Chloe Nguyen said:Even if Robert De Niro had never filmed anything else in his entire life, his performances in Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and even The Godfather would probably be more than enough to cement his status as a true acting legend—especially considering what he did in Raging Bull.
If I had to point out one single shortcoming in his acting toolkit, I suppose it might be his inability to cry on cue. But then again, I guess you can't really hold that against him when Al Pacino struggles with the same thing.
As for Gangs of New York, I don't think it’s a bad movie, though it certainly isn't anything special either. In my humble opinion, if the film had been built around Daniel Day-Lewis and his character rather than the somewhat uninspiring Leonardo DiCaprio, it might have actually been an absolute masterpiece.
I second this. 🙂
Chloe Nguyen said:Even if Robert De Niro had never filmed anything else in his entire life, his performances in Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and even The Godfather would probably be more than enough to cement his status as a true acting legend—especially considering what he did in Raging Bull.
If I had to point out one single shortcoming in his acting toolkit, I suppose it might be his inability to cry on cue. But then again, I guess you can't really hold that against him when Al Pacino struggles with the same thing.
As for Gangs of New York, I don't think it’s a bad movie, though it certainly isn't anything special either. In my humble opinion, if the film had been built around Daniel Day-Lewis and his character rather than the somewhat uninspiring Leonardo DiCaprio, it might have actually been an absolute masterpiece.
Now, hold on just a second—I have to strongly disagree with that take, especially when it comes to Al Pacino. 😉 I am not sure if you have experienced those final few minutes of Dog Afternoon. If you haven't, you are missing out; the performance is incredibly moving. He cries with such raw, devastating conviction that it is impossible to look away. 👍 Those massive, expressive eyes—filled with pure terror, helplessness, and total despair—before they finally overflow with tears that stream down a contorted face, only to see that forehead drop heavily against the hood of a police car. It was just too much. Personally, I’ve never been the type to cry during a movie, but that specific scene (near the end of Empire of the Sun starring Christian Bale) hit me right in the gut. I actually felt a knot tighten in my throat, and my eyes started to well up.
Look, if you want to talk about greatness, we need to discuss *Scent of a Woman*, *Serpico*, that role as *Scarecrow*, and *Angel in America*—and honestly, I could go on forever.
Regarding De Niro, I find myself disagreeing with that assessment as well. While I'll concede that his tearful performances can occasionally veer into being a bit caricatured, his work in The Deer Hunter—specifically that intense Russian roulette scene with Christopher Walken—is absolutely masterfully executed.
And while we are on the subject of those unbelievable crying scenes—I mean, honestly, just look at Brad Pitt’s performance in Seven Years in Tibet, Troy, or Legend of Autumn. It is absolutely staggering. 🤣 I honestly start tearing up from laughing just thinking about that whole situation.
Honestly, Hayden Christensen's performance in Star Wars: Episode II was pretty lackluster. That specific moment where he delivers the line, "I killed them, I killed them all..." just didn't land at all. It was far from great. 😁 I have to say, in *Life as a House*, he delivered a truly convincing performance; he really nailed that role and made it his own. 👍
