Why did Robert De Niro stop acting so much?

... and now he's started coasting through those Hollywood "movies" like Analyze that, The Score, Men of Honor, or Showtime...? Honestly, if he had just stopped after Raging Bull, we wouldn't have missed a single thing regarding his actual acting prowess. It feels like he burned through all his best material during the seventies and eighties, and since then, he's mostly been doing nothing that could even remotely be compared to his legendary roles... Is this just a case of terrible movie selection, a desperate grab for massive paychecks by jumping into blockbusters, or is it simply that Americans haven't been making good films for ages and Europe can no longer afford De Niro?

That’s just plain wrong. De Niro knocked it out of the park back in the 90s. Sure, he’s had some duds—like 15 Minutes, The Score, or City by the Sea—but you can't say everything he touches is bad. Personally, I think Analyze that is an absolute blast. And looking at his run through the 90s, he gave us masterpieces like Cape Fear, Goodfellas, Heat, and Mad Dog and Glory. He also did great work in Las Vegas, Sleepers, This Boy's Life, and Ronin.
He’s 60 years old now; he needs to adapt to different types of roles.

😕

Honestly, I had a pretty decent run over at Las Vegas, everything went just fine for me.

Some people might spend their whole lives picturing Robert De Niro as nothing more than a raging bull or maybe just a classic Best man, but if you ask me, he was absolutely phenomenal in his role in Analyze this (I haven't caught the sequel yet). I don't think I've ever seen that much self-deprecating humor packed into one performance before; it’s such a great way for an actor to show they can laugh at themselves. There's that one specific scene where he starts breaking down in tears, and honestly, it just cracks me up every single time... 👍 👋
If anyone can think of a movie where he actually gives a terrible performance, go ahead and try to explain why, if you can.
And it makes me wonder—is it actually bad acting, or is it just a case of picking the wrong projects? That plays a huge part too. Obviously, we don't get a masterpiece like The Godfather, Jaws, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, or Taxi Driver every single day...

copperdriver15 said:Alright, give me some movie recommendations where the acting is absolutely bottom-of-the-barrel. And please, if you can, try to actually explain *why* it’s so bad. I need the breakdown.

Let's just say... that absolutely horrific "Analyze that." 🙂
What on earth happened to De Niro?
So, the guy basically just switched to autopilot, hasn't he? And honestly, that’s exactly how these corporate drones have been coasting through life for years.
Let me clear something up here: Every actor basically has two main paths when it comes to actually breathing life into a role and adding nuance to characters that, on paper, are nothing more than dead letters.

Look, first things first: an actor actually has to *feel* the script. It’s not enough to just recite lines like some robot programmed to read. They need to live in that headspace so they can deliver an emotionally believable performance. That way, when you're watching, you don't feel like you're seeing someone "acting"—you get the impression that everything they're doing is just a natural, organic extension of the character on screen.
It’s just fucking brutal and exhausting, honestly. And man, De Niro used to be so damn good at this kind of thing back in the day... 😢

Then there’s the other way to look at it. Most actors basically spend decades building up this massive reservoir of raw emotion. Eventually, they don't even have to break a sweat to tap into it; they just pull from that same well to play a role or spin a dozen different variations on the same old themes. They can even push themselves into those total, over-the-top extremes—you know, "Analyze that."

De Niro hasn't had the willpower to actually give a powerhouse performance in years. Honestly, he’s just missing a genius director and a real partner to push him. And before anyone even thinks about bringing up that absolute garbage, Heat—just so we're clear, those two were never even on set together.
It’s actually pretty wild how the same director managed to briefly drag Al Pacino’s career straight into the gutter with *The Devil's Advocate*. Honestly, that movie was basically the absolute rock bottom for him.
If only it had been Russell Crowe on the other side. 🙂

Who’s your absolute GOAT when it comes to acting?
De Niro, Al Pacino, and Dustin Hoffman... hands down.
🙄

Bobby’s played the same part way too many times now and, like driftingowl27 says—he’s basically on autopilot, just coasting through it... but hey, you can't deny his roles hit a little harder than most.

