Most Underrated/Overrated Actor(s)

Ted Spencer said:
The friend in particular who agreed with me on Streep is a veteran NYC actress. She also metioned that her father agreed.
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Well then, let the revocation of her Oscars begin...

Okay, a handful of people you know (I am being generous in assuming the two you mentioned are not the only ones) feel as you do. I can name a few seasoned film and theatre actors I know who think she is gifted, as well as a well respected Canadian director. Both camps would be considered a small sampling. In the end, her work does speak for itself, and most of her peers feel it is superlative.

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
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Okay...none of them are women, two of them aren't American,...and Crowe is the odd man out in that list as far as talent and range go. I'm a big fan of the other three, and Crowe is alright, but he is no Jimmy Stewart.

Again, what American actress would you consider truly great? Which one would outshine Streep's body of work over the last 30 years, in your opinion?


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..... You *might* get some disgreement from informed sources on that, but precious little.
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Replace movies with actresses, and there you go. That would sum up any discourse on Streep being an excellent film actress.


By the way, I'm an actor and voice over talent myself, and have made dozens of features and documentaries as music scoring mixer.
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Good for you...seriously. Being able to earn a living doing something that you enjoy must be very fulfilling. Congratulations.

Google my name if you're curious about all that.
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Nothing personal...I'm not.
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Spencer:
The friend in particular who agreed with me on Streep is a veteran NYC actress. She also metioned that her father agreed.

Well then, let the revocation of her Oscars begin...

Okay, a handful of people you know (I am being generous in assuming the two you mentioned are not the only ones) feel as you do. I can name a few seasoned film and theatre actors I know who think she is gifted, as well as a well respected Canadian director. Both camps would be considered a small sampling. In the end, her work does speak for itself, and most of her peers feel it is superlative.
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This is all just argumentative. It makes no difference to me what someone else thinks of Meryl Streep's stature. Let them enjoy her work I say. I have problems with it, but if someone else doesn't, then fine.

It is a statement of the obvious to point out that many reputable people *do* think she's great.

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A couple of questions:

1) An approximately equal number of people either love or hate the Star Wars films.

Which group is correct?

2) My brother hates shellfish. I love it.

Who's right?

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Quote:
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

Okay...none of them are women, two of them aren't American,...and Crowe is the odd man out in that list as far as talent and range go. I'm a big fan of the other three, and Crowe is alright, but he is no Jimmy Stewart.
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In your opinion...

Again, what American actress would you consider truly great? Which one would outshine Streep's body of work over the last 30 years, in your opinion?
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I don't know...does there have to be one? Is acting a sport? Is there a Babe Ruth of acting?

Regarding female actors:

I recently re-watched "Ordinary People" (I've been doing a lot of that lately, mainly with much older classics I missed earlier in life), and I think Mary Tyler Moore's Oscar-winning performance in it was phenomenal. But she did very few movies so I'd be hard pressed to give her equal stature to other women with larger bodies of work.

I though Ingrid Bergman was nothing short of astonishing in Casablanca.

I like a great deal of Kathy Bates' work, but not all.

Judi Dench (sp?) is almost always great. She might fit that 30(+) year thing you seem so focused on.

Helen Mirren was wonderful in "The Queen"

I like almost all of Jane Fonda's work.

Quote:
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..... You *might* get some disgreement from informed sources on that, but precious little.

Replace movies with actresses, and there you go. That would sum up any discourse on Streep being an excellent film actress.
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Fine, but I disagree, OK? I reserve the right to do that.

Quote:
By the way, I'm an actor and voice over talent myself, and have made dozens of features and documentaries as music scoring mixer.

Good for you...seriously. Being able to earn a living doing something that you enjoy must be very fulfilling. Congratulations.
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Thanks. I only mentioned it so you might understand that I'm not entirely an armchair acting critic. I'm not exactly a star either though. Meryl Streep is a *much* better actor than I am : )

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Google my name if you're curious about all that.

Nothing personal...I'm not.
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Now there's a fine bit of passive agressive for ya!

So...the bottom line, as I said earlier, is that I just don't enjoy *arguing* all this. I know there are many people for whom internet discussions like these are most entertaining as a kind of joust, but I'm not one of them. If you are, then I hope you find worthy adversaries here, and have a fine old time.

As for me, I'll continue with this thread as long as there are interesting comments to be read and to contribute, but I'm not in the least interested in "winning".

Peace
 
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Ted Spencer said:
T
his is all just argumentative. It makes no difference to me what someone else thinks of Meryl Streep's stature. Let them enjoy her work I say. I have problems with it, but if someone else doesn't, then fine.

It is a statement of the obvious to point out that many reputable people *do* think she's great.
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I'm not arguing anything. You think Merryl Streep is overrated, so I was wondering who you would view as to use your words. 'truly great.' I mentioned that no American actress in the last 30 years comes close (an opinion), and you disagreed. However, you never offered up any alternatives. It's just natural to wonder.

----------

A couple of questions:

1) An approximately equal number of people either love or hate the Star Wars films.

Which group is correct?

2) My brother hates shellfish. I love it.

Who's right?
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Who cares? People have a right to their opinions, as you mentioned, and I respect anybody who can intelligently express one, and even defend it against the occasional question.
I don't know...does there have to be one?
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Nope. You can think there haven't been any American actresses that can be considered truly great in the last 30 years. But if you really were above all that, you wouldn't participate in an overrated/underrated thread, would you?
Is acting a sport?
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Nope..but it can be physically demanding.
Is there a Babe Ruth of acting?
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Size wise...Orson Welles.

