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Who is James Payton? In short, James Payton is an actor who takes on various roles. You may have seen him in some of his works. He is most well-known for his small roles in two popular franchises: as Neville Longbottom’s father in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and as Hitler in the first Captain America movie. Payton has also appeared as a “geography lecturer” in The Crown and as a “wasted guy” in a poorly received Jonathan Pryce film from 2005. However, his involvement in the two franchises has allowed him to make some extra money by selling signed photos of himself at regional fan conventions for £10.
The movie follows him during fan conventions, where devoted followers of the franchise wait in line for a photo with Harry Potter’s friend’s father. Payton questions how his life has come to this. “I used to think that one day I would be nominated for a Bafta for some crime drama on TV.” It would be easy to make fun of the situation. And to be fair, at times this documentary feels like a mix between The Office and The Trip, with a touch of Withnail and I. (There is a hilarious moment where a young child heckles the world’s most unenthusiastic wrestlers.) But Payton has a dry sense of humor and he finds the humor in staying at budget hotels near the highway or waiting around in an empty community center.
However, returning to the title, the movie does not seem to provide a satisfactory answer to the question. I would have appreciated more exploration from director Oliver Guy-Watkins on the effects of Payton’s father’s death when he was 12, which influenced his decision to become an actor, as well as his divorce and his relationship with failure in an industry where it is inevitable. At times, the film can be frustrating to watch, posing not so much the question of Who is James Payton? but rather, Why Should We Care?
Source: theguardian.com
