Overlooked, Under-Appreciated or Un-Appreciated Performances

[turtlex]

I think might be a fun kind of discussion.

I love movies a lot, and I can tell - so do a lot of the folks here at TDT.

Anyone who watches a lot of movies, both good and bad, knows that it's sometimes easy for a good performance to get lost in a bad movie. You can also assume that sometimes, with other excellent performances, someone might get over-looked.

I'd like to use this topic to discuss and recommend overlooked, unappreciated and/or under-appreciated performances.

I'm going to propose two performances to start out this topic.

1. Jeff Bridges in Starman. Like the movie or not, his performance is, to me, a career defining one. It is so nuanced and believable.

2. Ellen Barkin in Switch. Personally, I thought the movie was pretty lacking in the script department, but Ellen Barkin's performance is right on the money and laugh out loud funny for it's execution.

Those are my two "nominations".... what are yours?

[Erin]

Courtney Love in The People Vs. Larry Flint. I think she's a pretty great actress, when she's not so cracked out she can't function.

[RUBE]

I think Courtney Love's performance was "under-appreciated" because it is possible that she was just that high herself and didn't need to act.

[ZoNeSeeK]

Erin: yep - she was great in that, but she was very well cast

[Mattrick]

Overlooked: Mark Ruffalo as Stan in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

His performance is very subtle but excellent, most of his character shows through his voice alone, which is a feat.

Overlooked:

Under-Appreciated: Tom Cruise as David Aames in Vanilla Sky

One of my favourite movies and I thought it really displayed his versatility. I thought David Aames was a great character and Tom portrayed his perfectly. Also think this came out around it was hip to hate on Tom Cruise.

Under-Appreciated: Adam Sandler as Barry Eagin in Punch Drunk Love

I thought his performance was absolultely masterful but the movie nor his performance were very well recieved. I think it's a fantastic movie and a great movie. I'm just glad Reign Over Me turned some heads to his talents.

Un-Appreciated: Sam Niell in 'In The Mouth of Madness'

Why? Most people haven't even heard of this movie. The whole movie is all about Sam Niell and his awesomeness.

[turtlex]

Excellent points, all.

[ZoNeSeeK]

Some i can think of:

Allison Janney as Sally Lester in The Hours

Tom Cruise as Frank TJ Mackey in Magnolia (Mattrick I think he was underrated in Vanilla Sky too)

Lara Flynn Boyle as Helen Jordan in Happiness

[turtlex]

Tom Cruise as Frank TJ Mackey in Magnolia (Mattrick I think he was underrated in Vanilla Sky too)

I agree with this completely. I thought this performance was very.. I guess brave is the word I'd use. So very "un-cruise"-like.

[Jimmy]

Both of these guys

[ame="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=i7gIpuIVE3k"]YouTube - Garbage Day! (high quality)[/ame]

[Rjeso]

Opposite Day! *bang*

[ZoNeSeeK]

Frank T.J. Mackey: Respect the cock! And tame the cunt! Tame it! Take it on headfirst with the skills that I will teach you at work and say no! You will not control me! No! You will not take my soul! No! You will not win this game! Because it's a game, guys. You want to think it's not, huh? You want to think it's not? Go back to the schoolyard and you have that crush on big-titted Mary Jane. Respect the cock. You are embedding this thought. I am the one who's in charge. I am the one who says yes! No! Now! Here! Because it's universal, man. It is evolutional. It is anthropological. It is biological. It is animal. We... are... men!

For those of you that haven't seen the movie

[Mattrick]

I want to. It's a Paul Thomas Anderson flick isn't it?

[turtlex]

It's an outstanding movie - a LOT of great performances in it. Kind of quirky, but really good. Yes, PT Anderson.

[LadyHitchhiker]

The Man who KNew Too Little

[turtlex]

I'm going to add another one, because I was reminded of it by a screen grab in another thread, but Kurt Russell in Big Trouble In Little China... what a great, funny, action filled performance.

[devo133]

not exactly underrated since Frances McDormand won an oscar for this but a great performance from a great actress who's not a house hold name

[ame="http://youtube.com/watch?v=DoDF29UenaY"]YouTube - Fargo - Frances McDormand (A Beautiful Day)[/ame]

[ZoNeSeeK]

she is awesome

like in Almost Famous - "Don't do DRUGS!"

[turtlex]

I am in complete agreement on Frances MacDormand. 100%. She rises above crap.... IE Laurel Canyon. The movie was crap, but she was actually very interesting in it.

Almost Famous is one of my favorite movies, so I have to agree there - "Rock stars have kidnapped my son!"

Fargo is a classic and I can't imagine anyone else in the role.

[ZoNeSeeK]

hehehe exactly. She is awesome. Go see Friends with money.

[turtlex]

I loved Friends With Money!! Catherine Keener, also a favorite of mine!

[Telynn]

There is an old movie called My Favorite Year. Peter O'Toole plays an Errol Flynn type character that, due to oweing taxes, has to perform on a live comedy show. It is such a good, funny movie. And Peter O'Toole is perfect. One of my favorite quotes comes from him in that movie. "I'm not an actor, I'm a movie star!!!"

[Odetta]

*tackles Telynn so she can't leave*

[Telynn]

*tackles Telynn so she can't leave*

Hey, I've been around. I even posted a special lol for you. Since you like the BIG cats.

[Spencer]

Jack Nicholson as The Joker. He should have gotten the nomination instead of some left footed guy.

[turtlex]

I agree about Peter O'Toole in My Favorite Year. He owns that movie!!

I can't agree about Nicholson in Batman, though. Sorry. I feel he played it just a little too cheeky. I think Heath Ledger's performance, in the upcoming film, is going to re-define the Joker as the creepy, socio-path that he is.