Is Jeff Goldblum's Acting Quality Measured by His Expressive Eyes?

[Ivan Seeking]

Being a bit of a movie buff, I tend to pick things apart, as I'm sure many people here do.

Here is one that came up recently: Is Jeff Goldblum a quality actor, or is he just someone that people like to watch? While I tend to enjoy his movies for light entertainment, I started noticing that he never really seems to act. He has a characteristic manner from which he never deviates.

 

[Cyrus]

LOL, cue in the Dinosaurs.

He sucks as an actor.

Speaking of sucks, I just saw a few minutes of this movie called "deep blue" on syfy about killer man-eating sharks. My-god. It was epically bad.

 

[lisab]

Well I don't go to movies often, but I find there are lots of actors who can't act. I'd put Goldblum in that category...one character: smart, sort of funny and non-conformist, dry delivery of lines. Funny the first time or two you see him, but then you realize...hey, it's the same character as the last movie!

Another actor like that: Kevin Costner...ugh. I made the mistake of seeing "Robin Hood," in the early 90s. Didn't even bother learning a quasi-British accent! And it's that way in most of his movies...I think he speaks in a monotone and keeps a frozen expression. So much for acting.

 

[Evo]

He was married to Geena Davis. Other than that, yeah he's not a good actor.

 

[B. Elliott]

Funny, I've thought the exact same thing before about him. He's ok I suppose.

There's a few other actors that come to mind; Morgan Freeman, Nicholas Cage, Stephen Segal, Vin Diesel, Steve Buscemi.

 

[russ_watters]

Here is one that came up recently: Is Jeff Goldblum a quality actor, or is he just someone that people like to watch? While I tend to enjoy his movies for light entertainment, I started noticing that he never really seems to act. He has a characteristic manner from which he never deviates.

I agree that he's a quality actor (insofar as he is good in the movies he is in) and that he doesn't have much range. He is what he is and he's good at it, but he's nothing more.

I suppose having only one role that is probably just a reflection of himself means he can't "act". But I would separate him from someone like Kevin Costner, who isn't good in any role. I'm not sure why people keep giving him jobs (he's not as hot as he used to be, so maybe casting directors are realizing how terrible he is...).

 

[russ_watters]

There's a few other actors that come to mind; Morgan Freeman, Nicholas Cage, Stephen Segal, Vin Diesel, Steve Buscemi.

You think Morgan Freeman and Steve Buscemi are in the same category as those others? Freeman is an oscar winner and it really isn't debateable that he's a superstar. Buscemi you might have an argument on, but I tend to think that no one as ugly as him could keep getting jobs if he couldn't act. Looking at IMDB, yikes, he has 121 movie credits!

Vin Diesel and Steven Segal are generic action movie actors. They are like Goldblulm in having little to no range but being decent at the one role they play over and over. Cage gets slightly more varied roles, but is mediocre in general.

 

[Cyrus]

Speak of the Devil. He's on Law and Order right now! See if you can guess what his character does?

 

[Math Is Hard]

Buscemi? umm.. serial killer or rapist, maybe?

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I started noticing that he never really seems to act.

The mark of an artist.

 

[Pengwuino]

LOL, cue in the Dinosaurs.

He sucks as an actor.

Speaking of sucks, I just saw a few minutes of this movie called "deep blue" on syfy about killer man-eating sharks. My-god. It was epically bad.

Speaking of sucks, hey Cyrus.

I agree though, Goldblum has never impressed me. Whenever I think of him, I think of him with gawking at a dinosaur.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

My friends and I had a conversation a while back about this. "Who are good actors?"
We came to the realization that just about every actor plays pretty much the same in every movie. Some actors have two or maybe even three faces but other than that they're all pretty much the same across the board.

Particularly good examples...

Morgan Freeman: Same character in every film. The only one I know of where he plays a bad guy he is still a good guy and still acts the same regardless.

Christopher Walken: Just about everybody loves him but he is the exact same in every role he plays.

Denzel Washington: He has switch hit between good guy and bad guy but the two faces are not very different from one another, just one is Denzel being an ***hole and the other one isn't.

