Will Farrell’s only movie I liked is ‘Stranger Than Fiction’. Started watching it one day not knowing what it was or realizing he was the lead. Good movie.
‘Everything Must Go’ is also supposed to be good.
July 25, 2025, 02:48 PM
lyman
quote:
Originally posted by sigmonkey: ^^^
And, Reign Over Me.
As for, "Playing themselves..."
Danny DeVito Jack Nicholson Dwayne Johnson Jeff Goldblum Forrest Whittaker Denzel Washington Jake Gyllenhaal
Not saying any the majority of them are poor actors, and I like most of them and they fit when cast for when that is the persona of the character needed, and once in a while, some "break character" and it's a pleasant change.
I agree with most of the above and have stated so in other threads.
But I've also said and will say again that I think two of the most versatile actors are Robin Williams and Tom Hanks.
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July 25, 2025, 05:55 PM
dsiets
quote:
Originally posted by onegeek: Will Farrell’s only movie I liked is ‘Stranger Than Fiction’. Started watching it one day not knowing what it was or realizing he was the lead. Good movie.
‘Everything Must Go’ is also supposed to be good.
I'm also not a fan but enjoyed Stranger Than Fiction. "I brought you flours".
It took Will playing a sterile IRS agent to be any good, IMO.
July 25, 2025, 05:57 PM
dsiets
quote:
Originally posted by 6guns: I agree with most of the above and have stated so in other threads.
But I've also said and will say again that I think two of the most versatile actors are Robin Williams and Tom Hanks.
I'd like to add Sam Rockwell as being versatile and not playing himself.
July 25, 2025, 06:19 PM
6guns
^^^ Good point! He's a good guy and a bad guy!
His role in The Green Mile really stands out!
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July 25, 2025, 07:04 PM
Lt CHEG
quote:
Originally posted by iron chef:
quote:
Originally posted by PeteF: Deniro, al pacino...
Seriously If you think they always play the same character, you haven't seen their best work. They have mostly been 'phoning it in' the past 25 years or so, I'll give you that.
Honestly, the only time I saw DeNiro playing some degree of a character other than himself was in Awakenings, which by the way was an awesome movie and both he and Robin Williams delivered Oscar worthy performances in my opinion. It doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy his performances, but I often find them pretty formulaic. I thought his character might have been a little different in in Backdraft but his mannerisms were 100% pure textbook DeNiro.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
July 25, 2025, 09:22 PM
cas
I can give Jason Statham a pass since he's you know, not really an actor. He basically played himself in one movie and they just kept asking him to do it.
July 25, 2025, 11:03 PM
Ripley
For comparison, Christian Bale never plays the same guy twice, the disparity in his roles is remarkable. Not quite as versatile but covering a lot of ground, Leonardo DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper.
Set the controls for the heart of the Sun.
July 26, 2025, 12:14 AM
onegeek
quote:
Originally posted by cas: I can give Jason Statham a pass since he's you know, not really an actor. He basically played himself in one movie and they just kept asking him to do it.
And making bank doing it. Great choice.
July 26, 2025, 12:39 AM
KevH
quote:
Originally posted by Ripley: For comparison, Christian Bale never plays the same guy twice, the disparity in his roles is remarkable. Not quite as versatile but covering a lot of ground, Leonardo DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper.
I honestly think Christian Bale is one of the most underrated actors out there right now.
Proverbs 28:1
July 26, 2025, 10:49 AM
Blackmore
Liam Neeson
Harshest Dream, Reality
July 26, 2025, 01:06 PM
Prefontaine
quote:
Originally posted by Lt CHEG:
Honestly, the only time I saw DeNiro playing some degree of a character other than himself was in Awakenings, which by the way was an awesome movie and both he and Robin Williams delivered Oscar worthy performances in my opinion. It doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy his performances, but I often find them pretty formulaic. I thought his character might have been a little different in in Backdraft but his mannerisms were 100% pure textbook DeNiro.
Silver Linings Playbook he played an OCD father. One of his best roles in anything.
What am I doing? I'm talking to an empty telephone
July 26, 2025, 01:49 PM
Prefontaine
quote:
Originally posted by KevH:
I honestly think Christian Bale is one of the most underrated actors out there right now.
I think he is probably the best out there for male lead or supporting. Once Phillip Seymour Hoffman did himself in, Bale is almost peerless. He is always pushing himself in one way or another. And fitting that he drives a 20 year old Tacoma and married his wife in 2000, before he blew up, and still with her.
What am I doing? I'm talking to an empty telephone
July 26, 2025, 01:53 PM
smschulz
Pretty much almost all of them for one reason or another.
July 26, 2025, 02:33 PM
oddball
quote:
Originally posted by Ripley: For comparison, Christian Bale never plays the same guy twice, the disparity in his roles is remarkable. Not quite as versatile but covering a lot of ground, Leonardo DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper.
Bale is quite good at mixing it up, can actually act his way out of a wet paper bag. Other guys who are excellent in immersing themselves into character include Tom Hardy, Ralph Fiennes, and of course Gary Oldman. But someone like Tom Cruise, who can be characterized as a star who mostly play themselves on screen, can once in a lifetime act out of character.
"I’m not going to read Time Magazine, I’m not going to read Newsweek, I’m not going to read any of these magazines; I mean, because they have too much to lose by printing the truth"- Bob Dylan, 1965
July 26, 2025, 02:41 PM
Lt CHEG
quote:
Originally posted by Prefontaine:
quote:
Originally posted by Lt CHEG:
Honestly, the only time I saw DeNiro playing some degree of a character other than himself was in Awakenings, which by the way was an awesome movie and both he and Robin Williams delivered Oscar worthy performances in my opinion. It doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy his performances, but I often find them pretty formulaic. I thought his character might have been a little different in in Backdraft but his mannerisms were 100% pure textbook DeNiro.
Silver Linings Playbook he played an OCD father. One of his best roles in anything.
Interesting, I’ve never seen that movie. Have you seen Awakenings? Would you compare it in quality to his performance in that movie? Maybe I’ll have to add it to my watch list.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
July 26, 2025, 04:31 PM
V-Tail
Other side of that coin, Rod Steiger was a fantastic actor. He did a big variety of things, different role types, excellent performances.
הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
July 26, 2025, 07:22 PM
Orguss
quote:
Originally posted by Lt CHEG: Interesting, I’ve never seen that movie. Have you seen Awakenings?
Speaking of Awakenings another actor with a wide range was Robin Williams.
"I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak!" - Calvin, "Calvin & Hobbes"
July 27, 2025, 09:26 PM
FrankMoses
Actually, they all do. A few tweaks here and there but it’s just minor variations on their main theme.
