Chris Evans’ Real Superpower is His Charm

So far, we’ve witnessed four films from the Marvel Universe that display just how much ass Chris Evans can kick as Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. He’s helped take down Loki and Ultron and the corrupted S.H.I.E.L.D. and he just might face his toughest enemy yet in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War; none other than Tony Stark, Iron Man himself.

But as an actor (and now director), Evans’ true superpower comes through when he puts down his shield. And not just that fancy vibranium one with the star on it, but the one over his heart, too.

In between the suiting up and CGI, he’s found time to star in Playing It Cool, a movie that lovingly ribs rom-coms while fully accepting that it is one, and Before We Go, a movie about two strangers who meet in New York City on a night where their lives change forever. For the latter, he not only starred in the film, but also directed it.

In Playing It Cool, Evans stars as a screenwriter and womanizer who finally meets a lady that challenges him, except oh yeah, she’s taken. His character does that thing we all do where we pretend we can be friends with someone we deep down have romantic feelings for, except in a much more appealing way. His awkward flubs are cuter and more excusable, and while he becomes what some of us might classify as “stalky” it’s mostly in an ultra romantic way.

He plays the kind of guy that has the numbers of dozens of women he can text at any time without having to use their names to address them and yet they can’t even wait to get out of the car with him to start hooking up. (Who can blame them, amiright?)

But this is also a character that will share deep, emotional moments while staring longingly at the woman he loves (Michelle Monaghan) in the grocery store and yet it elicits zero eye-rolls! You believe that his man is capable of finally, in this 30s, for once in his life, falling in love.

Of course, this is all while his character is struggling to write a rom com of his own, pressured by his horndog of an agent and friend, Anthony Mackie. Yes, Falcon himself knew he wanted to be there when his action-star buddy Chris Evans went rom com.

Evans brings to the role a genuine sensitivity that’s a must-have for a film where the lead is a male chasing after his dream girl in a way that would probably not be accepted IRL were he not so hunky. He’s muscle-y on the outside but vulnerable on the inside, like the man form of a Cadbury Cream Egg. If this dude popped up on Tinder, you’d know right away that he’s probably dangerous but you’d swipe right anyway, hoping to get into his heart. In this movie, Evans lets you in on his own.

Which brings us to Before We Go, Evans’ directorial debut, where he plays Nick, a musician good-guy who in many ways resembles almost a modern day Steve Rogers. He tries to do the right thing by saving the cell phone of a stranger — albeit one that just so happens to be a beautiful woman — when she drops it late at night in Grand Central after missing the last train out. And that’s just the first part of his journey through the streets of New York City with her, trying to recover her stolen purse and get her back to Boston, all while offering his elbow for her to clutch and taking punches for this woman he met mere hours ago, and of course secretly trying to avoid his own heartbreak in the process.

The film captures the feeling that you’re with them for the night out on the town, simultaneously wanting to get home already and yet never wanting the night to end. The film is quirky, but not precious about itself.

Which is true, and a major key, to both of these films; each taking on the harsh truth that love totally sucks. But with Evans in the lead, you’ll think to yourself, “Maybe it’s sorta worth it though?” He’s even good enough to make you believe that there is a woman out there that would choose some other dude over him, ever. How could she resist that charm?

Sure, Captain America shows a unique form of charisma in between his stoic, taking-care-of-business moments, and one could argue he’s certainly the most sensitive of the Marvel crew. But when all the explosions and flying shields aren’t getting in the way, you’re left with a guy playing characters you’re rooting for in a different way. Ones that aren’t just technically one of the “good guys”, but ones that might actually be a good guy. And honestly, sometimes it’s just nice to hear Chris Evans laugh.

[Where to stream Playing It Cool]
[Where to stream Before We Go]

Lea Palmieri is Senior Producer at Internet Action Force, and has been really into milkshakes lately.