Cole Hauser is an American comedian. He is most known for his starring roles in the movies Dazed and Confused, High School Musical, Good Will Hunting, Pitch Black, Tigerland, and tears of… However, he has also found a steady amount of work in television, as well.
One of the more memorable scenes from Dazed and Confused was the one where Coley (Ethan Hawke) drives up in a van with a motorcycle-riding hitchhiker who crashes into the back of the van. Coley jumps out of the van, knocks the guy out with his open window, and rides off. The hitchhiker then tells Coley that he wants to work on a ranch in the western part of Texas, but will need a few bucks for tools and equipment. Coley gives him five dollars and they ride off together.
Two of the funniest lines in the movie, in my opinion, are those exchanged between Coley (Ethan Hawke) and Tom (Charles Durning). Coley has just given Tom a ride home from a bar, and when Tom arrives at the house, later on, Coley tries to convince Tom to go on a wild goose chase and lose three children. Tom goes for it, and Coley follows him, but accidentally drops his wallet on the ground, and Tom takes it as a sign that he’s hookin’ a girl for the ride. This exchange happens a few more times throughout the film, including when Cole Hauser and Tom are talking about how they’re going to get rich someday.
Another fun scene involves Coley playing a game of basketball against Tom, who is clearly a big fan of the sport. Coley is clearly a little dazed and confused behind his own glasses, but still manages to score a goal. The other highlights of the film debut are Coley’s love for the ladies, and his ability to talk to them. He even asks one of them out to a fancy dinner.
One of my favorite scenes takes place when Coley and the other characters are drinking at a ranch hand. Cole Hauser starts off by shooting one of the guards, and the other freaks out. Coley then comforts the groomsman, telling him that everything will be okay, and thanks to him for letting him come into the house. The entire situation is incredibly funny, especially because Coley just cut off his nose and said “bruh” several times. It is truly an amazing moment of comedy in the film.
Coley stars alongside many other memorable characters in the Coley High Incident including Kurt Russell, James Patterson, Mary McDonnell, and Ed Harris. Coley is in more of an insignificant role than he was in the previous K-Ville movies, where he would have been the main character. However, I think he was given less screen time because some of the other characters in K-Ville have more depth and emotional value. The other main and best part of Coley is his relationship with the other boys in the movie, especially Gon na. In this movie, he is the only boy in school who doesn’t go on a date.
The second best-supporting character in Tigerland is Lizzie Borden, who plays a similar role as in the first film. However, Lizzie doesn’t have the same extroverted personality that Coley has in the previous films. She is not the independent spirit that Coley is, and in fact, she goes on a date with one of the boys in school. However, when she is asked to go on the date with him, she declines. Lizzie ends up getting dumped by Will Graham, although in the book, her parents had made it clear that she should go on the date if she wanted to end up with Will Graham.
The third best-supporting character in the film is Barbara Streisand. As the only original member of the “Coley High Incident” group, Barbara gets to play the role of a celebrity. Although she only has a brief moment of fame, Barbara is also the most supportive character in the film. However, after the entire band finds themselves in deep trouble, they decide to disband and Barbara is left with nothing but a voicemail message left by one of the band members. As the only original member still in the group, she must find a way to prove that she can still be successful in her own life.
Colette Hawker – Hollywood’s Most Outstanding Actress
