Ryan Reynolds Was at His Best in This 2010 Claustrophobic Thriller

Ryan Reynolds is having one hell of a summer and year thanks to the incredible success of Deadpool & Wolverine, which brought the character effortlessly into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and cleared a billion dollars (and counting) in the process. The film plays to the strengths that many know the actor for: his comedic timing and witty banter, which has become his signature, but Reynolds is capable of much more.

In 2010, the actor appeared in the survival thriller Buried, a rare dramatic outing for the performer that showcased his range beyond telling a quick joke. For 95 minutes, the audience is stuck in a claustrophobic space with Reynolds, and he has to solely sell the viewer on his growing despair in an impossible situation. It’s a film that didn’t make a huge impact at the time of its release, but it has gained traction with audiences that want to see more from Reynolds and maybe wonder why he hasn’t tapped into some of these emotions again in some of his recent work.

Buried Is a One-Man Show for Ryan Reynolds

Directed by Rodrigo Cortés from a screenplay by Chris Sparling, Buried follows an American civilian living in Iraq named Paul Conroy (Reynolds), who finds himself buried alive in a wooden coffin after being attacked. Paul has a few accessories in his position, such as a BlackBerry Phone, a lighter, and a pen, but they don’t offer much help to pull him out of what becomes an increasingly impossible situation.

Much of the film is watching Paul’s growing claustrophobia as he’s stuck in a confined space, but the audience is also treated to clues as to how he got there. Paul was one of several people attacked by terrorists. After trying to call 9-1-1, the FBI, and his employer, to no avail, the kidnappers contacted Paul and notified him that if he didn’t turn over a $5 million ransom, he would die in the coffin. Soon, Paul finds a script that he must read to obtain the ransom should he call for help and other tools in his possession, including a knife, glowsticks, and a flask.

Since Buried is primarily confined to one location, Paul is the only character that viewers can connect to, and that allows those watching to feel the same isolation and claustrophobia that he’s experiencing. The biggest stroke of genius is that the structure of the film doesn’t feel as if you’re watching the movie.

The audience isn’t one step ahead of Paul at any given moment as they’re learning every new detail of his plight when he does. This intensifies the connection between Paul and the viewer and, at the same time, between Reynolds and the viewer. There isn’t an ounce of what has made the actor most of his bread and butter throughout his career. There aren’t any witty quips or references, and no time for even the slightest of chuckles. Reynolds is allowed to play a character here and lose himself in the role so completely that Paul feels like a real human being. Not once does the audience feel as if Reynolds is performing. The actor is Paul from start to finish, and the viewer becomes invested in his potential survival.

Much of Buried works because of Reynolds and the escalating seriousness surrounding his situation. It would be enough to have Paul confined in the box, which is a nightmare in itself, but outside forces also add to the tension. At one point, a snake finds itself in the coffin with Paul, which adds even more terror to his growing claustrophobia. In another instance, there is a bombing near where he’s buried, and it damages the coffin to the point where sand begins to slowly fill the box.

The conclusion of the film won’t be revealed here because, even though this is a project that came out in 2010, it’s best to experience how things wrap up firsthand. There is a bit of misdirection at play as Buried comes to a close, and it’s in these closing moments that Reynolds does some of his best work. You’re left with a very vulnerable performance from the actor, completely stripped of the humor that has been a bit of a security blanket. Seeing the range he accomplishes in Buried makes it all the more frustrating that he hasn’t utilized it a bit more.

Ryan Reynolds Earned Rave Reviews for His Performance in Buried

Buried premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010 before being picked up by Lionsgate for distribution. Despite not making much of a dent at the box office after only grossing $1 million domestically and $19.4 million worldwide, critics responded favorably to the film, particularly Reynolds’ performance. The movie carries an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes with a consensus that reads, “Wringing a seemingly impossible amount of gripping drama out of its claustrophobic premise, Buried is a nerve-wracking showcase for Ryan Reynolds’ talent.” In Chris Tilly’s 10/10 review on IGN, the reviewer praised Reynolds’ performance, calling him a “revelation” and pointing to the roles that he normally plays, which made his turn here so surprising.

It’s easy to see why Reynolds has made a career out of his signature humor. It has given him a pretty lucrative career, and even though some critics may have said it has gotten a bit old, most moviegoers seem to be all in on having a laugh with the charismatic actor. That being said, he has room to give audiences varied performances, as he showcased in Buried, a testament to how far he can go dramatically when the material calls for it. He doesn’t always have to give us a Deadpool or The Proposal, sometimes he can dig just a bit deeper. Buried is streaming on Tubi and Amazon Freevee.