The Best and Worst of Robert De Niro

The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "Dirty Grandpa" star Robert De Niro.

Films starring Robert De Niro that I've seen:
Taxi Driver
Goodfellas
Guilty by Suspicion
Jackie Brown
Analyze This
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle
Meet the Parents
Analyze That
Shark Tale
Meet the Fockers
Stardust
Righteous Kill
Machete
Little Fockers
Limitless
Killer Elite
New Year's Eve
Silver Linings Playbook
Last Vegas
American Hustle
Grudge Match
Joy

Best Performance:  Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
As you can deduct from reading the list above, my uncultured ass hasn't seen a large number of De Niro's iconic movies. Based on the small chunk of De Niro's vast filmography that I have seen, I can say without hesitation that my favorite performance of his came in David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook. De Niro combined the comedic skills he's honed over the past two decades with the commanding screen presence of his early roles to give an unforgettable performance in one of the finest films of the past decade.  


Worst Performance: Stardust (2007)
Even the all-time greats stumble every once in a while. De Niro's turn as a feared pirate who's not nearly as menacing as he appears to be in this crackpot fairy tale can only be described as laughable. The character of Captain Shakespeare is a poorly-conceived attempt to provide comic relief in a (mostly) serious movie, but De Niro's ridiculously over-the-top performance makes the character even more grating than he should be.

Best Film: Goodfellas (1990) 
Martin Scorsese's status as one of the greatest directors of all-time can largely be attributed to his work in the crime genre. Of the nine crime movies Scorsese has made over his decorated career, practically none of them can match the genius of Goodfellas. Goodfellas has a level of energy, grit and technical brilliance on both sides of the camera that hasn't been seen in any other organized crime film not named The Godfather and barring a cinematic miracle, will never be seen ever again.

Worst Film: Shark Tale (2004)
When you despise a film as a child or preteen, that film has to really suck. I saw Shark Tale in theaters when I was 12 and it remains one of the most miserable experiences I've ever had in a movie theater to this day. How the filmmakers were able to get De Niro, Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, Jack Black and a number of other talented actors to lend their voices to such a stupid, unfunny and visually-ugly movie is beyond me.   

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Kung Fu Panda 3" star Jack Black.