Most Memorable Performances

Basq

Yes.. this has more than likely been done before but it's always worth coining your opinion on topics like this every so often.

For me, i'm just after watching 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' again.. and DiCaprio's performance just gets me every time - phenomenal!

When i first saw the film probably 11 - 12 years ago, DiCaprio was still relatively unknown. And i remember thinking it was such a realistic portrayal of autism, i assumed the actor playing him was indeed autistic.

bluto63

Dustin Hoffmans performance in Rain Man. Outstanding stuff

Aedh Baclamh

Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive, Laura Dern in Inland Empire, Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet, Bruno Ganz in Der Untergang...could go on all day to be honest.

humanji

For me it's Jack Lemmon as Gil...eh I mean Shelley Levene in Glengarry Glen Ross. Rarely do I feel sorry for a character in a film

Gillie

Johnny Depp in the Pirates series.

Petey2006

To be honest, EVERY performance in Glengarry Glen Ross is note-perfect. Fantastic film on every account.

Clank

Geoffery Rush in Shine, great movie too.

ixoy

Edward Norton in 'American History X'. Fantastic performance as a reformed skinhead where he really sells the angry young white man role to perfection but also manages to display the tender side too when required.

quickbeam

Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon broke my heart.

Raekwon

Daniel Day Lewis as William 'Bill the Butcher' Cutty in Gangs of New York.

Jack B. Badd

Kathy Bates in Misery, was watching it last night

Skellington

Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest.
Kevin Spacey in American Beauty

Bruce Campbell in Bubba-Ho Tep

The Bollox

Kevin Spacey in American Beauty
and
Edward Norton in American History X

both outstanding performances

Ghost Train

maybe not top films but
kevin bacon in the woodsman
tom hanks in philidelphia/castaway
christian bale in the machinist

Roen

Quite recent, but Forrest Whittaker in The Last King Of Scotland, Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Practically everyone (except Bergman) in Casablanca. My list is just too long to go on, but a definite second vote for the cast of Glengarry Glen Ross.

randomchild

Kevin Spacey in seven. His performance is so good he nearly convinces you that murdering peoplein the most gruesome fahions known to man is a good thing.

The Denouncer

Travis Bickle

garred

Would have to go for Gary Oldman in State Of Grace. Saw this as a kid and it was the first time I stood and took notice of acting. He practically grabbed me by the balls from start to finish. Talk about giving everything to your role apparently he was going cold turkey at the time of this film. A truly outstanding performance from a very under-rated and under-used actor.
I would also have to give Di Caprio a mention. Never really liked him or his movies until I saw Catch Me If You Can. Eventhough Hanks also starred in this for me he stole the show and announced to Hollywood I'm here.

qwertplaywert

cillian murphy in Batman Begins is one of the resent ones that stand out imo
but best was proberly Johnny Deep in Donnie Brasco, simply sensational

Zaph

Jack Lemmon in Some Like it Hot - pure comic genius.

Vokes

Russell Crowe's Maximus - amazing perfomance and sometimes quite subtle compared to some other roles he has since done. The peformance still hasn't lost its power after all the times i've watched it.

Christian Bale's Batman / Bruce Wayne - So good a performance I believed he was two completely seperate people - the millionare playboy and the costumed vigilante.

Peyton Manning

Daniel Craig in Casino Royale - he totally revitilised the role of James Bond and ressurected a sinking ship. Excellent job by him.

browler

in no particular order for actors that made the role their own:

jeff bridges - the big lebowski
ewan mcgregor - trainspotting
bill murray - groundhog day/lost in translation
al pacino - scarface
tom hanks - forest gump
bob de niro - taxi driver
ben stiller - zoolander
sean connery - dr no
kevin spacey - american beauty
steve mcqueen - the great escape
paul newman - cool hand luke
arnie - the terminator
mel gibson - braveheart
clint eastwood - the outlaw josey wales

BopNiblets

Gary Oldman in Leon.

"EVERYYYYONE!"

