Tom Hanks

Warper

Tom Hanks - the most overrated actor of the modern era. Yes he has won two oscars, both for playing characters that were nailed on for oscardom. Aids and a special needs person. His characters won the oscars not Hanks portrayal of them. Any half decent actor could have done an equal if not better performance than Tom.

Really the epitome of Hanks as an actor is in Castaway. Never before in cinematic history has ones performance been so utterly annoying and poor than Hanks in this. It really is one of the worst performances ever given.

Given his almost Godlike status in the current Hollywood what do you think of his acting capabilities. Yes he is good in screwball comedies like Bachelor Party or Big but given the hyperbole that he has received since, it really does make me wonder how fickle the mob really are. Is Tom Hanks deserving of oscars for actually acting, hell no.

kev1.3s

I don't know I never really got excited about him and agree he was nailed on for an oscar for Philadelphia but I genuinely taught he was excellent in his portrayal of captain Phillips in the film.

Mickeroo

Personally think Castaway is one of his best performances along with Road to Perdition and much more deserving of an award than Forest Gump (which is an enjoyable film too imo).

I think he's a very good sometimes great actor who stars in a lot of middle of the road but sometimes great films.

Bipolar Joe

Mostly what Mickeroo said, though I'll add for myself that I'm mostly apathetic towards Tom Hanks. I don't think I've ever thought "Oh wow, a Tom Hanks film. I just gotta see this." Big is a film I still enjoy, and I think he played it very well. You could almost believe he had the mind of a child (Reading that, it sounds stupid, but you know what I mean).

I think if there's an actor that's over rated, it would probably be John Malkovich. He's been in A LOT of absolute stinkers, some films I would say are genuinely bad, and I always look for the redeeming qualities of any movie. So he's not particularly discerning, which is fair enough. It's a job, you gotta work. I also think the dude is a barely passable actor at best. When in a film with good actors, he looks terrible in comparison. He's played some iconic enough roles (Cyrus the Virus in Con Air, himself in Being John Malkovich I guess), but holy Mother of God, you don't get to star in Mutant Chronicles and get away with.

JohnFalstaff

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

I think if there's an actor that's over rated, it would probably be John Malkovich. He's been in A LOT of absolute stinkers, some films I would say are genuinely bad, and I always look for the redeeming qualities of any movie.

He was great in that jewel thief movie...

Tipsy McSwagger

Warper wrote: »

Tom Hanks - the most overrated actor of the modern era. Yes he has won two oscars, both for playing characters that were nailed on for oscardom. Aids and a special needs person. His characters won the oscars not Hanks portrayal of them. Any half decent actor could have done an equal if not better performance than Tom.

Really the epitome of Hanks as an actor is in Castaway. Never before in cinematic history has ones performance been so utterly annoying and poor than Hanks in this. It really is one of the worst performances ever given.

Given his almost Godlike status in the current Hollywood what do you think of his acting capabilities. Yes he is good in screwball comedies like Bachelor Party or Big but given the hyperbole that he has received since, it really does make me wonder how fickle the mob really are. Is Tom Hanks deserving of oscars for actually acting, hell no.

Groan

brevity

Hanks is an excellent actor. His performance, especially the last 10 minutes, of Captain Philips was amazing. I can understand people who dont like him as an actor, but to say he's overrated is completely over the top imo.

Agricola

He's basically himself in every film he chooses. Tom Hanks in WW2, marooned on an island, Tom Hanks as a mafia enforcer, Tom Hanks....IN SPAAACE! Thing is he seems to be a sound fella and that comes across really well on screen. He can act a bit too.

krudler

I don't actively dislike Hanks but wouldn't be rushing out to see one of his movies either, he's dependable but needs to take more risks, he was good in Road To Perdition at least as someone who wasn't a nice everyman character like most of his roles, was great in Catch Me If You Can too.

brianregan09

but thats what acting is about....Putting you;re self in the character

saabsaab

I like Tom Hanks. Its been said before but he is a modern Jimmy Stewart, a likeable everyman for today. Some 'stars' are so big in a film that they dominate the action and the film story suffers.

