Author and actor Matthew Perry passed away on the 28th of October. He is probably best known by many as the sarcastic Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom “Friends.”
Matthew Langford Perry was born Aug. 19, 1969 in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His mother, Suzanne Perry, was a press secretary for the Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. His father, John Bennett Perry, was a character actor. His parents divorced when he was very young so he spent much of his youth with his mother in Ottowa, Canada. Where, at one point, he was one of Canada’s top-ranked junior tennis players. (He also went to school with current Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.)
At 15 he decided to join his father in Los Angeles, hoping to devote more time to tennis. But after a few years, the acting bug bit Perry, hard. “Fame would change everything, and I yearned for it more than any other person on the face of the planet,” he wrote in his memoir 2022 “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.” “I needed it. It was the only thing that would fix me. I was certain of it.”
In 1988, he made his film debut in “A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon” where he starred alongside River Phoenix. After that, he had pretty steady work, often cast in sitcoms and more comedic roles. By 1994 he was cast on the hit show “Friends,” while still taking on movie roles with some regularity. His character on the show was known for being a bit of a surly smart-ass. But Chandler’s constant teasing of his buddies was always framed as a jokey expression of love.
In his memoir, he revealed that his private life wasn’t so lighthearted. In the book, he recalls co-star Jennifer Aniston, coming to his trailer and saying, “in a kind of weird but loving way,” that he was drinking too much and they were concerned for his wellbeing. “We can smell it,” she added. “The plural ‘we,’” he wrote, “hits me like a sledgehammer.” But like many who fight with addiction, it took a few tries to get past it. In 2021, during the “Friends” reunion he presented himself as newly sober. It seems that he was finally able to overcome that horrible battle and start again.
We wanted to celebrate Perry’s life and art by suggesting 5 films you should watch, and where to stream them.
[Editor’s note: also ABSOLUTELY watch “17 Again,” which is adorable.]
“Fools Rush In”
In this 1997 romantic comedy; after a one-night stand with Alex (Perry), Isabel (Salma Hayek) realizes that she is pregnant, and they decide to get married. Isabel’s father, Miguel (Tomas Milian), suspects Alex has bad intentions, and the couple finds themselves pressured by both their families.
The role of Alex’s father is played by John Bennett Perry, who is Matthew Perry’s real-life father.
You can watch “Fools Rush In” on Amazon Prime Video and Tubi.
“Almost Heroes”
This 1998 adventure film stars Perry opposite the late comedy legend Chris Farley. The duo plays bumbling explorers in the 1800s. They race across America’s western frontier in hopes of beating Lewis & Clarke to the Pacific Ocean.
You can stream “Almost Heros” on Tubi and The Roku Channel.
“Three to Tango”
In this 1999 romantic comedy, Charles Newman (Dylan McDermott), a rich businessman, assumes that his new colleague, Oscar Novak (Perry) is gay. So he asks him to keep an eye on his mistress Amy Post (Neve Campbell). The issue is Oscar isn’t gay and soon falls in love with Amy.
You can stream “Three to Tango” on Tubi and The Roku Channel.
“The Whole Ten Yards”
This is the 2004 follow-up to the 2000 film “The Whole Nine Yards,” also starring Perry. In the sequel, Jimmy the Tulip’s (Bruce Willis) quiet new life is shaken up by his old pal Oz (Perry), whose wife (Natasha Henstridge) has been kidnapped by a Hungarian mob. So Jimmy and his wife Jill (Amanda Peet) must spring into action to save her.
You can stream “The Whole Ten Yards” on Max. “The Whole Nine Yards,” is only available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
“The Ron Clark Story”
While Perry is mostly known for his comedic abilities, he didn’t shy away from more dramatic roles either. This 2006 TV movie is based on the true story of a small-town teacher who relocates to one of the toughest classrooms in the country.
You can stream the “The Ron Clark Story” on Freevee, Peacock, Plex, Tubi, and The Roku Channel.
