Most Underrated/Overrated Actor(s)

A guy who everybody has been raving about for the last 10 years is underrated...?

And Streep is the goods. No American actress in the last 30 years comes close to this woman...

Kramer vs Kramer (won Oscar)
The Deer Hunter
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Sophie's Choice (won Oscar)
Silkwood
Out Of Africa
Ironweed
Postcards From The Edge
The Bridges Of Madison County

All excellent performances, and all Oscar nominated...and I left out a few.
 
Nick Nolte is underrated. His performance was great in the Thin Red Line.

I think Mark Ruffulo is as well. I liked him alot in Zodiac. I'm looking forward to seeing what he does in Reservation Road.
 
A guy who everybody has been raving about for the last 10 years is underrated...?

And Streep is the goods. No American actress in the last 30 years comes close to this woman...

Kramer vs Kramer (won Oscar)
The Deer Hunter
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Sophie's Choice (won Oscar)
Silkwood
Out Of Africa
Ironweed
Postcards From The Edge
The Bridges Of Madison County

All excellent performances, and all Oscar nominated...and I left out a few.

See...thing is here, this thread is about *opinions*...not facts. There is nothing factual about any opinion, by definition. So my opinion of Meryl Streep is offered for your consideration, nothing more. Neither you nor I will ever be right about it.

I do agree that Streep was excellent in 'Kramer'. I watched it again just recently, and both she and Hoffman were at the top of their game in it. Otherwise, I find in way too many cases (the great majority of her work that I've seen, which is nearly all of it, and includes all the films you cited), that for my money, Streep is much too visibly *acting*. I always feel like I can see her actor-gears turning, and it takes me right out of the story and into her painstaking effort. Maybe it's just me (actually, it isn't just me - I know of others who agree), but it drives me nuts about 90% of the time I'm watching her (but again, not at all in 'Kramer').

This, in the face of her near-deification as "the greatest actress of our time" and all that (to wit: your "no American actress in the last 30 years comes close to this woman" comment), is what leads me to characterize her as overrated. For the most part, I think she's an OK actress I guess, but only truly great in...well...'Kramer' and...uh...

In my opinion...

Speaking of 'Kramer', it's actually one of the few non-"deep character" roles I *really* like Dustin Hoffman in ("The Graduate" and "Meet The Parents" being other ones that come to mind immediately), making him arguably overrated as well. For the deep-character stuff though - ("Tootsie", "Rain Man", even "Dick Tracy") he's absolutely great. For my money he's *much* less convincing in many (most?) of his straighter roles. So he's a mixed bag.

In my opinion...

Leonardo DiCaprio took a hell of a lot of nasty hits for many years for being nothing more than a pretty-boy lightweight. Maybe he's gotten past most of that flack now, but I remember thinking he was great in "Titanic" when so many people called him the luckiest guy in Hollywood just for getting cast. If he's overcome that, then so much the better for him. He is a really fine, serious, quality actor.

In my opinoin...

:happy:
 
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Leo is the real deal for me. He comtinues to just impress me with his range and choice of work

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Streep is solid; I'm with DeSica. One of the finest actresses of any generation. 14 Nominations and 2 wins ? Overrated ? Opions vary but yours is in the minority

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Cher

Cher is underrated despite her nod and win. I wish she made more films.

I cannot believe she didn't win (or get a nod) for MASK. Her finest role.
 
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Streep is solid; I'm with DeSica. One of the finest actresses of any generation. 14 Nominations and 2 wins ? Overrated ? Opions vary but yours is in the minority

No doubt about it. It's always surprised me how few people see it my way : )

I'm not into counting Oscars though. Too many have been (and not been) won in ways that seem quite capricious.

Cher

Cher is underrated despite her nod and win. I wish she made more films.

I cannot believe she didn't win (or get a nod) for MASK. Her finest role.

Agreed. Cher is a remarkably talented actress. I too wish she would do more films.
 
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Julia Robert's

DO NOT GET IT

NEVER WILL

I liked her Erin Brocovich; but what the hell is the hype with this mutt ? Not the most talented actress and definatley does not have a body work considered serious by any standard
 
See...thing is here, this thread is about *opinions*...not facts. There is nothing factual about any opinion,.

Oh, I know...some opinions do make more sense than others, though...

I do agree that Streep was excellent in 'Kramer'. I watched it again just recently, and both she and Hoffman were at the top of their game in it. Otherwise, I find in way too many cases (the great majority of her work that I've seen, which is nearly all of it, and includes all the films you cited), that for my money, Streep is much too visibly *acting*. .
Hmmm...so how does one explain the fact that the majority of professional actors find her to be extraordinarily talented...a trained eye, perhaps?

