallon. Because while she’s telling the story about her Oscar dress, and it’s intended to come across as “I’m just like you, I struggle with tight clothes!”, she also gives the rest of us who are not MiniVan Majority some glimpses of her edge. At one point, I’m pretty sure she almost swears. On purpose. The way she tells you she wants to say “what the f-ck?” but stops short, even though there is no way Amazing Amy would have made such a misstep on national television.
This is a very, very sophisticated game. And as I watch her play, I keep thinking – if I’m impressed by it, can you imagine how the MiniVan Majority must be taking it? Everything she does, every time she shows up now, every laugh, every smile, with all those dimples, being so likeable and appealing, they’re asking themselves – Ben Affleck, what is the matter with you?!? It also doesn’t help that she looks f-cking amazing right now. And she knows it. Jennifer Garner is feeling herself.