Johnny Depp: Though I have seen him play a regular character way back when he was on 21 jump Street it seems that all he ever plays any more is some variation on the crazy weirdo.

Patrick Stewart: I can never see him as anything but Captain Picard. Maybe that's really the problem and not his acting but even in Jeffrey he just seemed like a gay Captain Picard to me.


Funny thing is that Brad Pitt is abouot the only actor I can think of that seems to have quite a range of personality in his movies. Sensitive romantic, suave businessman, macho typical male, and stonecold ****nuts insane. He seems to really try to act like a different person in each role.

 

[junglebeast]

I always find it hard to look past his acting. He never becomes an actual character -- always just a blatantly posing actor.

 

[Pengwuino]

Add Tom Cruise to that list of people who can only play one role. Sucks at it too.

 

[Cyrus]

Wow, they made him a lead role, he's a detective!

I swear it was like watching Jurassic Park all over again. This just in, T-Rex did the murder.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The mark of an artist.

I didn't say that one can't tell he is acting... I don't think I have ever seen him show emotion!

 

[Pyrrhus]

What about Russell Crowe? he seems to only get roles in movies of the past... Gladiator, Cinderella Man, A Beautiful Mind, ...

Goldblum is an ok actor. He's best role is that Human Fly movie, followed by Jurassic Park 1, and that's it...

 

[Cyrus]

Anyone else notice his "glasses" never have a prescription?

http://blog.spout.com/wp-content/uploads/340x.jpg

Those are "I'm wearing these to look smart" glasses.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

What about Russell Crowe? he seems to only get roles in movies of the past... Gladiator, Cinderella Man, A Beautiful Mind, ...

I think Russell Crowe is an excellent actor.

Imo, someone else that can't act his way out of a box is Elliot Gould. I have never understood why he was or is considered to be a big star [aside from the fact that someone gave him a bunch of work].

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Something that I have come to appreciate is the acting in silent films. While they are usually overly dramatic [I assume to compensate for the silence], the ability that the actors had to convey emotion was far above and beyond the capabilities of perhaps most popular actors today.

It seems to me that the closeups in silent films, combined with the silence, made the acting far more challenging than even theater. Of course the ability to convey emotion with the voice is another talent and skill. Many of the actors from silent films couldn't make it in the talkies.

One example of great facial expression is found in Fritz Lang's Metropolis. When the evil robot assumes the form of our angelic heroine and deceives the masses, [I think it is when she is finally tied to the stake] she produces some facial expressions that are priceless. Now THAT is evil personified!

 

[Huckleberry]

My friends and I had a conversation a while back about this. "Who are good actors?"
We came to the realization that just about every actor plays pretty much the same in every movie. Some actors have two or maybe even three faces but other than that they're all pretty much the same across the board.

Particularly good examples...

Morgan Freeman: Same character in every film. The only one I know of where he plays a bad guy he is still a good guy and still acts the same regardless.

Christopher Walken: Just about everybody loves him but he is the exact same in every role he plays.

Denzel Washington: He has switch hit between good guy and bad guy but the two faces are not very different from one another, just one is Denzel being an ***hole and the other one isn't.

Johnny Depp: Though I have seen him play a regular character way back when he was on 21 jump Street it seems that all he ever plays any more is some variation on the crazy weirdo.

Patrick Stewart: I can never see him as anything but Captain Picard. Maybe that's really the problem and not his acting but even in Jeffrey he just seemed like a gay Captain Picard to me.


Funny thing is that Brad Pitt is abouot the only actor I can think of that seems to have quite a range of personality in his movies. Sensitive romantic, suave businessman, macho typical male, and stonecold ****nuts insane. He seems to really try to act like a different person in each role.

Some of these are my favorite actors. I think they are excellent at the roles they are in even if the roles are similar every time. I've never seen a villian more vile than Denzel Washington in 'Training Day'. Christopher Walken doesn't need to act because he is the act. You could add Robert Deniro, Al Pacino, Clint Eastwood and Samuel L. Jackson to that list too. Excelling in one area doesn't make someone a bad actor. They're good actors that are great at certain roles. Most actors eventually get typecast. It's the ones with range that are the rarity.

