“I just don't want to be one of those pathetic guys in lobbies who are always telling you about their big plans you know they're never gonna do. I'd rather just be in the lobby and just be in the lobby. To tell you the truth, sometimes I feel like I was worn out the minute I was born.” – Jeff to Dawn
Some might describe security guard Jeff (played with a disarming ambivalence by Michael Cera) as a loser. That would be somewhat inaccurate, however. Jeff is more the embodiment of the anti-hero than the typical loser unawares. To get what he wants, in this case rookie New York City cop Dawn (played with a cunning charm by Bel Powley), Jim is willing to eschew following his moral compass and disregard the qualities of the classic hero: loyalty; bravery; humility; wisdom; and virtue. How Jeff navigates the terrain of principles and values under pressure is the engaging “stuff” of Kenneth Lonergan’s “Lobby Hero” currently in revival at Second Stage’s Helen Hayes Theater.
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