Over-rated actors/actresses

[ViolentPanda]

gary oldman . pulls stupid faces when he is trying to make out he is mad .

You gotta love him in "Leon"!

Keanu Reeves is over-rated IMHO. He's an okay actor, but he has to really strain to get beyond just playing Keanu Reeves.

 

[zoooo]

Over-rated? Everyone's always saying how shit he is. (I think he's all right.)

 

[felixthecat]

I actually like Brad Pitt. He may be seen as a pretty boy actor, but he has done some pretty interesting films like 12 Monkeys, fight club and seven...

Yep - I like him too. I think he can act, but his looks go against him. Maybe as he gets older we'll see him take on some more ineresting roles - it'll be a waste if he doesn't.

As for Keanu Reeves - eye candy, but couldn't act his way out of a paper bag.

And I HATE, HATE with a vengance, Jim Fucking Carrey.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Over-rated? Everyone's always saying how shit he is.

He was excellent ( ) in the "Bill and Ted" films, probably 'cos he was playing himself, he was okay in "My Own Private Idaho", he sucked smegma in the Mtrix films, and he *sort of* pulled off Constantine, so I wouldn't say he was shit per se, but he doesn't seem to be too adventurous in the parts he plays, that's for sure.

 

[zoooo]

He was excellent ( ) in the "Bill and Ted" films, probably 'cos he was playing himself, he was okay in "My Own Private Idaho", he sucked smegma in the Mtrix films, and he *sort of* pulled off Constantine, so I wouldn't say he was shit per se, but he doesn't seem to be too adventurous in the parts he plays, that's for sure.

I don't think he was playing himself in Bill and Ted, if you've seen him in interviews he's hugely shy and reserved, and quite intelligent.
And I think he's pretty adventurous - murderers, rentboys, the obligatory comic book hero, some kind of ...Buddha, thing. He does play a lot of cops though.

Also, the fact that a lot of well respected directors have used him suggests he's not all that rubbish. I don't think they would risk using a shit actor even to get the audience figures.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

And I HATE, HATE with a vengance, Jim Fucking Carrey.

Jim Carrey is a weird one for me. I hated all his early films like Dumb abd Dumber and Ace Ventura. But then I heard about the Truman Show, thought it sounded good, but put it off cos I despised Jim Carrey. Then finally I watched Truman Show and, to be frank, it's possibly my favourite film of all time. A truly mind-blowing, life-changing film. He was amazing in that. And since then he has done stufflike eternal sunshine of teh spotless mind.

 

[Error Gorilla]

Mark Kermode points to Nicole Kidman's inability to do anything other than gasp, place her hand to her chest and then whisper. That pretty much sums her up.

As much as I like De Niro, whenever he attempts to affect tears he merely ends up resembling Beaker from the Muppets.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

gary oldman . pulls stupid faces when he is trying to make out he is mad .

Yes! Totally.

 

[SpookyFrank]

As much as I like De Niro, whenever he attempts to affect tears he merely ends up resembling Beaker from the Muppets.

Charlton "Soylent green is people!" fucking Heston

...and Orson Welles *ducks*

 

[ViolentPanda]

I don't think he was playing himself in Bill and Ted...

It's what the man himself claimed.

if you've seen him in interviews he's hugely shy and reserved, and quite intelligent.
And I think he's pretty adventurous - murderers, rentboys, the obligatory comic book hero, some kind of ...Buddha, thing. He does play a lot of cops though.

Also, the fact that a lot of well respected directors have used him suggests he's not all that rubbish. I don't think they would risk using a shit actor even to get the audience figures.

As I said, I think he's over-rated, not "shit". he's pulled off some goodies, but he's also sucked water-butts full of bat urine too.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I like Pacino. Even in his later films he can still be good when it matters. Thought he was great Sea of Love, Carlito's Way and Angels in America.

Dog Day Afternoon, he does a good job.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Sean Fucking Penn

Sean Penn is a brilliant actor.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Keanu Reeves is over-rated IMHO. He's an okay actor, but he has to really strain to get beyond just playing Keanu Reeves.

Nobody thinks that Keanu Reeves is a good actor.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Sean Penn is a brilliant actor.

Sean Penn's gig is a masterclass in action of overegging, mugging, cloying method acting of the worst kind. He just can't keep his fucking head still for a second. Lots of movement and lots of noise doesn't make you a fine actor.