This, in the face of her near-deification as "the greatest actress of our time" and all that (to wit: your "no American actress in the last 30 years comes close to this woman" comment), is what leads me to characterize her as overrated. For the most part, I think she's an OK actress I guess, but only truly great in...well...'Kramer' and...uh...
I don't follow many trends...much of her work was done when I was a child, and unable to appreciate her on any real level. Now, I truly feel she is in a class all her own, and that actresses like Keaton, Dunaway, Farrow, McDormand, Jolie, and especially ones like Stone and Roberts...whoever, just don't come close. I don't worship her, I respect her. Alot.

In my opinion...
Right...in your opinion. In your opinion, who would be a truly great American actress?


In my opinion...

Leonardo DiCaprio took a hell of a lot of nasty hits for many years for being nothing more than a pretty-boy lightweight. Maybe he's gotten past most of that flack now, but I remember thinking he was great in "Titanic" when so many people called him the luckiest guy in Hollywood just for getting cast. If he's overcome that, then so much the better for him. He is a really fine, serious, quality actor.
Okay, so if this was ten years ago, you'd have a point. These days, he is regarded as extremely talented...which most people not presently in a coma are quite aware of.

In my opinoin...
Well, at least you're not repetitive...but that's just in my opinion.
 
Oh, I know...some opinions do make more sense than others, though...

Hmmm...so how does one explain the fact that the majority of professional actors find her to be extraordinarily talented...a trained eye, perhaps?

I don't follow many trends...much of her work was done when I was a child, and unable to appreciate her on any real level. Now, I truly feel she is in a class all her own, and that actresses like Keaton, Dunaway, Farrow, McDormand, Jolie, and especially ones like Stone and Roberts...whoever, just don't come close. I don't worship her, I respect her. Alot.

Right...in your opinion. In your opinion, who would be a truly great American actress?


Okay, so if this was ten years ago, you'd have a point. These days, he is regarded as extremely talented...which most people not presently in a coma are quite aware of.

Well, at least you're not repetitive...but that's just in my opinion.

Sorry my friend, I thought I made it clear enough that arguing all of this wasn't my thing. Have a nice day.
 
Come on now

Spirited debate is always welcome.


Of course, that's just your opinion.

You have to admit...it is easier to make assertions and then refuse to discuss them. Good of him to have remained above it all.

However, I really was curious as to who he (and his freinds who agreed with him about Streep being overrated) considered 'truly great.' Or who may be poised to become truly great.

Hilary Swank seems like she could go the distance there.
 
Greg Kinnear - Under rated
Samuel L. - Over exposed, but still under rated (Takes too many crap rolls)
Ian McShane - under rated (Great in "Sexy Beast")
John Voight - under rated
Eddie Murphy - under rated ("LIFE" was a great film, "DREAM GIRLS" he did a great job)
Harvey Keitel - under rated
Don Cheadle - under rated (Crash, Rosewood, Traffic)
Terrance Howard was great in Crash also. He was unbelievable.- under rated
William Shatner - under rated
Alec Baldwin - under rated
 
I really was curious as to who he (and his freinds who agreed with him about Streep being overrated) considered 'truly great.'

The friend in particular who agreed with me on Streep is a veteran NYC actress. She also metioned that her father agreed.

Right off the top of my head, a few actors (past and present) I think very highly of are:

Morgan Freeman
Russell Crowe
Jimmy Stewart
Alan Rickman

Or who may be poised to become truly great.

Hilary Swank seems like she could go the distance there.

I think she's great.

By the way, I'm an actor and voice over talent myself, and have made dozens of features and documentaries as music scoring mixer. Google my name if you're curious about all that.
 
Come on now

Spirited debate is always welcome.

I felt his tone was a bit argumentative and confrontational, so I opted out.

I enjoy discussing movies and actors, but I don't think opinions about art and artiists are particualrly debate-worthy. Almost every single movie or actor (or record or book or painting) has reputable people who completely disagree on its merits. Rottentomatoes.com is an object lesson in this. So I'll happily tell you my opinion of someone's artistic efforts, and listen with interest to yours, but I don't feel there's any point in "debating" it. Discussing, yes.

That's not to say that there aren't certain movies, for example, that can be pretty much regarded as good or bad and leave it at that. So, good would be "Casablanca" and bad would be "Gigli". You *might* get some disgreement from informed sources on that, but precious little.
 
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Hey Ted - That's cool.

I don't think that too many folks on this board are deliberately seeking to argue the subjective nature of an artist/his art. But sometimes don't you find that having a "spirited debate" can in fact help you solidify and better articulate these subjective feelings through the process of explanation?

I do.




dmc
 
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