Name a role or movie that made you re-think an actor's ability?

[Justice wanted]

Okay I grew up with my grandparents watching reruns of The Andy Griffith show. I never understood how he got his own show or what the appeal was about the man. To me I always thought he was just the straight man for everyone else on the show who was truly acting,. (I know perhaps a little too cruel on my part.)


Than I saw Mr Griffith in A Face in the Crowd. And I was absolutely floored by his Brilliant and deliciously evil character--Lonsome Rhodes.


Why didn't this man do more roles like that. He was brilliant in that and to this day my mind has been change about his acting ability.


How about you? Any actor or actress do that to you?

[HopeHoops]

1. Leonardo DiCaprio in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"

I've never found him to be a particularly good actor, but his role in that movie was astonishing.

[RiffRandell]

2. I used to think Amy Adams was all fluff.

After seeing Sunshine Cleaning and The Fighter, I think she's very talented.

[Canis Mala]

3. Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can

He was perfect in that quirky part and his sincerity is heartbreaking. It's one of my favorite movies. Too bad Tom Hanks doesn't have that great a grip on his New England accent. LD and Chris Walken are very effective/believable as father and son.

[TuxedoKat]

17. I was going to say the same thing

I never thought much of him as an actor until I saw that. If you liked the movie you should read the book, it was great.

[MrsBrady]

4. have you heard Griffith's

comedic monologues?

That was why he became famous. They are some of the funniest things you will ever hear.
He's multi-talented.

[Justice wanted]

6. no. never knew he was a stand up comedian. I'm going to have to search for them on you tube.

[MrsBrady]

7. info here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_It_Was,_Was_Football

[OriginalGeek]

9. lol I was just about to post "What it was, was football"

So instead I'll just add that his movie "No Time For Sergeants" is well worth looking up. I don't know if it's true but I always assumed it was the inspiration for "Gomer Pyle, USMC" (what with all the Andy, Gomer connections on TV and whatnot)

WIWWF is one of the funniest damn things I've ever heard.



Andy Griffith is a national treasure.




But to answer OP's question, John Travolta in Pulp Fiction. Just thought of him as a goof before that. (Still think of him as a goof for that Scientology bullshit but that's beside the point - since PF he's made some movies I like a lot. Before that, none and that's taking into account the fact that I loved Welcome Back Kotter).

(Wait, I will give him some credit for Saturday Night Fever....but not a lot...i enjoyed that in spite of him)

[suninvited]

29. I enjoyed John Travolta in

Love Song for Bobby Long.

Not a really big hit, but I liked it a lot.

[Justice wanted]

12. Thanks I'm going to have to follow the link.

[Lucinda]

16. Audio Link

[WCGreen]

23. What it was was Football...

[ohiosmith]

5. Greg Kinnear As Good as it Gets

[Denninmi]

8. Tom Hanks in 'Philadelphia'

and then again shortly thereafter in 'Forest Gump' -- prior to that, I thought of him mostly as a 2 bit comedic actor in such dregs as the early 1980s tv series 'Bossom Buddies' and a string of poorly made comedies.

[Justice wanted]

13. Good one. I forgot about Philadelphia. Give some Props to Antonio Banderas too

considering how early in his career he made that movie.

[rrneck]

10. Mel Gibson in Hamlet.

But it doesn't keep him off my shit list for all the other stuff, including his Jesus movie.

[pink-o]

11. Tom Cruise in "Rain Man"

Don't forget, back then no one knew how twisted he was, but I just thought he was a pretty-faced brash little shit who was the Darling of the Reagan jingoism with stuff like "Top Gun" and fluff like "Cocktail". Rain Man was a perfect vehicle for an actor like Hoffman, who can chew scenery and go over the top with an admirable brilliance (think Ratzo in "Midnight Cowboy&quot Cruise held his own in Rain Man, didn't let Dustin steal every scene and I admit to being very impressed. Soon after, he did "Born on the Fourth of July" which validated my new-found respect for him.

Too bad all his personal shit and some really shitty movies have destroyed that late-80s / early-90's era of good feelings!

[sarge43]

14. Jerry Lewis in King of Comedy

OK, maybe he was just playing himself, but he did a hellva job.

[Brother Buzz]

15. John Travolta's portrayal of Chili Palmer in Get Shorty was spectacular

Last edited Sat Jan 7, 2012, 06:44 PM - Edit history (1)

I was never a fan of John Travolta until I saw Get Shorty. He Nailed the part.

[flying rabbit]

18. I think he got the ball back with pulp fiction

and then fumbled it with battlefield earth.

[ThomThom]

20. I also didn't think much Travolta then I saw him

in something and was very impressed but I don't think it was Get Shorty. I saw that later.

[Fire Walk With Me]

19. Drew Barrymore in Donnie Darko. Co-produced as well.

[deucemagnet]

21. Jamie Foxx in "Ray".

I thought low-brow humor was all he could do. I was wrong.

[GoCubsGo]

22. Robert Downey, Jr. in "Tropic Thunder". Tom Cruise, too.

I knew Downey was good, but I didn't know just how good until he switched from playing a badly sterotyped black man to a white Australian in a millisecond.

And, who knew Tom Cruise could do comedy. I thought he was hysterical as Les Grossman. Heck I didn't even realize it was him until I saw the credits.

[nolabear]

24. John Wayne in The Shootist

John Wayne was John Wayne up til then. Suddenly, he was a man at the end of his life, and, finally, human.

[Bolo Boffin]

28. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence did it for me.

Poor old Tom Doniphon.

[eShirl]

25. Ronald Reagan as President of the United States.

[Gabi Hayes]

26. Pia Zadora in The Lonely Lady

revelatory

[Gabi Hayes]

27. or maybe it was in.....

Butterfly

[JCMach1]

30. Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler"

B movie has-been to A class method actor... what a performance...