Films that made you see an Actor/Director in a different light?

[Deserana]

Whether positive to negative or vice-versa is there a film that made you change your view of an Actor/Director?

For me recently it's Brad Pitt. I know it may be a little weird but outside of Fight Club I wasn't particularly that fond of him as an actor. He never bothered me and he certainly wasn't bad but I never really liked him. As well as some rumors that were floating around that he wasn't particularly a nice guy to work with (apparently there is a film about an egomaniac film star which is based on an experience with him though that story has also been slated as a myth).

But yeah he just wasn't for me. But after World War Z I see him completely different. Now this wasn't to do with his work on screen but more off screen. Rarely have I seen such a big star push and push and be passionate about big budget blockbuster as much as Pitt did. He fought for the rights to the novel initially. Reportedly had on set feuds with director Marc Forster (to the point where they wouldn't talk) about the third act. Normally that would be bad but after watching the film and hearing about what the third act was this long-fought third act was a LOT better. So he clearly didn't just role with it like many would. And then pushed and pushed and pushed promotion for it after many had labelled it a guaranteed flop. Visiting multiple theatres unannounced in one day across different states.

Plus he also carried the film which always helps. I don't think it would have been as good without him.

Anyway have any of you had the same feeling about anyone?

 

[bullets]

Channing Tatum in 21 Jump Street.

Brad Pitt in Fight Club ( I had more respect for him afterwords)

Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight ( I liked his work before , but didn't know he was that good of an actor. Also I've never seen Brokeback Mountain)

Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity ( He did better in the role than I expected)

Jim Carrey in the Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. ( Showed he had dramatic range in these roles)

There's probably much more I could think of later.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

Directors I hated but now respect:
Life of Pi > Ang Lee
House of Cards > Joel Schumacher

Actors who I previously thought were only comedians:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind > Jim Carrey
Stranger than Fiction > Will Farrell
Little Miss Sunshine > Steve Carrell
Punch Drunk Love/Reign Over Me > Adam Sandler
Ray/The Soloist > Jamie Foxx
(this particular list goes on and on, comedians are highly intelligent, often underrated actors)

 

[DarkSovereignty]

It's hardto believe but there actually is a very talented film maker inside Joel Schumacher. His filmography is so bipolar lol

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Peter Jackson. There was nothing in his earlier work to suggest he could pull off a masterpiece like the LOTR trilogy.

For acting, I never got the love for Hugh Jackman. He was a good Wolverine, but in nearly everything else he was mediocre at best. Then he completely blew me away in The Prestige. I had no idea he had it in him at the time.

 

[Schlosser85]

I never thought Matt Damon was a bad actor, but before Bourne I wouldn't have thought of him as an action hero.

Uma Thurman is way better in Kill Bill than I've ever seen her in anything else except 1998 Les Miserables. I usually find her as bland as they come.

I didn't dislike Heath Ledger, but I had no idea he had the depth of acting in him that he showed in Brokeback Mountain. And even after that I was headscratching hard when he was cast as The Joker, and then he blew me away, which showed incredible range to go between BBM and TDK, and neither anything like himself.

I didn't think Leonardo DiCaprio was a good actor until I saw What's Eating Gilbert Grape (a long time after its release) and would have had no idea he had that in him. Since then, I've still found him uneven but thought he was good in Inception and J. Edgar.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

It's hardto believe but there actually is a very talented film maker inside Joel Schumacher. His filmography is so bipolar lol

Well watch House of Cards if you haven't seen it. It's hard not to like that series.

And much like Ang Lee and Brokeback Mountain, Schumacher's Phantom of the Opera was something I never could get into. But they are both Academy Award winning films. Some filmmakers are not suited toward superhero films though, that's the honest truth.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

I don't really like his phantom movie either, it's pretty devoid of emotion and atmosphere for something that could be both a tragic love story AND a classic horror movie, it just feels kind of hollow to me. I like the movie lost boys and flatliners. I also hear falling down is pretty great and I feel more inclined to blame WB for batman & robin (I don't hate batman forever), though Schumacher was misguided in his decisions as well.

 

[MMMMM...Pancakes]

The Town - Ben Affleck. Both as a director and an actor.

 

[Warhammer]

Heath Ledger was the first actor that showed me that no matter how left field a particular casting may be, always wait to view the finish product before judging because you'll never know. So many actors may be typecast or take parts in films that aren't well received, but all it takes is one role to defy the audience's perception.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

Bradley Cooper in Limitless and then Silver Linings Playbook. I was on the verge of hating him until watching his performance in both films and then you add his work in The Place Beyond the Pines and he has proven that he is the real deal. He is a legitimately good actor.

Channing Tatum in 21 JumpStreet. I still don't think he has it in him to truly lead an action film but he is very good at comedy.

 

[Sawyer]

I never thought he was bad, but I didn't really realize how good Hugh Jackman could be until The Prestige.

 

[LordofhouseEl]

Hmmmm why do people always state fight club as the film that showed Brad Pitt can act, did anyone ever see twelve monkeys. Yes he was phenomenal in fight club but he had proved his talents long before that.

 

[The Amazing Lee]

Matthew mcconaughey in Mud.

 

[dark_b]

Cooper and Carrey.

Carrey started out as a stand up guy so no suprise that he was in comedies. but what was Cooper thinking 10 years ago? that it is smart to play a rich *****e-jackass? Cooper was also very good in A-team. i hope that he brings it back now that he is a big name

 

[Brain Damage]

Brett Ratner's Red Dragon. It's the best movie he's made by such a huge margin it's almost sad.

 

[jonathancrane]

My screen knowledge of Rhys Ifans had been limited to Little Nicky, which left a horrible flavor in my mouth. However, when I saw Amazing Spider-Man, I was blown away by the terrific performance he gave in the film: one of the definitive interpretations of the Jekyll/Hyde duality.

 

[Deserana]

Ifans is fantastic in a small film called Enduring love where he stalks Daniel Craig. The film itself is pretty weak IMO but worth watch just for the performances of Craig and especially Ifans.

 

[jonathancrane]

Ifans is fantastic in a small film called Enduring love where he stalks Daniel Craig. The film itself is pretty weak IMO but worth watch just for the performances of Craig and especially Ifans.

I will definitely check that out. Thank you for the recommendation!

 

[gwynplaine]

George Clooney in The Descendants.

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

Ifans is fantastic in a small film called Enduring love where he stalks Daniel Craig. The film itself is pretty weak IMO but worth watch just for the performances of Craig and especially Ifans.

I was about to post that.

Mark Wahlberg- The Fighter, Ted (more a behind the scenes thing)
Bradley Cooper- Silver Linings
Jim Carrey- Truman, Sunshine and Number 23
Matthew McConaughy- Most roles since Lincoln Lawyer
Ben Affleck- The Town
Johnny Depp- The Mad Hatter (the magic of Jack is gone and he just plays gimmicks now)
Robert Downey Jr.- Tony Stark


Ang Lee- HULK (wtf happened here?)

 

[dark_b]

Matthew McConaughy- Most roles since Lincoln Lawyer

Robert Downey Jr.- Tony Stark

90's and 80's?

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Chris Evans- The Avengers

 

[terry78]

Basically a lot of actors we hate have actually done smaller flicks where they really shine, but the media rarely covers them. And they get paid the big bucks to overact as opposed to more subtle performances.

 

[flower]

Elizabeth Banks in People Like Us and Emma Stone in Paper-Man. I thought they were only comedic actresses, but they both gave great dramatic performances in these two movies