I don't think Brad Pitt is all that great. If you're looking for actors with range and talent then check out Gary Oldman and Robin Williams. Comedic actors are noted for their range.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Some of these are my favorite actors. I think they are excellent at the roles they are in even if the roles are similar every time. I've never seen a villian more vile than Denzel Washington in 'Training Day'. Christopher Walken doesn't need to act because he is the act. You could add Robert Deniro, Al Pacino, Clint Eastwood and Samuel L. Jackson to that list too. Excelling in one area doesn't make someone a bad actor. They're good actors that are great at certain roles. Most actors eventually get typecast. It's the ones with range that are the rarity.

I don't think Brad Pitt is all that great. If you're looking for actors with range and talent then check out Gary Oldman and Robin Williams. Comedic actors are noted for their range.

I do not dislike any of them or think they are bad actors. I actually like them very much and picked them because they are rather popular. And I don't particularly care for Pitt much except when he is playing a crazy guy.

I didn't finish my thought though, sorry, I was a bit distracted.

I think that what really makes a great actor is not so much the ability to play many different people as the ability to play many different situations. The thing that strikes me most about the actors I mentioned is that they are quite believable in the roles they play.

 

[hypatia]

Johnny Depp is a wonderful actor, who else could fill the shoes of Vincent Price so well? He can be goofy, zany but early on captured my heart with Gilbert Grape.

 

[hypatia]

 

[Huckleberry]

... I don't particularly care for Pitt much except when he is playing a crazy guy.

I loved him in 'Fight Club' and '12 Monkeys' and 'Troy'. He plays a great crazy or eccentric individual. I wasn't thrilled with his performance in 'Meet Joe Black'. He made Death look both all-knowing and naive. Maybe that was the point, but it didn't appeal to me much. There's something about his acting that says "Hey, I'm Brad Pitt!" It's like he hopped out of an Ayn Rand novel or something. Eh, maybe I'm just jealous. I dunno. I'd like to see him play an ordinary shmoe.

 

[DaveC426913]

Another actor like that: Kevin Costner...ugh. I made the mistake of seeing "Robin Hood," in the early 90s. Didn't even bother learning a quasi-British accent! And it's that way in most of his movies...I think he speaks in a monotone and keeps a frozen expression. So much for acting.

YESSSS!
I've been saying this for years! Is the entire North American audience hynotized?

And it was Robin Hood where I first started saying it. For all the world, I am positive that, looking at him play that character, you could tell that even he was flabbergasted as to why they cast him...

 

[D H]

I'm surprised no one mentioned John Wayne yet. John Wayne played John Wayne exceptionally well.

The list of actors who can't act is very, very long. How about a short list of actors who can act? I'll nominate Dustin Hoffman.

 

[Cyrus]

Good actors:

Christian Bale
Patrick Stewart
Ian Mckellen
Ben Kingsley

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I'll nominate Dustin Hoffman.

Yep.

Tom Hanks is good.

 

[DaveC426913]

I loved him in 'Fight Club' and '12 Monkeys' and 'Troy'. He plays a great crazy or eccentric individual. I wasn't thrilled with his performance in 'Meet Joe Black'. He made Death look both all-knowing and naive. Maybe that was the point, but it didn't appeal to me much. There's something about his acting that says "Hey, I'm Brad Pitt!" It's like he hopped out of an Ayn Rand novel or something. Eh, maybe I'm just jealous. I dunno. I'd like to see him play an ordinary shmoe.

Jeez. Seen a movie this decade??

See Snatch, Burn After Reading, Benjamin Button.

 

[bassplayer142]

Danial Day Lewis is an excellent actor!

 

[Huckleberry]

Jeez. Seen a movie this decade??

See Snatch, Burn After Reading, Benjamin Button.

Hey, it's not easy keeping up with all the SF. There's only so many hours in a day a guy can watch movies.

I've seen Snatch. Brad's character was hardly an average schmoe. That was some crazy trailer park boxer with a bad accent. I did enjoy the movie though. I like Guy Ritchie films.

I haven't seen the other two. I'll check them out after I'm finished with the old Battlestar Galactica series.

