Randall Cobb makes physical menace funny with a dry drawl and little fuss. He is worth watching when the film gives that combination a purpose, as Raising Arizona does; the supporting credits need choosing carefully.
Fi1m perspective
Randall Cobb's size does much of the work before he speaks; the dry drawl supplies the surprise. As the bounty hunter Leonard Smalls in Raising Arizona (1987), he is both a credible physical threat and an absurd figure to introduce into a baby-stealing farce. We laughed at Smalls because Cobb's deadpan delivery leaves the menace intact. He does not have to reassure us that he knows he is funny. Joel and Ethan Coen give that combination a proper use.
His acting began with The Champ (1979), a supporting role opposite Jon Voight that drew on his boxing background. The subsequent parts mostly asked for a large, intimidating man, although Sailor in Uncommon Valor (1983) gave him a rarer heroic role. By Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) and Liar Liar (1997), both alongside Jim Carrey, the comic heavy was an established job. We would rather judge how well he does that job than complain that he keeps being hired for it.
Still, The Golden Child (1986), in which he plays Til, is a useful warning against overvaluing a distinctive supporting face. Eddie Murphy and Victor Wong briefly get the comedy moving, and Charles Dance gives the villain some seriousness. We found too few laughs and too little excitement to recommend the film. Cobb's presence cannot repair those shortcomings, and there is no reason to turn a weak adventure into an essential stop just because his name is in the cast.
Return instead to Raising Arizona, where the Coens make his exaggerated toughness belong alongside Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter's central couple. Their warmth matters: Smalls is useful because there are people worth worrying about. The plotting sometimes struggles to keep pace with the chases, but Cobb's blunt physical presence suits the farce. Start there for Cobb; there is no obligation to work through every henchman afterwards.
Biography
Randall 'Tex' Cobb is an American actor and former professional boxer. Born Randall Craig Cobb on 7 May 1950 in Bridge City, Texas, he began his combat sports career in kickboxing before turning professional in boxing in 1977. He challenged Larry Holmes for the WBC heavyweight title in 1982 and recorded wins against fighters including Earnie Shavers and Leon Spinks.
Cobb has appeared in numerous films and television series, often in physically imposing roles. His film credits include Raising Arizona (1987) as Leonard Smalls, The Golden Child (1986), Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994) and Liar Liar (1997). Television work includes episodes of Miami Vice, The X-Files and Walker, Texas Ranger. He later graduated from Temple University in 2008.
