Films starring Jared Leto that I've seen:
The Thin Red Line
Fight Club
American Psycho
Requiem for a Dream
Panic Room
Phone Booth
Lord of War
Dallas Buyers Club
Suicide Squad
Best Performance: Requiem for a Dream (2000)
While I'm not willing to hop on the incredibly fashionable "Jared Leto is a shitty actor" bandwagon, I can't say that I'm a big fan of his work. I felt like his Oscar win for Dallas Buyers Club was one of the least deserving of the last decade and his reliance on theatrical overacting can get kind of grating at times. That being said, I've always had a deep admiration for what he was able to pull off in Requiem for a Dream. Leto's heartbreaking, deeply nuanced performance is quite possibly the most realistic portrayal of a person's slow descent into drug addiction I've ever seen in a movie and I'm absolutely blown away that he didn't end up winning any awards for it.
Worst Performance: Suicide Squad (2016)
I've been forced to defend my enjoyment of the widely-hated Suicide Squad more times than I can count over the past year. While I think the film on the whole has been unfairly panned, Leto's portrayal of the Joker deserves every ounce of vitriol it received. Thanks to the most cringeworthy overacting of his career, Leto manages to turn this iconic villain into a relentlessly corny and downright obnoxious character that derails every single scene he appears in. If there's any justice in the world, some hotshot at DC will unceremoniously fire his ass before the sequel goes into production next year.
I've been forced to defend my enjoyment of the widely-hated Suicide Squad more times than I can count over the past year. While I think the film on the whole has been unfairly panned, Leto's portrayal of the Joker deserves every ounce of vitriol it received. Thanks to the most cringeworthy overacting of his career, Leto manages to turn this iconic villain into a relentlessly corny and downright obnoxious character that derails every single scene he appears in. If there's any justice in the world, some hotshot at DC will unceremoniously fire his ass before the sequel goes into production next year.
Best Film: Fight Club (1999)
When I hear the word "masterpiece" thrown around in the world of movies, David Fincher's Fight Club is one of the first titles that pops into my head. Fight Club is a demented, enthralling and clever film that perfectly captures the biting dark humor and utter contempt for mankind that was present in Chuck Palahniuk's novel.
When I hear the word "masterpiece" thrown around in the world of movies, David Fincher's Fight Club is one of the first titles that pops into my head. Fight Club is a demented, enthralling and clever film that perfectly captures the biting dark humor and utter contempt for mankind that was present in Chuck Palahniuk's novel.
Worst Film: Panic Room (2002)
Just about every great director puts out a dud at some point in their career and for David Fincher (Gone Girl, the aforementioned Fight Club), that unfortunate miscue came in the form of Panic Room. Despite its impressive pedigree on both sides of the camera, Panic Room ended up being undone by its stunning lack of tension for a thriller set in a confined space and a slew of mediocre performances from the cast's primary players (with the notable exception of Forest Whitaker, who was excellent as the film's main antagonist).
Just about every great director puts out a dud at some point in their career and for David Fincher (Gone Girl, the aforementioned Fight Club), that unfortunate miscue came in the form of Panic Room. Despite its impressive pedigree on both sides of the camera, Panic Room ended up being undone by its stunning lack of tension for a thriller set in a confined space and a slew of mediocre performances from the cast's primary players (with the notable exception of Forest Whitaker, who was excellent as the film's main antagonist).
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 "The Foreigner" star Jackie Chan.
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