Honestly, looking at the criticism here, I feel like, man, Bobby, you can definitely do better than that. It feels like everyone is arguing over a glass that’s only half full; the truth is, every great actor has that one standout performance where they truly pushed the boundaries of their craft, and De Niro has had several of those moments. Of course, he isn't going to show off his entire range in Analyze this because it's a comedy rather than some heavy psychological drama, but I’ve always been fascinated by how effortlessly he transitions into comedy—which is a notoriously tricky genre to nail. Then again, I’m starting to see the other side of things too; let's face it, the guy made a fortune, basically trademarked his signature facial expressions, and now he’s just riding the wave of his own stardom, with movies being sold primarily on his name alone, which is a reality of the business. Still, I have to say, Ronin actually caught me off guard in the best way, even though I went in expecting something more along the lines of Heat or those other established classics.
There’s actually some wisdom in what Mickey said, just like driftingowl27 has pointed out to me so many times before. 😁 🙄

driftingowl27 said:Heat is garbage

Honestly, this one speaks for itself...

driftingowl27 said:
It’s interesting how the same director briefly managed to revive Al Pacino's career after he hit a bit of a low point with "The Devil's Advocate."
Except on the other side of that was Russell Crowe. 🙂

Wait, isn't it Keanu Reeves in "The Devil's Advocate," rather than Russell Crowe? Or am I just getting things mixed up again (as per usual)? 🙂

redowl90 said:Or maybe I just completely misread the situation (as per usual)?

You definitely misread it. As usual. But hey, you managed to take one for the team, so I guess we'll call it even. 🙂

lebowski said:There’s actually some brains behind that Miami persona, just like a lot of people have pointed out to me before.

There's always been a certain chemistry between us, baby... 😳 😁

Analyze This is honestly one of the biggest letdowns I’ve ever dealt with—having Harold Ramis direct a film as genuinely entertaining as Groundhog Day starring De Niro, only to find out someone actually decided to make a sequel was beyond belief. Someone made a fair point earlier that De Niro seems to be acting on autopilot; he’s basically in a coma during Meet the Parents, and he certainly isn't exactly shining in Jackie Brown either.

driftingowl27 said:It’s actually quite interesting how the same director managed to pull Al Pacino back from a career slump after he hit rock bottom with "The Devil's Advocate."
Except, on the other hand, he was working with Russell Crowe. 🙂

Translation for redowl90:

It is worth noting that Michael Mann (who also directed Heat) effectively resurrected Al Pacino's fading career with The Insider. The main difference is that in The Insider, Al Pacino starred alongside Russell Crowe. 🙂

Miami, look, with all due respect, you’re totally out of line calling Heat garbage. I’d happily sit through a movie like that any day of the week—probably even twice. Now, the rest of what you said about De Niro? Spot on.

I was actually reading this interview with De Niro recently, and it’s crystal clear that for him, acting is just a job, like clocking in at an office, and his big driving force is basically just making sure he "sets his kids up for success in life."

Let’s be real, it took a lot of movies for most people to actually realize the guy can play a total creep if he wants to—if they even caught on at all. I know I did. He used to carry so much weight, though. Back when he was at the top of his game, seeing his name on a poster was basically a seal of quality.

P.S.
Miami, if you honestly thought De Niro and Pacino never shared a set during Heat, go back and watch it. There’s this killer scene where they’re just grabbing coffee and talking, and the tension between them is absolutely electric... Don't go undermining your own authority by being superficial. 😉

Michelle Howard2 said:Miami, look, with all due respect, you’re full of it if you think Heat is trash. I would happily watch "trash" like that any day. And probably a few times over.

P.S.
Miami, if you actually thought De Niro and Al Pacino were never on set together for Heat, go watch it again. There's a killer scene where they're just grabbing coffee and talking. You can practically see the sparks flying off both of them... Don't undermine your own authority with surface-level stuff like that. 😉

Ugh, Michelle Howard2, where are you even coming from with that... 😘

As for Heat, it's an overrated mess. You've got everything from those baroque, try-hard, "look what I can do" Mann edits to that "I'm such a huge star" acting both of them push through the entire movie...
Mann really found his groove with The Insider... clearly he learned from his own mistakes 🙂

And that bit about them never being on set? That's confirmed info. One of the film's producers let it slip while he was drunk giving a guest lecture at my old college, a year before I even started there. 🙂
Obviously, for reasons that are impossible to fathom. 🙄
BTW, do you honestly think nobody ever had the idea to cast them together after they peaked in The Godfather? 😉
Body doubles, clever camera angles, and makeup work wonders 🙂

