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Ryan Reynolds has just released a new promotional video for Mint Mobile featuring Matthew Lillard as co-star and it is not simply an advertisement but rather a very perceptive cultural reply. The advertisement, which humorously refers to Lillard as a ‘national treasure,’ is released at a time when Quentin Tarantino has been making disparaging remarks about that Lillard thus leading to online support for him and also changing a corporate advertisement into a moment of fan solidarity.
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The video first features Ryan Reynolds who is acting in the same old lifeless way and naming things that are ‘unquestionably good.’ The list given by the actor contains, ‘The film Serial Mom (1994), cheap wireless, and national treasure Matthew Lillard.’ After that, the video switches to Matthew Lillard who seems to be slightly baffled. Reynolds then mentions that beside saving money there is only one thing which can be loved by everyone ‘the actor of all times, Matthew Lillard.’ To this, Lillard who has been acting according to his self-mocking perfectly in sync gives a little shrug and says, ‘Thanks! But you know, it’s not unanimous, right?’ Reynolds then gradually breaks the silence and very seriously speaks to the audience, ‘Well, there is only one thing that’s universally adored.’
The humor’s connection to the very recent and public controversy makes it easier to comprehend. Not more than a few weeks back, director Quentin Tarantino got to the limelight with his negative comments about Lillard’s iconic representation of Stu Macher in ‘Scream’; he called it ‘over the top’ and even criticized the director, Wes Craven, for allowing it. Fans have always been ready to condemn such views because Lillard’s Ifilm, which is now regarded as a classic, has been nothing short of energetic and memorable, and one has long referred to it as a cult classic. Therefore, Reynolds’s advertisement is for many an implicit public deck of cards containing direct and public rebuke of Tarantino’s view—a fact that the audience is not unaware of.
The internet gave an instant and huge response and the reaction was overwhelmingly on the side of Team Lillard. ‘This HAS to be a shot directly at Quentin Tarantino’s words,’ one poster very explicitly said, a sentiment that was shared by many others who viewed the ad as a backlash. ‘I am so glad that we all came together and pressed Tarantino down on this one. Matthew is definitely a national treasure and Tarantino is an asshole,’ another comment read. The whole reaction turned the ad clip into a viral moment of actor protection that emphasized the audience’s lasting love for the actor’s work.
Not only did the ad bring up the Tarantino saga but it also prompted a wave of gratitude for Lillard’s career as a whole. The audience took advantage of the situation and pointed out some of Lillard’s lesser-known works and their personal interactions with him. Someone wrote, ‘Serial Mom was the first John Waters movie I saw. It was life-changing,’ and added that he had met Lillard at a convention and that he was a ‘great guy.’ Someone else was discussing ‘Finder’s Fee,’ which starred both Reynolds and Lillard, and recommended the movie, saying the ending was ‘wild.’
Moreover, the advertisement’s humor was also very cleverly mixed up with Lillard’s own humility. When Reynolds switched his statement to the effect that saving money was the only thing that everybody would love, the joke really required the audience to be aware of the fact that the public opinion is really very much in favor of Lillard. One viewer stated it perfectly when he said, ‘If it’s not unanimous, the only holdout is literally Matthew Lillard himself lol.’ This self-aware interaction between Reynolds’s exaggerated praise and Lillard’s gentle withdrawal is what made the spot charming and the promotional message felt like a real fun conversation between friends.
Of course, a few comments took the discussion into the exciting territory of pure pop culture crossovers. Deadpool and Shaggy…? It’s going to be very real…’ one person speculated referring to Lillard’s voice-over as Shaggy in Scooby-Doo projects. Another just said, ‘I love Matthew more than free wifi fr,’ thus in a funny but also serious way, highlighting the loyalty he inspires.
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The primary purpose of the advertisement is, naturally, to sell a wireless service, but at the same time, its cultural impact is linked to this particular moment. It demonstrates how clever marketing can shape online conversations that are currently taking place, in this case, it being the defense of a beloved actor against a charge from a Hollywood heavyweight. Ryan Reynolds who is well known for his meta-humor and brand integration not only created a commercial but also positioned his company as a supporter of popular sentiment through his marketing. The clip does the trick because it comes across like a friend publicly defending another friend—with a sales pitch smoothly tucked inside the endorsement. In the end, the film Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is generating its own excitement, while Reynolds also recently shared an emotional trailer for a John Candy documentary and honored Candy with a special event for St. Jude.