T-Bird

I think he is very woody...

rockbeast

brianregan09 wrote: »

but thats what acting is about....Putting you;re self in the character

I agree , no argument in theory...

BUT I think Tom Hanks is a movie star because he puts the audience in the character as much, if not more, than himself.

He's a classic "everyman" that people can relate to and a very talented actor at his best. Put the two together and that's why he's as big a star as he is IMO.

*** Hadn't read Saabsaab's post! What he says!

Red Pepper

Mickeroo wrote: »

Personally think Castaway is one of his best performances.

Castaway was genius. Wilson!

cereal_k1ller

tom hanks is one of those actors who has always made great choices based on his own ability

an even bigger example of this is Harrison ford , an incredibly limited actor but who either through having an excellent agent or a fantastic eye for a winner , appeared in some of the most memorable movies of all time

Endaaaagh

brevity wrote: »

Hanks is an excellent actor. His performance, especially the last 10 minutes, of Captain Philips was amazing. I can understand people who dont like him as an actor, but to say he's overrated is completely over the top imo.

100% agree with above
Those last few scenes in Captain Philips from the moment

where he thought he was going to die and started writing the letter to his family up to his rescue

were simply amazing.

MisterAnarchy

Mickeroo wrote: »

Personally think Castaway is one of his best performances along with Road to Perdition and much more deserving of an award than Forest Gump (which is an enjoyable film too imo).

Whatever about Hanks not winning the Oscar for Castaway ,Wilson was a shoe in for best supporting actor in that film.

Tipsy McSwagger

Anyone else love The Burbs?

Dirty Dingus McGee

I always enjoy him in films.He was brilliant in Castaway and probably deserved an Oscar for that .I watched Captain Phillips last night and again I though he was excellent in it. He is in so many top quality films over the years and he never really seems like he is trying too hard which I always take as a good sign.

Guy:Incognito

Agricola wrote: »

He's basically himself in every film he chooses. .

This tired cliché is levelled at every actor at some stage. People need to come up with a new one.

Charlie19

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

Anyone else love The Burbs?

I loved it as kid and probably watched 4 or 5 times. I recently watched and had to turn it off because it was that poor.

Back then I would watch anything that had either of the Corey's in it.:o

Gandalph

I always tell people that I don't think Hanks is the best actor in the world but god dammit he is still like my favourite! Not mad about him as Robert Langdon though.

MagicMarker

Absolutely fantastic actor IMO.

Pat Mustard

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

This tired cliché is levelled at every actor at some stage. People need to come up with a new one.

People don't say that very often about Gary Oldman, Cate Blanchett or Daniel Day Lewis. Some actors seem to be very versatile.

Don't get me wrong. I like Tom Hanks in many films. I thought that he was excellent in Charlie Wilson's War and Captain Phillips. He annoyed me in many of his earlier films, Catch Me If You Can and Road to Perdition. Least convincing gangster ever.

FlashD

Super actor, best roles in 'Saving Private Ryan', 'Road To Perdition' & 'Captain Phillips' IMO. Unfortunately, he has also acted as my least favourite character and movie of all time, 'Forrest Gump' but I can let that slide because of the quality.

I think his comedy roles were more successful when he was younger ao I hope he doesn't head more down this path as he gets older.

...and of course he's the voice of Woody in Toy Story too which is top stuff.

MfMan

Big star, wooden ordinary actor. Could have phoned in 'Saving Captain Philips', completed out-acted by the newcomer who hijacked him. Like Henry Fonda, just too righteous when trying to play a villain. Least grating performance perhaps in Charlie Wilson's War where Philip Seymour Hoffman (now there was a really great actor) carried him a lot.

Tipsy McSwagger

Charlie19 wrote: »

I loved it as kid and probably watched 4 or 5 times. I recently watched and had to turn it off because it was that poor.

Back then I would watch anything that had either of the Corey's in it.:o

License to Drive is on Netflix:)

Sad Professor

Character acting isn’t the only kind of acting. Leading actors usually retain a consistent persona throughout their work. That’s why they are leading actors. Audiences don’t flock to see the latest Tom Hanks film to see him lose himself in a character, but because he’s "Tom Hanks”. They go with the expectation of seeing a familiar screen presence, one which they’ve seen before and will go to see again. Maintaining a consistent persona across different films and characters isn’t easy to do. In fact, it’s extremely difficult. That’s why not every actor can be a star.

