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What is he, 80?

Kim Hollis: As John Hamann chronicled in the Weekend Wrap-Up, Harrison Ford's prior three releases had all been disastrous. Do you believe Crystal Skull puts him back on the map as a lead actor or is this his last box office hurrah?

Pete Kilmer: Boy, I think it depends on the projects he picks. He seemed looser and looked like he had more fun in this movie than most of the movies he made over the past 15 years. I think it *might* be his last hurrah as the leading man. He just needs to pick better projects to be in. I hope he does because he's an engaging actor.

Tim Briody: Enjoy what better be your last leading man role, sir. Time to start playing grandpa. All the others actors your age have figured that out by now.

David Parker: This was probably his last shot at having audiences believe him as an action hero. If Harrison wants success a leading man, he'll need to transition from Indy to indie films and smaller roles. Something like Crossing Over is a good start. Everyone needs to see there's a still good actor in there.

Joel Corcoran: It's a last hurrah on par with William Shatner's last turn as Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Generations. Ford is a very good actor, but he's reached (if not exceeded) the limit of playing leading man in an action/thriller. I'd love to see him turn to roles along the lines of what David Strathairn did in The Bourne Ultimatum or George Clooney's role in Michael Clayton - characters facing the gritty realism that they're too old to be "men of action." Or maybe he can join Shatner on Boston Legal. That would be cool.

Max Braden: I think it has certainly revived faith in Ford's ability to perform in energetic movies. Sean Connery did The Rock when he was the same age, and Clint Eastwood was 70 when he did Space Cowboys. Ford may not be able to lead any more action films, but pair him - even with actors closer to his age than LaBeouf - in a project that has a mix of adventure and comedy and he could pull out a few hits yet. Unless it's Hollywood Homicide 2, in which case he's screwed.

Calvin Trager: Unless Warners greenlights The Bucket List II, I don't see it.

Tim Briody: I'm glad somebody went there. Thank you, Calvin.





David Mumpower: I think that he can get all of the parts that Sean Connery's retirement have left open for everyone else. Nowadays, he's the aging mentor whose death from old age teaches the young pup the true meaning of heroism. And he's Indiana Jones if a follow-up project can come together quickly. Other than that, he's at the end of a historically unprecedented career of box office successes. If he wants to be guaranteed to end on an up note, it's time to ride out into the sunshine Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade style.

Calvin Trager: Connery was still "cool" at 60, 70. Harrison Ford comes across as a burned-out husk of a person. Or maybe I'm being all unfair and judgey based on nothing more than seeing him bombed at one too many awards show. Without the fedora I think Ford lacks the certain I don't know what to fill that role. I mean, he's only five years younger than Nicholson, so what's been preventing him from getting those parts up to now?

David Mumpower: My speculation would be ego. After all, he's had as many $100 million movies as anybody in the world. He hasn't been in a position where he had to take on the mentor role until the past few years. K-19: The Widowmaker was when it all went south for him for whatever reason. He'd never gone three straight films without a hit before that and he was always the lead in those titles.

Calvin Trager: I see your point. It's not so much that he couldn't get those kinds of roles as he wouldn't take those kinds of roles. Just for fun, though, here's a few actors pushing 60 who I'd rather see play the grizzled mentor instead of Harrison Ford (born 1942): William Hurt (1950), Jeff Bridges (1949), and Sam Jackson (1948). I'm sure there are others, in fact this is a good place for a "so and so's agent is on line 2" joke. Don't let me down!

Kim Hollis: I tend to agree with David Parker. It's time for him to take on a couple of indie projects and show us he can act.

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