By Mark La Monica
The true beauty behind the HBO series “Entourage” is its intelligent writing and ability to create an aura of believability surrounding the world of make-believe.
Then again, some may argue that the truly true beauty of “Entourage” is Adrian Grenier who plays the role of Vincent Chase, the movie star that gives the show its basis.
For the first 16 episodes (one and a half seasons), we’ve seen Vincent Chase sleep with beautiful women, live a lavish lifestyle surrounded by his friends, the clubs of Southern California and just a little bit of marijuana. He had no cares in the world, other than hanging out with his boys and having fun. He escaped from financial problems by landing a $500,000 commercial and a $2 million role as Aquaman.
All this without ever breaking a sweat.
Until now.
Mandy Moore, who incidentally plays the role of Mandy Moore, is an ex-girlfriend of Vincent’s. According to the back story of the show, she’s the one that shredded him emotionally five years earlier and now they are cast together in Aquaman.
Vincent claims there’s no problem between the two, then says it’s awkward, then says there’s no problem. Yet, it’s fairly easy to figure out that Mandy Moore is Vincent Chase’s kryptonite.
In the previous episode, it is revealed that Vincent asked Mandy to marry him after they had been dating for five weeks. She said no. Now, he has to confront those emotions again after five years of suppressing them.
Ironic how by playing a superhero, Vincent becomes more human than at any point in the show’s brief but successful history.
How many of us have that one ex-lover that still messes up our minds? The one that we pretend to hate and never want to see again when we’re around our friends, yet always wind up e-mailing at 3:38 a.m. Or even worse, the one we drunk dial.
It’s a sad reality, but a reality nonetheless. It’s part of life. Denying it is like holding onto all those old cards and letters after she cheated on you – it just makes no sense.
Better to forget all about the person and move on in life.
But, of course, it’s not that easy. Especially because you know that person will re-appear in your life at some point. Could be at a conference for your job. Maybe in passing at the movie theater. Or at dinner when you’re with someone else. Face it, that’s just the way life works.
Here, Vincent and Mandy Moore are supposed to share a set for nine months while they film the movie. In this last episode (which re-airs Monday night at 9:30 and several other times during the week), Mandy wants Vincent to be friends with her fiancé. Vincent gets caught saying yes on short notice to a dinner with the two of them. When he shows up at the restaurant, he sees the two of them canoodling in a corner and walks out.
It’s a painful moment to watch. You see it unfold on your television screen and you wonder to yourself, “Where have I seen this before?”
The answer is exquisitely simple: You lived it.