Heath Ledger

Everyone remembers Brokeback Mountain. Everyone talks about The Joker. Some even mention 10 Things I Hate About You and The Patriot, but only one review of Heath Ledger’s career that I’ve read mentions A Knight’s Tale.

I love A Knight’s Tale. I own A Knight’s Tale. What’s not to like about a medieval jousting movie that features hard rock ballads, Rufus Sewell being villainous, Alan Tudyk being ridiculous and Paul Bettany in the buff? It is entirely what it set out to be: extremely entertaining garbage. There’s no reason to judge it by any other standards. If I’d made that movie, I’d be proud of it and I wish a few more critics and eulogizers would get on board.

You’ve got to love a guy willing to make all of those movies. One of the women I admire the most once said that the point of education and experience was to make your mind an interesting place to live. I think Heath Ledger’s mind must have been. I hope it was. I’ll miss him.