I was distressed and saddened at the passing of phenomenal character-actor James Gandolfini. I fully acknowledge that I was rather unfashionable in having started to watch The Sopranos some six years after it ended but I believe my awe of the show (Gandolfini in particular) so long after it aired is indicative of how well-made the HBO classic truly was. Before discovering the show and based on its promotion and scene-stills I had assumed that Tony Soprano would merely be the typical hyper-macho archetypical gangster. It was clear from the first episode of The Sopranos that its lead was a complicated and compelling man rather than just a well-dressed thug.
What impressed me most about Gandolfini was not just the gravitas and drama of a mob boss going through an existential crisis that he so brilliantly encapsulated but the amazing heart that accompanied it. Tony Soprano was a literal ball of charisma. Tonys size and lack of hair was never a barrier to his success with women with his business or in daily life. Gandolfini just had an inherent likeability that is hard to put into words, whether it was his hilariously disparaging marks to his own son or when he was crushing the skull of the gangster who killed his favourite horse, Tony was never less than lovable. A cheeky smile and a twikle in his eyes could still melt the heart of all who watched (even butch heterosexual men like me).
So R.I.P James Gandolfini and many thanks for bringing the world one of its most notorious, memorable and show-stealing characters.
And That's Why I Drink... 