Strummer, Not Dumber

Because Jeff Daniels seems to be a fundamentally decent human being, it feels gauche to mention he’s most famous for depicting a loose-boweled, snot-streaked imbecile who trades blows with Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber. He’s generally been cast as the “other guy” to bigger names such as Keanu Reeves in Speed and George Clooney in Good Night, and Good Luck. Now, he’s turned his talents toward music. His leading role in the small, heartfelt film The Squid and the Whale speaks to his singer-songwriter sensibilities that evoke the grateful awe of a lesser mortal on a big stage. Take his song “Dirty Harry Blues,” which he penned after Clint Eastwood blew him away in the climax of Blood Work. It’s a veritable fanboy tribute, written by an actor who was approaching 50 at the time: “My dream came true out in Hollywood / When I got killed by Clint Eastwood.” See a famous actor turned earnest musician when Daniels strums at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Friday.
Fri., Jan. 14, 8:30 p.m., 2011