I got into a discussion recently about the roles of Al Pacino. It led to me to watch Dog Day Afternoon while exercising last week and that got me thinking about how great performances can elevate the simplest stories. It also raised the following question: For better or worse, which performer has most evolved of the course of their career?
On TV, Tom Hanks had a slow conversion from ridiculous physical comedy (Bosom Buddies, Happy Days) to occasional glimpses of serious acting chops (Family Ties). Slowly, he started to show his range amongst the chaos (Big, The Money Pit, Joe Versus the Volcano) and eventually got serious roles that cemented his abilities (Saving Private Ryan, Philadelphia, The Green Mile) as a complete actor.
By the time Apollo 13 came out, I was referring to him as the James Stewart of my generation, but that was before he devolved into what he is now: A straight up conduit for leftists propaganda pieces. It was also before I learned he's just another Hollywood pedo. Jimmy Stewart comparison card: Revoked.
Tom Hanks would be the obvious answer. But I’m gonna take a risk and go with Brad Pitt. Hear me out before you start throwing things.
Pitt started as yet another pretty boy contemporary of Tom Cruise (who has also evolved beyond his pin-up beginnings) with little to offer beyond pouting and long hair. He did nothing of real note in his early career at all.
Then came 12 Monkeys in which Pitt turned in a phenomenal performance as a mental patient who just might be the key to a mystery. I remember thinking, “Wait…what?? Brad Pitt can actually act?”
He improved film to film from then on. His varying characters in movies ranging from Oceans Eleven, Fight Club, Inglorious Basterds (yes, that’s the way the movie spells it), Fury and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (just to name a few) showed comedic as well as dramatic chops. Each could be subtle or broad depending on the needs of each performance.
Tom Hanks was always obviously going to be good. It showed in films as early as Splash and Joe vs The Volcano. Pitt, not so much so. I would have written him off as another soon-to-be-forgotten actor who got by on his looks. Time has proven me wrong.
I’ll nominate Robert Downey Jr. He’s always been a good actor, but given the evolution of his personal life, his career also evolved so much. Brat-Pack adjacent to crazy 90s to reinvention to global superstardom. Less Than Zero to Chaplin to Tropic Thunder to Iron Man to Oppenheimer. He certainly can always fall back on playing himself with roles like Tony Stark and Sherlock Holmes, but it was refreshing to see him as Lewis Strauss.
Fun fact: The day my dad and I saw Princess Bride in the theatre my sisters didn't want to see a "campy fairy tale" movie. They went and watched Less Than Zero in the adjacent theater instead.
Our movie got out earlier and Dad and I snuck into theirs to catch the last ten minutes with RDJ's Julian character ODing in the back seat (art imitatating life for RDJ).
My sisters came out depressed and my dad and I told them, "Man, your flick was a downer. Ours was way better."
He did manage to bounce back well from those mid-career, paycheck-motivated screwball comedies (George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Right) and seems to be enjoying a remergence. With Honors was a fav in the 90's. Good call.
Considering no one really knew who he was until he played The Amazing Spider-man, I’m going with Andrew Garfield. Since then he has impressed the world with his range of characters, bringing a depth of emotion and believability to each one. Some of the movies haven’t been the best, but to his credit his performance makes them worth watching nonetheless.
His portrayal of Desmond Doss in Hacksaw Ridge definitely displayed his evolution to “serious actor”. The boys got some skills!
Sadly, wokeism and the side effects of the 2020 debacle on Hollywood means we may not ever see Garfield’s full evolution.
Loved him in Hacksaw Ridge. Did Garfield go woke? I haven't seen him in anything other than the Spider Man with him and Toby Maguire and Tom Holland (which I enjoyed for what it was).
The woke comment was really referring to all of Hollywood, but yeah sadly there is evidence that he did…
As early as 2014– “…Garfield hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live and appeared in a music video for the song "We Exist" by Arcade Fire, playing a trans woman”
On TV, Tom Hanks had a slow conversion from ridiculous physical comedy (Bosom Buddies, Happy Days) to occasional glimpses of serious acting chops (Family Ties). Slowly, he started to show his range amongst the chaos (Big, The Money Pit, Joe Versus the Volcano) and eventually got serious roles that cemented his abilities (Saving Private Ryan, Philadelphia, The Green Mile) as a complete actor.
