Unlike a VIrgin
The fallout from "Medellin" continued as Vince learned that Hollywood's patience with him has begun to wane in the face of his disastrous career choices. Despite a new work ethic that includes actually reading scripts, Vince's time on the beach has cost him in more than just tangible assets. His once shiny, rising star is now casting a little less glow and he is learning that for the first time, he is going to have to really commit to playing "the game" to gain back his movie star status.
While Ari rarely emits a warm and fuzzy glow, I was a little surprised by his bluntness in assessing Vince's prospects, especially on his golf outing with Marky Mark. (Yes, that was Entourage executive producer
Mark Wahlberg dropping by to offer some real-life star power to the proceedings.) But, as requested by Vince, Ari does give it to him straight, telling him that by not "playing the game and refusing to be part of the process" Vince has alienated himself. Ari summed it up quite nicely for him when he explained, "The great ones, even if they don't care, they pretend they do." Ari's dressing down, including a particularly frank appraisal of Vince's acting skill, seemed to fuel Vince's desire to prove himself again. Is Vince's renewed interest in pop starlet Justine Chapin (
Gossip Girl's
Leighton Meester) a sign of his newly discovered maturity or is it his way of starting to play the game? Like Vince's true potential as an actor, it remains to be seen.
As Vince struggled to get out of Ari-described "movie jail," Johnny managed to completely screw up his relationship with Jacqueline through a unique combination of smothering and irrational jealous rage. Meanwhile, Eric's attempts to expand his client roster took him deep into unfamiliar territory, but the two promising screenwriters were not as quick to jump at his Hollywood charms as he thought they would be. (
Giovanni Ribisi and
Lukas Haas were great as the duo though it is hard to believe that Haas' turn as the Amish child in
Witness was 23 years ago.) In an unexpected twist, Eric, frustrated by Ari's ongoing mistreatment, took their script to Vince's former agent, Amanda Daniels. Pitting Ari against his female alter ego/nemesis could prove very interesting.
Other highlights tonight:
- Turtle and Eric acknowledging the potential awkwardness of going out as a duo.
- Eric sharing his true feelings with Ari through the art of mime.
- Ari telling Eric: "Come back when you are tan or tall, whichever comes first."
- Vince, after getting blown off by Justine: "There's something very off about today."
- Vince's response when Ari asks how he is doing: "Not great, and I haven't said that many times in my life."
Will Vince get his groove back? How low will Eric go to get back at Ari? Will Turtle ever get anything resembling a story line? It all remains to be seen.
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Entourage.