 

[Calva dosser]

Meryl Streep looking all pensive and unfathomable can get me reaching for the double intruder. And not in a nice way.

 

[zoooo]

It's what the man himself claimed.

Well, he's flipping wrong!

 

[intrikat]

So pretty much anyone who's ever been in a mainstream hollywood film then?

yep, typecast the lot of them
oh, and on this side of the pond?
Michael Caine

 

[Julie]

Oh, you missed Mel Gibson. (But being an Aussie, I expect it would be considered treason to include him )

He's American (was born in New York )

And you're right, I did forget him. And he's craaaaaaaap!

 

[Julie]

Tony Blair, no one has believed him since 1998.

 

[Julie]

Nicole Kidman.

Absolutely. I've never been a fan.

 

[Fledgling]

All of these are movie stars rather than character actors. They get cast for their looks, personality and (in some case debatable) charisma rather than for their acting chops. They are only ever required to play variations of themselves. Occasionally there is a star who also happens to be a good charcter actor (Naomi Watts or Johnny Depp for instance), but most of the time stars are only just about adequate actors.

Good point, and lets not forget that too that people go to cinemas with pre-existing expectations when they see a star in a film. When you go to see a film with Brad Pitt in you know and to some extent expect you're going to get Brad Pitt; anything else might disappoint some people.

But perhaps its the film industry which creates overrated actors only capable of playing a narrow type of character. There are a lot of blockbuster action films, and these films are profitable, a narrow mainstream industry produces a narrow range actor.

I'd dispute Hanks partly though; I thought he was a little different in Road to Perdition compared to earlier pictures. Hanks has evolved though, slowly. But when I copmare him to Martin Sheen or Daniel Craig I don't think his range is as accomplished. Daniel Craig impresses me at the moment.

I think we have a large amount of film and TV being made and its noly a few people who can really play across the board. I'm sure there are some actors who could performa Chekhov, appear in a soa and pla an action film. But most actors will fall into comfortable niches and wisely stay there.

 

[Part 2]

Another vote for Nicholas Cage, I can't watch a film if he's in it.

 

[Julie]

Pacino's quite compelling in small doses but he gets boring quickly.

I agree.

In fact as I was thinking about posting this thread at all, I was wondering if I should focus on my annoyance with 'method' actors.

They are (again), lauded, applauded, awarded. However, there's something whiney about them. Like they're trying way too hard to be in character. Save for a few (undoubtedly outstanding) performances, the older I've gotten the more annoyed I am watching them. There's a self-consciousness about them or something that gives me the irrits.

 

[Fledgling]

I'm really surprised no one's mentioned Jude Law in any context.

 

[Julie]

He was excellent ( ) in the "Bill and Ted" films, probably 'cos he was playing himself,

Can't stand Keanu Reeves.

Wooden, boring, bland, etc, etc.

 

[Julie]

Another vote for Nicholas Cage, I can't watch a film if he's in it.

Me either. When he was younger, I thought he was going to have a fantastic film career. I really believed he had the potential. But he hasn't lived up to it, in my view.

 

[damnhippie]

I'm really surprised no one's mentioned Jude Law in any context.

this is about overrated actors...i'm not sure he even qualifies as rated. Or an actor.

 

[Julie]

I'm really surprised no one's mentioned Jude Law in any context.

I don't pay money to see him that's for sure

 

[Reno]

I don't think he was playing himself in Bill and Ted, if you've seen him in interviews he's hugely shy and reserved, and quite intelligent.
And I think he's pretty adventurous - murderers, rentboys, the obligatory comic book hero, some kind of ...Buddha, thing. He does play a lot of cops though.

Also, the fact that a lot of well respected directors have used him suggests he's not all that rubbish. I don't think they would risk using a shit actor even to get the audience figures.

I agree with you. Keanu Reeves may not be a great actor in a technical sense, but there is a self depreciating and vulnerable quality about him that I rather like.

In the end acting isn't an exact science and with most actors how we feel about their performance has to do with whether we connect with their personality and he has always struck me as rather likable.

 

[Reno]

So pretty much anyone who's ever been in a mainstream hollywood film then?

I just saw a preview of Zodiac, which is a big Hollywood film stuffed with fantastic actors. Robert Downey Jr. in particular is absolutely amazing in this.