 

[n!kofeyn]

Good actors:
Christian Bale

Hahahahaha! You're joking right? Maybe I'm being harsh as I've never seen his other movies, but he seriously almost ruined The Dark Knight for me (which would have been better for me if it went more realistic as a crime and drama movie). He's way too pretentious for me to take him seriously. Heath Ledger was definitely on the rise to becoming an extremely varied and capable actor, which he really already was.

I second Dustin Hoffman. He is great. I really liked him in Stranger than Fiction, a movie that really flew under the radar.

I agree with DaveC426913, as Brad Pitt is a fantastic actor in my opinion. His best movie may have been Legends of the Fall. He was also good in Meet Joe Black, Fight Club, and Burn After Reading. Benjamin Button was amazing and boring at the same time. It could have used more story, but I respected it as a visual and ambience film. It definitely let your imagination go.

This leads to Anthony Hopkins as well, as he appeared in two of Brad Pitt's best as well as his own greats. A wonderfully talented and smart guy. I've heard his research is impeccable before he starts filming. Matt Damon is an actor that seems to get lumped in with the hunk crowd, but is actually capable of doing some deep stuff.

I also enjoy Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed, Catch Me If You Can, Gangs of New York), Jack Nicholson (One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, About Schmidt), Bill Murray (The Life Aquatic, in which I thought Goldblum couldn't have been replaced), and Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting). I've always been amazed at how good Robin Williams is at acting in his serious movies.

Johnny Depp is much better when he goes dark instead of quirky. I hated him in Willy Wonka. Gene Wilder tore that movie up. I agree with bassplayer142 on Daniel Day-Lewis. It would be great to see if the rumors are true and he picks up the Joker character. I just wish Nolan would have picked a different Batman.

 

[Cyrus]

Hahahahaha! You're joking right? Maybe I'm being harsh as I've never seen his other movies, but he seriously almost ruined The Dark Knight for me (which would have been better for me if it went more realistic as a crime and drama movie). He's way too pretentious for me to take him seriously. Heath Ledger was definitely on the rise to becoming an extremely varied and capable actor, which he really already was.

Rent American Psycho.

 

[n!kofeyn]

Rent American Psycho.

I've heard of it, but like I said, he's just way to pretentious. I mean the way he plays Batman is just silly with the voice, puckered lips when playing Wayne, and everything else, and I can't get that out of my head. He's just not for me, so I don't think I'll like him in any movie because I don't like his personality. Although I should view it within a personal context, listening to that leaked tape of his rant just shows he is kind of a prick, and I don't like watching people I don't like.

 

[Cyrus]

I've heard of it, but like I said, he's just way to pretentious. I mean the way he plays Batman is just silly with the voice, puckered lips when playing Wayne, and everything else, and I can't get that out of my head. He's just not for me, so I don't think I'll like him in any movie because I don't like his personality. Although I should view it within a personal context, listening to that leaked tape of his rant just shows he is kind of a prick, and I don't like watching people I don't like.

That's why he was so damn good in American Psycho. He plated the role perfectly. The problem is that you saw him in Batman first. I think he did a good job in Batman playing Bruce Wayne as well. Dark Night was overboard, but Batman Begins was very good. Go rent American Psycho.

Another good movie is American Gigolo with Richard Gere.

matt damon is also very good (I'm excluding the whole Bourne Trilogy when I say this. They were OK, not good).

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

See Snatch, Burn After Reading, Benjamin Button.

Hey, it's not easy keeping up with all the SF. There's only so many hours in a day a guy can watch movies.

I've seen Snatch. Brad's character was hardly an average schmoe. That was some crazy trailer park boxer with a bad accent. I did enjoy the movie though. I like Guy Ritchie films.

I haven't seen the other two. I'll check them out after I'm finished with the old Battlestar Galactica series.

Burn After Reading is a great satire on the cia agent thriller movie (not at all a thriller though). It has John Malkovich in it aswell. Pitt plays a ditzy blonde physical trainer, really over the top ditzy, but its about the closest thing to an average joe I have ever seen him play. As a warning though its a dry witted artistic sort of satire, not so much a haha slapstick. Sort of an acquired taste. When the movie was over I had a hard time deciding if I liked it myself. I just picked it up and watched it so I had no idea what I was in for.

