Yesterday, Chris Klemmer wrote a blog power ranking the ten greatest living actors.
Usually, I wouldn’t say I like it when people go through and dissect lists.
Every list is subjective.
Robert De Niro is NOT overrated.
Robert De Niro is not undeserving of every ounce of success he’s achieved throughout his storied career.
If you go back and watch movies from the 50s and 60s, the acting kind of sucks.
You rarely get subtlety from those actors.
Marlon Brando kind of set the precedent for what modern acting could look like.
If he paved the way, then guys like Pacino and De Niro set the standard.
But I think Pacino and De Niro both suffer from the same problem.
Yes, he bounces back every several years with a phenomenal dramatic performance.
This year, he’s been critically claimed for his performance in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
In 2019, he was excellent in “The Irishman.”
In 2012, he was nominated for best supporting actor for “Silver Linings Playbook.”
He hasn’t lost his fastball, but I feel like he throws his overspeed stuff way too much.
Leonardo DiCaprio ranked second on Klemmer’s list.
Since 2000, De Niro has been very hit-and-miss.
For every “Killers of the Flower Moon,” there’s a “Rocky and Bullwinkle.”
For every “Silver Linings Playbook,” there’s a “Dirty Grandpa.”
Not only are these movies bad, but he’s bad in them.
It might be slightly unfair, but the answer is Daniel Day-Lewis.
It’s unfair because he’s so selective with his projects.
He hasn’t been in many movies, but it’s an event every time he is.
He can throw himself into every role.
But he’s not consistently working.
Christian Bale’s longevity also puts him near the top of the list.
Regarding actors who consistently work, I think you could argue that he’s the best.
The first that comes to mind is Adam Driver.
He’s definitely somebody capable of lifting the “Star Wars” curse.
His performance in “Marriage Story” is one of my favorites of the last decade.
His 2010s decade featured the best filmography of any actor.
He’s also proven himself to be a dynamite performer, both dramatically and comedically.
I think his performance in “Good Time” is one of the best performances in any movie.
Like, I’m not kidding about that.
I feel like Pattinson is going through something similar right now.
It’s interesting to talk about.
I recommend everybody go read Klemmer’s blog.
There’s really no wrong ranking.
I’m probably a contrarian once again.
I know that we lament not seeing Joe Pesci in many projects nowadays.
De Niro is a legend.
This is not a knock against him; it’s just a slight difference of opinion.