By the time Apollo 13 came out, I was referring to him as the James Stewart of my generation, but that was before he devolved into what he is now: A straight up conduit for leftists propaganda pieces. It was also before I learned he's just another Hollywood pedo. Jimmy Stewart comparison card: Revoked.
Still a great actor though.
And the winner of this week's Movie Fight is, David McDaniel with Brad Pitt.
Congratulations, David, you get to choose Monday's question.
https://moviefightclub.substack.com/
Tom Hanks would be the obvious answer. But I’m gonna take a risk and go with Brad Pitt. Hear me out before you start throwing things.
Pitt started as yet another pretty boy contemporary of Tom Cruise (who has also evolved beyond his pin-up beginnings) with little to offer beyond pouting and long hair. He did nothing of real note in his early career at all.
Then came 12 Monkeys in which Pitt turned in a phenomenal performance as a mental patient who just might be the key to a mystery. I remember thinking, “Wait…what?? Brad Pitt can actually act?”
He improved film to film from then on. His varying characters in movies ranging from Oceans Eleven, Fight Club, Inglorious Basterds (yes, that’s the way the movie spells it), Fury and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (just to name a few) showed comedic as well as dramatic chops. Each could be subtle or broad depending on the needs of each performance.
Tom Hanks was always obviously going to be good. It showed in films as early as Splash and Joe vs The Volcano. Pitt, not so much so. I would have written him off as another soon-to-be-forgotten actor who got by on his looks. Time has proven me wrong.
I remember being impressed with his WWI scene in Legends of the Fall, the one with Samuel. But yeah, he was still very much a pretty boy in that era.
I’ll nominate Robert Downey Jr. He’s always been a good actor, but given the evolution of his personal life, his career also evolved so much. Brat-Pack adjacent to crazy 90s to reinvention to global superstardom. Less Than Zero to Chaplin to Tropic Thunder to Iron Man to Oppenheimer. He certainly can always fall back on playing himself with roles like Tony Stark and Sherlock Holmes, but it was refreshing to see him as Lewis Strauss.
Fun fact: The day my dad and I saw Princess Bride in the theatre my sisters didn't want to see a "campy fairy tale" movie. They went and watched Less Than Zero in the adjacent theater instead.
Our movie got out earlier and Dad and I snuck into theirs to catch the last ten minutes with RDJ's Julian character ODing in the back seat (art imitatating life for RDJ).
My sisters came out depressed and my dad and I told them, "Man, your flick was a downer. Ours was way better."
Haha sounds about right
Okay, here we go! This is a hard (but good!) question.
Brendan Fraser - from Encino Man to The Whale. I have always liked this guy.
https://people.com/movies/brendan-fraser-acting-career-timeline/
He did manage to bounce back well from those mid-career, paycheck-motivated screwball comedies (George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Right) and seems to be enjoying a remergence. With Honors was a fav in the 90's. Good call.
Johnny Depp, who went from Edward Scissorhands to Jack Sparrow, and is now mostly known for humiliating public trials about his love life. 😏
😂
Considering no one really knew who he was until he played The Amazing Spider-man, I’m going with Andrew Garfield. Since then he has impressed the world with his range of characters, bringing a depth of emotion and believability to each one. Some of the movies haven’t been the best, but to his credit his performance makes them worth watching nonetheless.
His portrayal of Desmond Doss in Hacksaw Ridge definitely displayed his evolution to “serious actor”. The boys got some skills!
Sadly, wokeism and the side effects of the 2020 debacle on Hollywood means we may not ever see Garfield’s full evolution.
Loved him in Hacksaw Ridge. Did Garfield go woke? I haven't seen him in anything other than the Spider Man with him and Toby Maguire and Tom Holland (which I enjoyed for what it was).
The woke comment was really referring to all of Hollywood, but yeah sadly there is evidence that he did…
As early as 2014– “…Garfield hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live and appeared in a music video for the song "We Exist" by Arcade Fire, playing a trans woman”