I've heard of it, but like I said, he's just way to pretentious. I mean the way he plays Batman is just silly with the voice, puckered lips when playing Wayne, and everything else, and I can't get that out of my head.

Bruce Wayne being a playboy millionaire it kind of fits. But I know what you mean. I thought he was a bit 'weak chinned' for a batman.

 

[Hootenanny]

Some of my favourite actors:

Anthony Hopkins, Michael Gambon, Ian McKellen, Tom Hanks, Richard Harris, Ben Kingsley, Hugo Weaving, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush.

All outstanding actors in my opinion, capable of playing varied roles.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I've been an big fan of Alan Rickman since I saw him in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closet_Land" in the early '90s.

 

[Hootenanny]

I've been an big fan of Alan Rickman since I saw him in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closet_Land" in the early '90s.

I can't believe that I left him out! I absolute love the way he plays Snape in the Harry Potters.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I can't believe that I left him out! I absolute love the way he plays Snape in the Harry Potters.

Ditto.

Check out "Bottle Shock" if you haven't seen it. That was another excellent role for him.

 

[Huckleberry]

Where are the actresses? Do we judge their ability on a different scale or are female roles more limited? There must have been 20 men mentioned already and I haven't seen a single woman. (Did I miss one?) What's up with that?

 

[DaveC426913]

Where are the actresses? Do we judge their ability on a different scale or are female roles more limited? There must have been 20 men mentioned already and I haven't seen a single woman. (Did I miss one?) What's up with that?

Feel free. No waiting...

 

[DaveC426913]

I've been an big fan of Alan Rickman since I saw him in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closet_Land" in the early '90s.

Love him in everything. Stole the show from Costner in Robin Hood.

Ever see 'Truly Madly Deeply'? If you liked Swayze in Ghost ... you'll hate T-M-D.

 

[turbo]

Matt Damon has had some good roles with some range, as has Russell Crowe. Cruise is definitely 2-dimensional in most roles, and even worse is his former wife, Nicole Kidman. In "Far and Away", she could manage only two expressions, the most commonly used of which was petulant. Horrible. That could have been a pretty good movie with competent actors, but the couple was cast for their "star power" and lots of folks got taken in. My wife rented it on the recommendation of a co-worker - but even a cheap gallery rental was a rip-off.

 

[Borek]

I also enjoy Leonardo DiCaprio

with his best performance in Gilbert Grape

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Where are the actresses? Do we judge their ability on a different scale or are female roles more limited? There must have been 20 men mentioned already and I haven't seen a single woman. (Did I miss one?) What's up with that?

Not one that I would rank as great, but Cher really surprised me. She is pretty good. As for Nicole Kidman [mentioned earlier], I could watch her all day, but I don't know that her acting skills have ever impressed me. It seems that I liked her in Moulin Rouge.

 

[n!kofeyn]

I've been an big fan of Alan Rickman since I saw him in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closet_Land" in the early '90s.

He's playing the Caterpillar in the new Alice in Wonderland movie. I like him as well.

That's why he was so damn good in American Psycho. He plated the role perfectly. The problem is that you saw him in Batman first. I think he did a good job in Batman playing Bruce Wayne as well. Dark Night was overboard, but Batman Begins was very good. Go rent American Psycho.

Another good movie is American Gigolo with Richard Gere.

matt damon is also very good (I'm excluding the whole Bourne Trilogy when I say this. They were OK, not good).

Well I might check it out then. Sorry I laughed at first, as I just have to sort of giggle when I think of Bale because of his ridiculous growling in Batman.

Matt Damon can really make a character. I liked his comedy in Ocean's 12. I looked him up on imbd and had forgotten about The Legend of Bagger Vance, which was very good. Will Smith is also a great actor. He has good comedic timing, but can get very emotional. I Am Legend was impressive, as he was all by himself basically.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Adding Cate Blanchett to the good actors list.

 

[leroyjenkens]

Will Smith has become a really good actor in my opinion. I remember when he started off on Fresh Prince of Bel Air, he was terrible.
I don't understand the Tom Cruise hate. His characters may not vary much, but he can definitely act.