Although this film was good in places (not my favourite but not a bad film), one of the worst casting errors I have seen in a while was casting Efron in that part.
He looks like a male model trying to perform a whacked out parody of Sean Penn's stoned higher educational sage in Fast Times.
I see a lot of love coming for it but in my mind it was hackneyed, unoriginal and just confusingly cheesy.
I thought Zac Efron was excellent in the role of Nat, capturing a well-known type of eccentric young-adult personality with accuracy and humor. And he didn't strike me as looking unusually handsome in the part, just more or less ordinary.
I get the impression from your screen name and your British spelling that you're from the U.K. I suspect that the problem you have with Efron's performance stems from your not being familiar with the particular type of eccentric American young person he's playing. Believe me, they do exist, and they're just like that. And Nat is not a "parody" or copy of Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High (who, by the way, was not a "higher educational sage"--or were you just being obscurely ironic by saying that?). Any resemblance between Nat and Jeff Spicoli is mostly superficial: they represent different age levels, different maturity levels, different intelligence levels, different degrees of self-awareness and introspection, different educational levels, probably different geographical origins, possibly different socioeconomic origins, different youth-culture affiliations, and different life goals.
VERY well said gds555, I liked Efron in the part also.
shareI am also from the UK gds555 and my brother and I thought Efron was excellent in the part too, so it's not a British thing!!
shareI couldn't pick Zac out in a lineup, but I thought while watching the film that he was stealing every scene he was in, so I'd say he did something right.
shareI was disapointed when I saw him casted in this movie until I saw it. You are right on, he definately nailed all his scenes.
+1 for you and +10 for gds555 and his remarkable reply.
First time I comment on imdb, so I guess both of you also did something right :)
I don't know much about Zac Efron - he was decent in Me and Orson Welles - and I thought he did fine here. I don't know what Radnor's original plan for Nat was - but he shares all his scenes with the director, so he was clearly doing what he wanted him to.
shareThe short appearance of his character was a key element in the story and Zac Efron did a wonderful job here.
sharehe was great, didn't know who he was before this, his perfect hair was odd, but then, I'm pretty sure he was a ghost/spirit or figment. I really don't think he was a "real" character, look at the books referenced.
shareI agree with the general consensus that he aced it. It's a character that could be a disaster and ended up being incredibly charming. Efron totally committed to it. The scene where he "infused energy" into Radner was physical genius.
I thought he was real. But, if he wasn't real I also felt he could be a representation of Jessie himself - his subconscious youthful self and desires. Nat said he was visiting. He took Jessie to a party that Jessie could have come across on campus.
He asked out Zibby for Jessie. A lot of Jessie's interactions with Zibby were initiated and encouraged by Nat....
Zac Efron was a total delight in this film! The part itself was wonderful and he nailed it.
We were at Kenyon while they were at Kenyon the summer of 2011 when they were filming the movie. My kids went to swim camp there every summer. Beautiful school. One of the best in the country. Alma Matter of Paul Newman.
"I'm pretty sure he was a ghost/spirit or figment. I really don't think he was a "real" character, look at the books referenced"
I've seen this mentioned before, but having just watched it, in the early bar scene when he walks up to Zibby, she says 'oh, you made a friend' then proceeds to touch Zac Efron (Nat's) arm and he interacts in the scene.
I'm certain he was 'real' but think that would have made a great creative twist!
"ghost spirit" . . . yes, that's what I felt too about this figure. He just sort of turned up at such opportune times. More Jesse's imagination or conscience.
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I really liked him in this role. I had a constant smile every time he came on screen. PERFECT casting choice as far as I'm concerned!
shareI loved Zac Efron in this role. It may be my favorite performance of his career.
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