From a 56 year old woman's perspective. My son "introduced" me to this actor. As a mother, I have a tendency to reject. I was surprised (silly me). Same time peroid as my then college-aged my son wanted James Spader's haircut. I am thinking, "Who are these actors he is talking about?". Good choices both...Spader is getting some mainstream TV air time again. Both have excellent dramatic timing.
shareI wish my mother came onto IMDB to inform the world of how talented my favourite actors are *pouts*
About AndrewMcCarthy.. he amused me in Weekend At Bernies and Pretty In Pink. That's as far as it goes there for me. And Spader.. well. I saw Crash and that put me off, but he wasn't the ugliest actor when he was younger, if you know what I mean.
Andrew is very effective in high drama, as "Saint Elmo's Fire," and also light comedy, as "...Bernies," and in in-between coming-of-age genres, as "Mannequin."
You are right to say that he has very much under-utilized talent because he handles material very well and proves himself versatile and worthwhile.