MfMan

Sad Professor wrote: »

Character acting isn’t the only kind of acting. Leading actors usually retain a consistent persona throughout their work. That’s why they are leading actors. Audiences don’t flock to see the latest Tom Hanks film to see him lose himself in a character, but because he’s "Tom Hanks”. They go with the expectation of seeing a familiar screen presence, one which they’ve seen before and will go to see again. Maintaining a consistent persona across different films and characters isn’t easy to do. In fact, it’s extremely difficult. That’s why not every actor can be a star.

It's the easiest bloody thing in the world to do! Look at Sly Stallone or Steven Seagal. No point in straining yourself to make an effort. Being or trying to be a character actor is arduous and difficult; it involves coming up with something new every time you take part in a film. The aforementioned PS Hoffman could do it, Gary Oldman can do it, (even if some of his performances occasionally descend into histrionics), so can DDL, Ben Kingsley and Geoffrey Rush.

Then there's the danger of going too far into character and becoming 'methody' - this is wrong also.

Daveysil15

I thought he was excellent in Captain Philips.

Dicky Pride

I respect people who are not scared to express their radical opinions, regardless of how absurd they are. And believe me, this is an absurd opinion.

This is just another example of the "There's always one" theory. Hanks is one of the finest actors of his generation and to disagree with that is to be incorrect.

Tipsy McSwagger

MfMan wrote: »

It's the easiest bloody thing in the world to do! Look at Sly Stallone or Steven Seagal. No point in straining yourself to make an effort. Being or trying to be a character actor is arduous and difficult; it involves coming up with something new every time you take part in a film. The aforementioned PS Hoffman could do it, Gary Oldman can do it, (even if some of his performances occasionally descend into histrionics), so can DDL, Ben Kingsley and Geoffrey Rush.

Then there's the danger of going too far into character and becoming 'methody' - this is wrong also.

Do you think Morgan Freeman is a brilliant actor?

losthorizon

brevity wrote: »

Hanks is an excellent actor. His performance, especially the last 10 minutes, of Captain Philips was amazing. I can understand people who dont like him as an actor, but to say he's overrated is completely over the top imo.

I actually didnt like Captain Philips the movie. Personally I thought it was very over rated except for the start and finish of the movie but for me as you said that last ten minutes was a truly exceptional piece of acting by Hanks.


Actually thinking back possibly best few scenes by an actor from last year.

And, I'm not a huge Hanks fan.

plannerscanner

Here is my very simple measure of Tom Hanks ability.

Saw Philadelphia - thought it was a very poorly acted film - Hanks gets Oscar - doubt creeps into my mind - perhaps Denzel was the rubbish one

Hanks goes on to win an Oscar for the heart tugging but utterly awful Gump - acting continues to be poor - again we have similar rubbish in The Green Mile - then things nose dive with The Terminal & Charlie Wilsons War

Meanwhile Denzel produces He Got Game - Training Day - Man on Fire - American Gangster - Flight

Oh so it was Hanks all along - putrid

Bipolar Joe

Denzel Washington, now that's an actor I get bored watching.

Tipsy McSwagger

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

Denzel Washington, now that's an actor I get bored watching.

Seriously overrated and has made less than 5 decent films, Denzel is an actor who plays himself in every film (not that I think there is anything wrong with that).

brevity

losthorizon wrote: »

I actually didnt like Captain Philips the movie. Personally I thought it was very over rated except for the start and finish of the movie but for me as you said that last ten minutes was a truly exceptional piece of acting by Hanks.


Actually thinking back possibly best few scenes by an actor from last year.

And, I'm not a huge Hanks fan.

Agreed.

Pat Mustard

As a comparator with Tom Hanks, I think that Nicolas Cage has been in some decent films. I don't think that he's a good actor, but I think that even bad actors often have their moments of greatness.

