Just check the range of this amazing actor between 1986/1987:
to the handsome yuppie John Gray in "Nine and Half Weeks", the unshaven private-eye in "Angel Heart", the human mess Henry Chinaski in "Barfly" to the Irish ex-IRA member in "No Prayer..." absolute incredible all the transformations into character that Rourke made. He is the most underrated actor of all time.
His range is one of the things that has always fascinated me about him. Even from the early roles on like Heaven's Gate, Diner, Rumble Fish. Great stuff. Underrated? Most definitely. Not a nomination for any of his work, and whenever you find somekind of top 10-100 performance list he's never on it.
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i can't believe he wasn't even nominated for barfly.. WTF.
shareI've read nothing but positive reviews of Rourke's upcoming 'The Wrestler' and am hearing suggestions of Oscar nominations. Hopefully the good press will inspire the 'powers that be' to re-release 'Barfly'.
I agree he is a most underused actor. Looks like things are looking up for him.
~little wing~
After seeing him in The Wrestler im uncovering a whole side of Rourke I never knew existed! Before The Wrestler I just knew him from a few movies (DOuble Team- which I saw when i was a kid, Sin City - his story TOTALLY makes that movie, and then the small supporting roles he's had like Once Upon A Time in Mexico, Man on Fire etc..) I mean I always knew he was a scene stealer and just good to watch but i never knew he was THIS talented. I'm now seeing what huge range he had in the 80s/90s. No wonder why everyone's talking about his huge comeback. His performance in The Wrestler is simply one of the greatest ive ever seen. I really cant think of many performances BETTER than it, just equal to. I hope thats not his peak though.. id love to see more of him at that level
If you piss in your pants you can only stay warm for so long
yeah well, hes got alot of movies hes working on right now. He just finished Iron Man 2. Hes got a small scene in The Expendables, and he finished reshoots of the remake of 13 in May. And there are several more hes gonna start filming later on.
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And not much later ('89, I think?) the title character in "Johnny Handsome", another great transformation. He really knows how to become his characters.
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