Is it just me, or is this thread starting to look more and more like the National Enquirer? 😁

driftingowl27 said:
Regarding Heat, it’s just overhyped garbage. You get those baroque, try-hard shots where they show off everything they can do, paired with "look how big a star I am" acting from both of them throughout the whole movie...
Mann really found his footing with Insider... I guess he learned from his own mistakes. 🙂

BTW, do you think nobody ever thought of putting them together in a movie after their peak in The Godfather? 😉
Body doubles, clever camera angles, and makeup work wonders. 🙂

Wow... I mean, kudos to your "expertise" on most films, but I honestly didn't expect you to be the one calling Heat trash... That's exactly my point: "Most people love this film, so I'll just bash it to look cool..." But anyway, moving on... (the only thing I hope is that you aren't actually claiming they didn't act in that shared scene in Heat)...

And saying their peak was in The Godfather is just nonsensical... Both had incredible (if not better) roles after that: De Niro in Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, and The Hunter, while Pacino had Scent of Women, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Dog Afternoon (I'd even venture to say Face with Scar, though that might not beat The Godfather)...

Personally, I don't mind De Niro doing comedies... The guy showed us his absolute best already, and now he's just working in different types of movies, likely for the paycheck and to stay relevant. In my opinion, out of all his recent work, Men of Honor really wasn't necessary, but everything else has been decent or even above average...

The reason why De Niro stopped doing "standard" movies is pretty obvious: Hollywood just doesn't make them anymore. Most modern films are total garbage compared to the classics. We don't see movies like Taxi Driver, Flight over the Coward's Nest, or Dog Afternoon much anymore. You might stumble upon an indie project or a small blockbuster that actually feels substantial, but unfortunately, Hollywood has pivoted toward things like Armageddon, Daredevil, and Spider-Man—projects that clearly just smell like Novac. Actors like De Niro refuse to touch those, which leaves them stuck in mid-budget flicks where they can mostly rely on their names to pull in a paycheck.

That’s why I say: "Go, De Niro... You might not be the powerhouse you once were, and you've definitely started picking up some mediocre roles, but you're still better than most!"

"...the only thing I can't wrap my head around is why you, for God's sake, turned down Gangs of New York?..."

"So, what are your all-time favorite movies?"

The Godfather, The Shawshank Redemption, and Citizen Kane.

"And who are your favorite actors?"

Robert De Niro and Al Pacino...

🙂 (to set the stage 🙂 )

Anyway, back to that painfully boring slog, Heat.
What’s the deal here? We’ve got Robert De Niro, who's nowhere near his creative prime, and Al Pacino, who isn't exactly firing on all cylinders either.
Then we have—and I'll admit this—an incredible technician in Michael Mann, who basically just proves he’s a master at telling a standard "cops & robbers" story through incredibly polished technical execution.

The point (redowl90, if that doesn't make sense, feel free to ask 😉 ), is that people are being sold total garbage, and they're buying it hook, line, and sinker. Everyone picks the exact same "favorite" movies, everyone loves the same actors, and when you bundle all that together with an excellent technician, suddenly it's hailed as a masterpiece!🙂 (for dramatic effect 🙂 )

Yeah, seriously... it's boring as hell... like some new Kaurismäki flick playing at the local Cinema, which is just absolute nonsense...🙏

That scene in Heat where Al Pacino and Robert De Niro meet for coffee—I’m not sure if Dante or Wyatt was aiming for some kind of spark or chemistry there, but it’s a disaster. "I’m a cop who works too much, so my marriage suffers (really?), and I’m a thief who can't afford to get attached, you’re charming, but I'd have to kill you if I had to, and vice versa"—all that other cliché nonsense they scribbled down feels like a forced, "iconic" moment between iconic actors, lacking any real substance.
Most of the relationships in this movie are built on incredibly shaky ground. If I were a calm, intelligent criminal like De Niro in that coffee shop scene, I would have told Al Pacino to go jump in a lake for acting so high-strung and theatrical; he tries to act smart but can barely deliver a single coherent sentence. The film might have some high-octane moments, especially in the first half—De Niro performs quite solidly considering how ridiculous the script is—but calling Heat some sort of masterpiece? Not even close.
Anyway, speaking of the subject, the last De Niro film I saw that actually impressed me was Casino back in the 90s, and then...