Jello

Robert De Niro - Taxi Driver
Brad Pitt - Fight Club
Russell Crowe - Gladiator
Ewan McGregor - Trainspotting

Charlie

Michael Douglas - Falling Down
Joe Pesci - Goodfellas
Brad Pitt - Snatch
Gregory Peck - To Kill a MockingBird
Michael J. Fox - Back to the Future Trilogy :rolleyes:

Ruu_Old

Tom Hanks in The Terminal

faceman

I always though liam neeson gave performance of his career in Schindler's List. As did Brando in The Godfather.

faceman

While i think of it alec baldwin also gave performance of his career in glengarry glenross.

more recently (and much to my embarrassment of having seen it!), merly streep gave an excellent performance in the Devil wears Prada. She's still got it.

Shiva

Ben Kingsley in Sexy beast.

Outstandingly OTT performance in an otherwise mediocre movie.

Call Me Jimmy

faceman wrote:

While i think of it alec baldwin also gave performance of his career in glengarry glenross.

seconded. You think this is abuse?

faceman

Call Me Jimmy wrote:

seconded. You think this is abuse?

See this watch? This watch cost more than your car. You see thats who I am, and you're nothing.

pure brilliance. Odd how no other of baldwin's performance stand out.

daveg

Shiva wrote:

Ben Kingsley in Sexy beast.

Bet me to it. Respect earned.

Shiva wrote:

mediocre movie.

Respect lost. Are you mad? Was a great movie (although mainly due to Kingsley's performance).

Also Gene Hackman in Crimson Tide. Great performance. For best scene see my sig.

DirtyDog

Denzel Washington - training day

Gary Oldman - Leon

Shiva

daveg wrote:

Are you mad?

It has been said, yes

Also.....cant remember the guys name, and I'm running out to work, so I can't IMDB it...but the guy who played Satan in Passion of the Christ.

Although he didnt do much more than hover menacingly in the background, he made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

And I second, third and fourth Oldman in Leon - awesome. As usual.

Petey2006

faceman wrote:

See this watch? This watch cost more than your car. You see thats who I am, and you're nothing.

pure brilliance. Odd how no other of baldwin's performance stand out.

David Mamet wrote that role specifically for Alec Baldwin. It wasn't in the original stage version. That said, he did steal the film in just seven minutes of screen time.

A. Always. B. Be. C. Closing. Always be closing. ALWAYS. BE. CLOSING.

Daniel Dae Lewis - My Left Foot

Can't believe nobody has mentioned this absolutely fantastic performance. One of his best I think.

Sean Penn - I Am Sam

I thought he shined in this movie as the somewhat retarded film. He certainly made it a tearjerker film.

Miguel_Sanchez

David Thewlis - Naked

This is one of the best acting performances I have ever seen. He single handedly makes the whole movie.

Marlon Brando - On the Waterfront
Al Pacino - Godfather I and II

Mr Alan

Benicio Del Toro in Usual Suspects - hardly says anything audible but yet steals every scene he is in. supposedly his speech difficulty was all his own improv as well which makes it even better!

Brad Pitt in Se7en.

John Goodman in The Big Lebowski (Steve Buscemi too).

Sean Penn - I Am Sam & Mystic River & Carlitos Way

gucci

ed norton in american history x
paul newman in cool hand luke
sean penn in 21 grams
ray liotta in goodfellas (his films since have dissappointed me)

Wacker

A lot of my favourites have already been mentioned. Here goes anyway.

Al Pacino - The Godfather part 2. When Kay 'drops the bombshell' Pacino's look of fury had me terrified of my TV. The best of one of the best.
Gene Hackman - The Conversation. Virtually every shot in the movie is on Hackman, and he is really one of the best ever. Far more versatility than some of the other greats.
Robert De Niro - Heat. The moment when he is driving to the airport and you can see him 'changing his mind' without him saying one word shows how great he is. DeNiro is also particularly good in Raging Bull, but that hardly needs to be mentioned.

That is all for now. Good thread.

Mr Alan

oh and honourable mention to Laura Linney in The Life Of David Gale. Great performance, very under-rated actress IMO

AnonoBoy

Mark Ruffalo in You Can Count On Me.