Is Edward Norton a 3-trick pony?

[JohnnySic]

The beginning of his career was about as epic a start as it gets - Primal Fear, Rounders, American History X, Fight Club. 25th Hour is an underrated gem. 5-10 years ago, this guy was being hailed as the new De Niro. That didn't last long.

[LJJ]

I never thought much of him. He can play a "normal dude" role and make that believable, even as the protagonist. Good protagonist type guy. But he's not someone who can make a role truly memorable and keep it believable. He doesn't have shit one someone like DiCaprio, and it's not like DiCaprio is the best himself.

Take Fight Club for instance. If Norton and Pitt changed roles; Pitt probably would have come out okay, but Norton would have looked like an idiot.

[DeuceWallaces]

Are those 4 movies really about as epic as it gets? But I agree with the general premise.

[SinJackal]

I thought he was great in The Illusionist. That movie was far better than I thought it'd be. Paul Giamatti was great in that too. Underrated actor, who's unfairly too well-known as "pig vomit" from that Howard Stern movie.


As for actors being a 3-trick pony. . .really, if he can act 3 different types of roles, isn't that well above the current standards of today's actors? The average types of roles actors can play now seems to be like 1 1/2.

Too many guys can only do one role. Some can pull off two. Three or more is rare.

And I'd argue DeNiro seems like the same character in almost every movie. Especially lately. He just changes his level of aggressiveness in the roles. Other than that, he acts exactly the same.

[Thorpesaurous]

I thought he was great in The Illusionist. That movie was far better than I thought it'd be. Paul Giamatti was great in that too. Underrated actor, who's unfairly too well-known as "pig vomit" from that Howard Stern movie.


As for actors being a 3-trick pony. . .really, if he can act 3 different types of roles, isn't that well above the current standards of today's actors? The average types of roles actors can play now seems to be like 1 1/2.

Too many guys can only do one role. Some can pull off two. Three or more is rare.

And I'd argue DeNiro seems like the same character in almost every movie. Especially lately. He just changes his level of aggressiveness in the roles. Other than that, he acts exactly the same.

That's because DeNiro has become so iconic, that he really only plays DeNiro at this point. Pacino is even worse.

I like Norton. He's done the shady characters like Rounders in supporting roles. Was a lead in stuff like Hannible. I vaguely recall him even pulling off the romantic lead a time or two. He's been both likeable and unlikeable. He's done a lot of stuff. He may not have gotten the opportunities of a Leo, but he's certainly more well rounded than the other guys of his generation.

[JohnnySic]

Are those 4 movies really about as epic as it gets?

The movies themselves, no. But for one actor to start his career with 4 great movies like that - pretty darn good.

[SinJackal]

That's because DeNiro has become so iconic, that he really only plays DeNiro at this point. Pacino is even worse.

I like Norton. He's done the shady characters like Rounders in supporting roles. Was a lead in stuff like Hannible. I vaguely recall him even pulling off the romantic lead a time or two. He's been both likeable and unlikeable. He's done a lot of stuff. He may not have gotten the opportunities of a Leo, but he's certainly more well rounded than the other guys of his generation.

It could be called iconic I guess. . .but it's still sort of one-dimensional. Denzel always plays the same guy too. Lot of guys do. . .Mathiew Machanuhey, hwoever it's spelled, has only one role as well (except he did have a somewhat different role in that movie about dragons, which was surprising).

I just think it's unfair to knock a guy for "only" being able to play 3 types of characters. That's certainly more than most actors, including several the A-list ones. 3's pretty good.

[ALBballer]

I think he's a great actor, but he hasn't had the opportunities to show them off lately.

I thought he did great in roles like "Death to Smoochey" or "Painted Veil."

[Premeditated]

I don't get this thread. isn't it a good thing? there are too many "critically acclaim" actors today who don't range at all. Norton has it. I don't give a fukk what you all say.

[dkmwise]

Wow, I can;t belive some of these comments. To say Norton can't make a role memorable is crazy. Derrick Vinyard from AMX is one of the most powerful and memorable roles ever. And then Norton goes from playing a ripped tough guy skinhead in AHX to playing a little wimpy dude in Rounders. And his 'duel personality' roles in Primal Fear and The Score are characters that no one else could have pulled off as well as he did. He brought back the Incredible Hulk after Eric Bana ruined it.

And he's had big roles in a lot of big movies:

Primal Fear
American History X
The People vs. Larry Flint (under rated)
Rounders
Fight Club
The Score
Red Dragon
25th Hour
The Italian Job
Kingdon of Heaven (i've actually not seen, but have seen good reviews for him in it)
The Illusionist
The Incredible Hulk
Pride and Glory
Stone (coming in 2010: Again working with Deniro)

Thats at least 12 great roles. Some of them have been similar but some of them very different

[jbot]

i really liked him in The Score.

[JohnnySic]

Primal Fear
American History X
The People vs. Larry Flint (under rated)
Rounders
Fight Club
The Score
Red Dragon
25th Hour
The Italian Job
Kingdon of Heaven (i've actually not seen, but have seen good reviews for him in it)
The Illusionist
The Incredible Hulk
Pride and Glory
Stone (coming in 2010: Again working with Deniro)

Not all of those roles were great - some were "by the numbers". In particular, The Score and The Italian Job were lousy movies and Norton didn't do much to help matters. The Illusionist wasn't much better.

Anyway, this thread isn't a critique of his acting chops, more a note on how he's faded quite a bit from his very early peak.

[macmac]

It could be called iconic I guess. . .but it's still sort of one-dimensional. Denzel always plays the same guy too. Lot of guys do. . .Mathiew Machanuhey, hwoever it's spelled, has only one role as well (except he did have a somewhat different role in that movie about dragons, which was surprising).

What are you babbling on about?

Deniro is an old man now, but take his full of body of work, this guy is as versatile as they come...have you seen Taxi Driver? Raging Bull? Brazil? Cape Fear? Jackie Brown?

And Denzel, once again you're out to lunch. He might play the hardened, alpha male types, but there's still a lot of nuance between roles which makes him the academy award winning actor that he is.

Then you have the nerve to include Matthew friggin mcconaughey in the conversation...

Stick to Anime and mirror poses, kiddo

[Riddler]

His new movie Stone will get him back in the game.

[LJJ]

Wow, I can;t belive some of these comments. To say Norton can't make a role memorable is crazy. Derrick Vinyard from AMX is one of the most powerful and memorable roles ever. And then Norton goes from playing a ripped tough guy skinhead in AHX to playing a little wimpy dude in Rounders. And his 'duel personality' roles in Primal Fear and The Score are characters that no one else could have pulled off as well as he did. He brought back the Incredible Hulk after Eric Bana ruined it.

And he's had big roles in a lot of big movies:

Primal Fear
American History X
The People vs. Larry Flint (under rated)
Rounders
Fight Club
The Score
Red Dragon
25th Hour
The Italian Job
Kingdon of Heaven (i've actually not seen, but have seen good reviews for him in it)
The Illusionist
The Incredible Hulk
Pride and Glory
Stone (coming in 2010: Again working with Deniro)

Thats at least 12 great roles. Some of them have been similar but some of them very different

The majority of those movies are pretty damn mediocre, I don't see how you can call 12 of those great roles.

The only ones you could really argue for are:
-Fight Club (let's be honest here, Norton gets wiped of the screen by Pitt in this)
-Primal Fear (Good performance up until his characters starts showing the "crazy side", after which his credibility goes out the window)
-American History X (too sentimental and preachy for my tastes, the movie I mean)
-25th hour

That's four and that's being pretty generous.