Regarding female actors:

I recently re-watched "Ordinary People" (I've been doing a lot of that lately, mainly with much older classics I missed earlier in life), and I think Mary Tyler Moore's Oscar-winning performance in it was phenomenal. But she did very few movies so I'd be hard pressed to give her equal stature to other women with larger bodies of work.
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Seems fair to me.

I though Ingrid Bergman was nothing short of astonishing in Casablanca.
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Yes. A european actress in a sixty year old film I adore.

I like a great deal of Kathy Bates' work, but not all.
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I do, too. And she is American, so now you're focusing on the topic. I'd even say she may be underrated. If she were more "Hollywood" in appearance, I think she would be hugely popular and work a great deal more in leading roles.

Judi Dench (sp?) is almost always great. She might fit that 30(+) year thing you seem so focused on.
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Had her in mind...but she is a Brit.

Helen Mirren was wonderful in "The Queen"
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I like her. The Long Good Friday...enough said. Also a Brit, by the way.

I like almost all of Jane Fonda's work.
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I like Jane, too. She is one of the other one's I'd put high on a list...above Sally Field, but below Merryl Streep.


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..... You *might* get some disgreement from informed sources on that, but precious little.

Fine, but I disagree, OK? I reserve the right to do that.
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By all means.

Thanks. I only mentioned it so you might understand that I'm not entirely an armchair acting critic. I'm not exactly a star either though. Meryl Streep is a *much* better actor than I am : )
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In your opinion she is...


Google my name if you're curious about all that....Now there's a fine bit of passive agressive for ya!
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Not at all. Just imagine how little you are interested in knowing about me, and turn it around. No hostility at all.

So...the bottom line here, my good friend Mr. DeSica, is that I just don't enjoy the exercise of arguing all this with you. I know there are many people for whom internet discussions like these are most enjoyable as a kind of joust to be "won", but I'm not one of them. If you are, then I hope you find worthy adversaries here, and have a fine old time.
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I'm not. I am not trying to win anything, or change your mind. I was just curious who you did think was a 'truly great.' contemporary American actress. It was like pulling teeth to get you to come up with a name, and half of them were men.

As for me, I'll continue with this thread as long as there are interesting comments to be read and to contribute, but I'm not in the least interested in "winning".
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Fine. You win...ooops.

Peace
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Same to you.
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Ones I dont' think I have seen mentioned:

Underrated:
Paul Giamatti
Chris Cooper

Unknown: Me :)

I started to also add Ewan MacGregor to the list of underrated actors. He is highly respected for his craft, but depending on the context he could be considered to be underrated.

Oh, and about the above discussion. Off the top of my head: A great American Female Contemporary actress (I believe that was the guideline):
Ellen Burstyn, in my opinion. She has a humongous resume, and continues to do 2 or 3 films a year, and I find her performances to have tons of depth. Not that I have seen many or even close to the majority of them. But, she is outstanding.

Jason
 
When contemplating the best actresses I for some reason kept forgetting Nicole Kidman. Sure, she's an Aussie (sorry again, DeSica), and she can't do comedy for beans, but in dramatic roles she's probably my personal favorite leading lady of at least the last ten years. Some really brave choices in there for her too, like "Dogtown", which is an excellent film otherwise as well, IMO.

Even though she shows very little gift for comedy I still respect her for giving it her best effort. Comedy is hard as they say...
 
Jason Ramsey said:
Ones I dont' think I have seen mentioned:

Underrated:
Paul Giamatti
Chris Cooper
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Chris Cooper's Oscar winning performance in Adaptation was absolutely phenomenal. And Meryl's performance was one of the few of hers that I really liked as well. The dynamics between the two of them in their scenes together was really something to behold.

I worked on American Splendor (re: Giamatti) as scoring mixer, and he was great in that, and certainly underrated then, but since "Sideways" and his Oscar nomination for "Cinderella Man" I think he's gotten more of the recognition he deserves. I always enjoy watching him.
 
Joops said:
American Actress:
Susan Sarandon
Joan Allen
Blythe Danner
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I really took on a whole new appreciation of Joan Allen after Pleasantville. I'd seen her in The Ice Storm and Face/Off, as well as other things, but that film seemed to get her really noticed as a talented actress.

It also got Toby McGuire (also good in The Ice Storm) and Reese Witherspoon some wider recognition, too. I wonder if she would have been cast in Election if it had not been for her performance in this film, given that her previous two movies were hunks of junk like Fear and Overnight Delivery.
 
I think Eddie Murphy's underrated. For sure, not all of his movies have been great (I didn't see Norbit, and probably never will), but certain of his deep characterizations, like in "Bowfinger" are almost unbelievably completely inhabited. Very talented guy.
 
Alright i'm gonna say it, Harrison Ford is overrated. It doesn't mean he is bad, in fact he has been good, in Indiana Jones and Star Wars et al.
 
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bosindy said:
Alright i'm gonna say it, Harrison Ford is overrated. It doesn't mean he is bad, in fact he has been good, in Indiana Jones and Star Wars et al. But in the end, he has the range of a pigeon, and I am being nice.
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I have been saying that for years. It's like he's been coasting for a long time. The dude is wooden.

Having said that...Blade Runner and Witness, no complaints there.
 
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