As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.
Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. I hope to hear from you. I especially want to hear from those of you who agree.
In this posting, I want to talk about actors—especially, those who have gravitas and those who do not. In days of movie yore, it was easy finding actors with substance and credibility. Think Henry Fonda, Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy and James Stewart. Today, it seems to be a little more difficult. There are other actors in addition to those I’ve listed below that could be in these categories. These are the best examples that come to mind.
I’ll call my list the Heavies and the Lightweights. Then there is the category of those who overact. I shall call them the Hams.
The Heavies:
Russell Crowe. A consummate actor and even though he’s made some clunkers, there are enough great performances that put him in this category. Think The Insider, A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator, Cinderella Man, and Robin Hood.
Matt Damon. He’s come a long way since Good Will Hunting, always believable and never overacting. Think the Jason Bourne movies, The Informant in which he was brilliant and True Grit.
Jack Nicholson. Although he can sometimes be classified a ham (think The Shining and The Departed ), he also has many memorable performances and Oscars to his credit. Think One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Terms of Endearment, and Chinatown.
Tim Robbins. He’s kind of a modern-day Tracy. Never overacting, he quietly imbues his roles with integrity. Think Shawshank Redemption, Mystic River, The Player, and Bull Durham.
Robert DeNiro used to have it, but now he’s fallen so low he’s “focked” himself. What a shame.
The British have so many actors with gravitas that I hesitate to try and name them. Think Ray Winstone, who has so much it’s a wonder he can walk, Colin Firth who always puts in a solid performance and Clive Owen, who sinks into a role.
The Lightweights:
Leonardo diCaprio. Regardless of what role he tries to play, I just can’t take him seriously. Maybe it’s his face or voice. He was good in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? Since then, I see him as a boy trying to act like a man.
Tom Cruise. The king of creepy. He’s so lightweight I expect to see him floating on the screen. Would someone tell me what his appeal is?
Brad Pitt. I can’t understand his popularity. He can’t seem to act as anything but himself, which isn’t all that interesting to begin with. Did anyone actually see Troy? He’s funny looking, so character parts might be a better choice than leading roles.
Tom Hanks. He’s not too bad in comedy, but he should never have tried The Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons. They were bad movies and he looked foolish in them.
The Hams
Sean Penn. He is so painful to watch that I have stopped going to his films. He has two expressions: serious to portray a normal person and twisted to portray angst, terror, guilt, pain and pretty much any other emotion. He has become a caricature.
Daniel Day-Lewis. Watching him is giggle-producing. He is so over-the-top it’s like
watching Wily Coyote. I understand he’s just been cast to play Abraham Lincoln. What a hoot.
Al Pacino. He can be a real ham as in A Scent of a Woman or he can be a real actor as in the Godfather series. And even though he can ham it up with the best of them, I do enjoy watching him.
Johnny Depp. On the other hand, I don’t enjoy watching this strange actor hiding behind his hair or prancing across the screen.
Jim Carrey. Mister elastic face is too unsettling to enjoy. He does his hammy routine in almost every movie he makes.
Trying to post a comment? I know it’s difficult. Try sending an e-mail to: luanaluther@yahoo.com.
