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Better Actor: Tobey Maguire vs. Andrew Garfield

Better Actor?

  • Tobey Maguire

  • Andrew Garfield


Results are only viewable after voting.

lime

Movie critic
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Who is the better ACTOR?
 
I have a feeling this will be quickly moved. But Andrew.
 
I think Tobey gets over-criticized sometimes because he never changes his voice. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I would still give the edge to Andrew, based on The Social Network and Never Let Me Go.
 
They were both good at the version of Peter Parker their respective movies were going for, and in sync with the tone of their respective series. Those tones are different enough that I think comparing their portrayals of Peter is a little unfair.

As for their acting in general, I haven't seen Garfield in anything besides Spider-Man.
 
I like both of them, but I voted for Maguire. I think he gets too much hate and I've never really understood why.
 
Andrew, easily, based on Boy A, Red Riding, Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, Never Let Me Go, Death of a Saleseman and The Social Network. He's one of the best actors of his generation, IMO. That I also happen to like him better as Spidey is just icing on the cake.
 
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They were both good at the version of Peter Parker their respective movies were going for, and in sync with the tone of their respective series. Those tones are different enough that I think comparing their portrayals of Peter is a little unfair.

As for their acting in general, I haven't seen Garfield in anything besides Spider-Man.

You should see The Social Network. Very good movie and Garfield's acting is excellent (way better than his performance in TASM).
 
They are both good actors, but I'll go with Maguire. His performance in Brothers is the best work either of them have ever done.
 
If the question is indeed actors and not just "who you like better as spider-man"? then Maguire is the answer. He has a much longer resume/proven track record going back the late 90's.

Garfield is still considered in the rising star category.
 
Andrew Garfield. Even beyond the character of spider-man. Macguire always come across as doofy to me.
 
If the question is indeed actors and not just "who you like better as spider-man"? then Maguire is the answer. He has a much longer resume/proven track record going back the late 90's.

Garfield is still considered in the rising star category.
Nah, Spidey aside, sure Maguire's done more work, but Garfield's done better work, imo.
 
Garfield has the better body of work. I'm sure Maguire could act his ass off, but his choice of roles doesn't support it as well as Garfield. He killed it in Brothers, though.
 
Tobey always looks like he is going to cry.. Andrew is the better actor.
 
Andrew Garfield. Even beyond the character of spider-man. Macguire always come across as doofy to me.

which why McGuire was a perfect cast for the bookworm nerdy Peter Parker. i had heard that intially Elijah Woods (Lords of the Rings) was once a strong consideration (maybe because he played the nerd in the Faculty) but i am glad McGuire's doofus look and demeanor prevailed.
Maybe the debate will continue beyond Spiderman/Parker but
for this particular Peter Parker role, its easily McGuire heads above shoulder.
 
Eh, I prefer Garfield in the role. His felt like an actually human being with layers and personality rather than a Saturday morning cartoon character like Macguire came off as a lot of the time.
 
Andrew, easily, based on Boy A, Red Riding, Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, Never Let Me Go, Death of a Saleseman and The Social Network. He's one of the best actors of his generation, IMO. That I also happen to like him better as Spidey is just icing on the cake.

qft :up:
 
which why McGuire was a perfect cast for the bookworm nerdy Peter Parker. i had heard that intially Elijah Woods (Lords of the Rings) was once a strong consideration (maybe because he played the nerd in the Faculty) but i am glad McGuire's doofus look and demeanor prevailed.
Maybe the debate will continue beyond Spiderman/Parker but
for this particular Peter Parker role, its easily McGuire heads above shoulder.

Maguire's Peter Parker was way too nerdy and too much of a bookworm. Even back in the 1960's comics, Peter Parker was at no point George McFly and while he did get bullied by Flash Thompson and the other popular kids, the majority of the school just didn't pay attention to him and stayed away from him.

On the other hand, the Maguire/Raimi Peter was bullied by everyone and their mom and there is even a scene where even the stereotypical nerdy-looking girl doesn't want him to sit next to her. They took the whole doofus-nerd thing to a ridiculous level.
 
I think TASM went too far in their reaction against that depiction and made Peter Parker into a too cool for school hipster.
 
I think TASM went too far in their reaction against that depiction and made Peter Parker into a too cool for school hipster.

Ouch. My biggest worry when leaving that post was that I was going to start another argument over the whole hipster/emo/*****ebag/whatever labels.

We've had this discussion a thousand times now (maybe not me and you directly but we've both had it with people on our side) so we both know what we are probably going to say. I still don't see how Peter in TASM is a hipster. The reasons I often hear are the clothes and the skateboard. In terms of the clothes, he looks more like a bum who can't afford proper clothing throughout most of the film (which adds to the idea that he is bullied/an outcast). In terms of the skateboard, it doesn't really mean anything. If you think about it, the skateboard is entirely superfluous (which makes me question why they even added it in in the first place). It is there just because it is there. It doesn't add anything to the film but doesn't take anything away from the film either.
 
I've never actually engaged in this debate myself (never cared enough about TASM to really engage in any debate about it) however the "hipster" attributes they gave him went beyond his clothes which ps. looking like a bum is pretty hipster.

It was his whole attitude to those around him, Captain Stacy at the dinner table, aunt may in general, even flash thomspon who almost gets bullied by peter it seems. It was this air of being better than others which played into that.

I think the makers thought peter looked too much like a victim in Raimi's films and tried to flip it to where Parker was on top. Peter Parker should arguably be somewhere in between.
 
I honestly like them both and like each version of their SM/PP characters but I think Garfield is a tad bit better as a dramatic actor.
 
I'm going to go with Tobey more in that Garfield is still starting out really.

Garfield
SOCIAL NETWORK
BOY A
NEVER LET ME GO

Tobey
THE CIDER HOUSE RULES
SEABISCUIT
WONDER BOYS
BROTHERS
PLEASANTVILLE
 
I voted for Tobey. I prefer him in the Peter Parker/Spider-Man role too. Though they're both good at their own takes.
 
They were both good at the version of Peter Parker their respective movies were going for, and in sync with the tone of their respective series. Those tones are different enough that I think comparing their portrayals of Peter is a little unfair.

As for their acting in general, I haven't seen Garfield in anything besides Spider-Man.

You haven't seen Social Network? Good movie.
 
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