Nicolas Cage has adopted that southern drawl and odd inflection of speech. He chooses to inflict it on almost every film in which he acts - although there were about five minutes in the middle of Season of The Witch where he attempted to adopt a bad English accent, before dropping it like a hot plate. It's a deliberate trademark, designed to single him out. Does it make for better acting? Probably not. Does it help the Nic Cage marketing department? Don't ask me why, but just look at the number of films made by the man. It's a horrible marketing technique, but it seems to work for him. Apparently, his policy is to make as many films as he can while he is a young man. Maybe somebody could tell him that he is after pushing on a bit and the pressure is off.
Link

I had realized that I'd developed my own style and process and school of acting which is called Nouveau Shamanic. That's the new style of acting and at some point I'll have to write a book.

I think Tom Hanks has some sort of marketing technique which often defines the roles played by him. He always plays the protagonist. I thought that he was poor in Road to Perdition: the nice guy, the everyman, the boy next door, trying to be a mobster and a killer at the same time. It was unconvincing.

That's not to say he's not a good actor. I think that he is. If he can play a rakish US senator in Charlie Wilson's War or a stern Bostonian ship's captain in Captain Phillips, then he seems to have the skills. The skills seem to be limited by the Tom Hanks marketing. Just my view on the man.

FloatingVoter

Tom Hanks is to Jimmy Stewart as George Clooney is to Cary Grant. We need those big star characters just as much as we need Ed Norton or Gary Oldman to do the character actor jobs.
Is he 3 Oscars good - probably not...but who gives a toss about the Oscars anyway when the paycheques are telephone numbers. Oh, and Hanks seems to be able to read a script - he's rarely in anything that isn't at least fair to good. De Niro and Pacino can assume that last line is directed at them if they're reading this. They are you know.

Charlie19

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

License to Drive is on Netflix:)

I'll keep an eye out for that one.

I must watch Lostboys again and see how it matches up to how I first remember it.

Kunkka

His rant at Hooch after wrecking his house in Turner & Hooch was one of the most genuine I have seen in any movie

burnhardlanger

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Whatever about Hanks not winning the Oscar for Castaway ,Wilson was a shoe in for best supporting actor in that film.

Ballsed up the Oscar campaign though.

My favourite Hanks role was in A League of their Own as the washed up alcoholic Jimmy Dugan.

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

conorhal

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Tom Hanks is to Jimmy Stewart as George Clooney is to Cary Grant. We need those big star characters just as much as we need Ed Norton or Gary Oldman to do the character actor jobs.
Is he 3 Oscars good - probably not...but who gives a toss about the Oscars anyway when the paycheques are telephone numbers. Oh, and Hanks seems to be able to read a script - he's rarely in anything that isn't at least fair to good. De Niro and Pacino can assume that last line is directed at them if they're reading this. They are you know.

I'd agree with this, Hanks is essentally this generations Jimmy Stuart. He has the same warm, likable 'aww shucks' quality and tends to fulfill the same role as Stuart, that of the audience's 'everyman'.

Da Shins Kelly

He's a bit vanilla, but I've liked a couple of his movies. He certainly wouldn't be someone I'd be rushing out to see though.

david75

It's strange that the studios think that people will go see films if they put one of the brand actors in it. Clooney freeman Pitt cruise hanks and many others. They can't actually act and seem to just play themselves in every film they're in. It's boring.

Bipolar Joe

Apart from people will go see the movies. Also, Brad Pitt is easily one of the best actors you're likely to see in a Hollywood blockbuster. Many, many times, he's made what could be a pretty bland or shitty character someone you like seeing on screen. I can't imagine anyone playing Jeffrey Goines like he did, it would have been terrible.

Riskymove

Warper wrote: »

Yes he has won two oscars, both for playing characters that were nailed on for oscardom.

tell Leo about that!

Tipsy McSwagger

david75 wrote: »

It's strange that the studios think that people will go see films if they put one of the brand actors in it. Clooney freeman Pitt cruise hanks and many others. They can't actually act and seem to just play themselves in every film they're in. It's boring.

When I seen Brad Pitt playing himself in Snatch I was full sure he would be the first traveller to win an oscar.