Lanky, light-haired and appealing, Norman Reedus went from small parts in the sci-fi thriller "Mimic" (1997) and the panned John Hughes comedy "Reach the Rock" (1998) to indie ubiquity with a series of parts in festival favorites. Featured in a series of Prada print ads, Reedus proved he was more than a pretty face with powerful performances in diverse roles that showcased his range and reinforced his place in the future of film. "Floating" (shown on the festival circuit in 1997) featured Reedus as an aimless young man facing a crossroads in his life. With a hungry, edgy look matched with a gentle manner, the actor proved to be a dynamic onscreen presence. 1998's psychological drama "Dark Harbor" saw Reedus make the most of his stray dog look as a injured mystery man taken in by a wealthy couple (Alan Rickman and Polly Walker). The actor gave a particularly strong performance in "Six Ways to Sunday" (1999), an adaptation of the novel "Portrait of a Young Man Drowning", as Harry Odum, an eighteen-year-old mild-mannered gentile who discovers his penchant for violence while accompanying his friend (Adrien Brody) on an errand for the Jewish mob. Harry's fiery outburst lands him a job as an enforcer with the crime organization, and the film traces the instability of Harry's cohorts and gives some insight into his own unbalance by exploring his relationship with his wildly overprotective mother (a memorable Deborah Harry). Other independent features followed, including the Hamlet-themed "Let the Devil Wear Black" and Troy Duffy's vigilante actioner "The Boondock Saints" (both 1999). The busy actor also supported Nicolas Cage and Joaquin Phoenix in Joel Schumacher's thriller "8mm" (1999) and joined an ensemble of fellow up-and-comers in the college campus psychological drama "Gossip" (2000).