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Originally Posted by dankrsta
Let me just say that I've seen all of his films except for Shutter Island and Inception. The Departed is the perfect example of how he just can't pull off a tough guy role. It always feels like an act, like a boy playing dress up. He's just not natural in those roles. And that goes for Gangs of New York, Blood Diamond and Body of Lies as well. It feels like he desperately wanted to shake of his Titanic image and as a result he ended up trying too hard. When he plays a charming, boyish, sneaky character, he excels, like in Catch Me if You Can, his best performance in the 00s.
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The Departed for me, is the perfect example of how he CAN pull it off. Sure, it's obvious he's tried to select his roles extremely carefully after 'The Beach'. He's chosen roles where the characters all have something about them. Characters that have deep psychological problems are the ones hardest to play, you really have to hit the right notes. It seems like since the dawn of the naughties he's played: the tough guy, and the guy on the verge of a breakdown. And in that respect he definitely is trying hard, but there's nothing wrong with him wanting to shake that Titanic image. If other actors did that, it'd be refreshing. Pattinson trying to shake his Twilight roots would be refreshing to see. I think because of Dicaprio's other roles (Romeo, Titanic, Catch Me If You Can) he's seen in a certain way, and if he plays a bad boy, it might be unusual and not
feel right, but for me he can do it all.
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Originally Posted by dankrsta
Well, I don't dislike him for working with Scorsese, per se, but because those are the roles he's not suited for. But Scorsese obviously likes him, so what do I know. Maybe he's just comfortable with always working with the same actor, like he was with De Niro. But that will always draw comparisons between the two actors and it will not look good for DiCaprio. For these are the roles that De Niro would have played in his prime, and based on his own powerful performances, one can't help but wonder how much better he would've been in them. And since DiCaprio obviously wants that kind of acclaim, he should be judged on a higher level. So, yeah, I think De Niro was a much better actor in his prime. Even a chain of mediocre roles and movies lately are not enough to make me forget what a wonderful actor he was.
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I don't think it's a case of Scorsese is always comfortable with having the same actor, I don't think Scorsese would use Leo so much if he wasn't the right man. It will draw comparisons between the two, but in my opinion that's good for Leo. What did Deniro play? He played a Jack the lad, psycho and tough guy through out his entire career, even as he got older he still plays the retired tough guy, almost like a parody of his former self. But I agree, he was still teriffic at what he did. All be it a type cast actor. Dicaprio however, went from Titanic, where he was a poster boy for 13 year old guys. To reaching new heights as an actor with The Departed. He's also really grew up physically. If you look at his build in The Beach and then look at the Departed... he's really filled out. He looks the part.
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Originally Posted by dankrsta
Of course, it's not a bad thing. I like that kind of character WHEN pulled off convincingly. Like I said, DiCaprio is good technically, but that pain you mentioned is always on the surface, he knows how to act it out, what faces to make etc. But truly great actors don't just pull faces, they become a whole character. That pain should come from the inside naturally, where as with DiCaprio it always feels forced. He obviously tries hard to be genuine, but that's the problem, he tries hard where as he should just be. I can't connect to what his characters are feeling, because he's forcing the emotions to the point where they don't look genuine anymore. Maybe this sounds like a nitpick, but since DiCaprio chooses to play this kind of emotionally complex roles, I always judge him on that higher level.
Obviously, since he's so popular, many people find him convincing, but on the other side, many people don't. That's why I said he's the actor that polarizes the audience in many ways, not just because of Titanic.
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The bold part to me, you're basically saying yeah he's a good actor. He does everything actors should do and has everything actors should have but you still don't like him. I just think you don't like him because he hasn't shaken his image of the nice guy from Titanic and Catch Me If You Can. I think to reach a certain emotional level, to really bring the audience in and show them the characters pain you DO have to force it somewhat. That kind of pain from a character with deep sited problems just doesn't come naturally, you have to work at it. But I think Dicaprio gets a nice balance of forcing it as well as that naturally ability. Dicaprio is more than just making the same faces, that's what Russell Crowe does. (One of my favourite actors, but he makes a lot of the same faces.)
Dicaprio for me is on parr with Russell Crowe.
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Originally Posted by dankrsta
Beside the fact that I think Norton is a better actor, yes, maybe, for some roles, like Howard Hughes. Others on top of my head: Viggo Mortensen, Christian Bale, Guy Pearce, Joaquin Phoenix, Russell Crowe, a bit older ones like Gary Oldman, Daniel Day-Lewis (well maybe they're not suited anymore because of the age, but since they're chameleons, you can never know.)
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I think Dicaprio is slightly better than Norton, and I mean slightly because Norton is brilliant. But how can Norton play a skin head Nazi in American History X after being Aaron in Primal Scream? (for the most part, Aaron was a nice young man.) - he bulked up and changed his demeanour and appearance. Just like Dicaprio, skinny boy in Titanic. (Slightly more) Muscley man in The Departed.
Christian Bale and Joaquin Phoenix are no where near Dicaprio levels. Johnny Depp and Dicaprio for me are the best modern day actors, Depp is the best psychical actor and Dicaprio is the best all round actor. I've never not enjoyed a Dicaprio performance.