robert de niro in stardust | pinartarhan.com

Most actors hate being typecast. They try to take on diverse roles to both satisfy and challenge themselves, and also to show the movie goers that they are capable of pulling off different, difficult roles. But sometimes due to many reasons (money, luck, agent relations, great scripts that can’t be turned down, scripts that sound similar but have different edges…etc.), they end up playing in similar concepts, and/or movies that have similarities with the others.

While some of these choices don’t sit well with audiences or critics or both, several actors bring a unique feel to the screen and we can’t help but be happy that they were involved in these projects. This is an article series featuring actors’ and their “niches”, featuring an actors’ frequented role, premise and/or genre.

Granted, twice-Oscar winner Robert De Niro is the favorite of many directors and movie goers, but sometimes, it seems like he has played one of these two on the screen way too often:

COP

Freelancers – Robert is a new cop’s dead father’s old partner

Righteous Kill – He teams up with other cop Al Pacino to catch a murderer of murderers, who is possibly a cop.

15 Minutes – Cop (De Niro) works with Fire Marshal Burns to bring down a video-taping killer.

Copland – De Niro is an internal affairs officer

Flawless – Cop has to work alongside a drag queen for rehabilitation purposes.

Mad Dog and Glory -Police photographer appreciated by a mobster.

Showtime – Cop forced to work alongside an actor for a reality show.

City by the Sea – Cop with a son who has committed a crime.

GANGSTER/MOBSTER

The Godfather (2, 3)

Goodfellas

Analyze This – gangster who needs a shrink

Analyze That – sequel of analyze this

Casino – gangster

Once Upon a Time in America – gangster who returns home

The Untouchables – Al Capone

2 Outside of The Niche(s) Robert De Niro Movies

Stardust: (My ultimate favorite Robert De Niro performance and movie) You can’t beat a tough, scary captain of pirates who loves to cut hair and get dressed in pretty clothes when the crew isn’t looking…

Limitless: Writer (Bradley Cooper) finds a drug that makes him extra productive, but his new enhanced mind will also get him in some really big trouble.

With so little time, and so many movies, there are a few De Niro movies upcoming and old, that I want to catch, including The Big Wedding, The Last Tycoon and New York, New York.

What are your favorite gangster/cop/outside-of-niche De Niro movies?

This is a sequel to the article Actors’ Pleasantly Surprising Roles feat. Russell Crowe, Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman.

Robert De Niro in Stardust

Robert De Niro is a terrific actor. Everyone knows it. But having been in the business for since the 60s, he has gotten to play a mobster, a psycho or a cop once too often. He does them all well but you start to think even he has fallen into a pattern. He is good but you think over the years, you know what to expect. You think he doesn’t have any surprises left. Great performances and good movies, yes. Surprises? Not so much. That’s until you see Stardust where he plays a masculine captain of a lightning catching ship. Nope, he hasn’t played that one before. But it is not just the occupation that’s unique but also the character. Masculine, tough and ruthless towards his men. Sweet, caring, homely to his guests. And totally feminine when left on his own. Amazing. Stardust is an overall great film experience but Robert’s character is by far the best in the movie. Hats off to De Niro. May he surprise and entertain us so much again.

Mel Gibson in What Women Want

Mel Gibson has played his first remarkable lead role in Mad Max, in 1979. Mad Max went to become a cult series. Now, he played a cop there. The story line is completely different in Lethal Weapon of course. But Lethal Weapon also became extremely popular and the 4^th movie was made. His character’s occupation? Also a cop. Again the genre and the plot is different but he was a cop in his 2010 movie Edge of Darkness. It is not to say he didn’t play an ex-criminal in FBI’S Witness Protection Program (Bird on a Wire), a drug dealer trying to leave his business (Tequila Sunrise) or a man with a low IQ (Tim). He is also no stranger to comedy but…let’s face it we have never seen him like we did in What Women Want where he plays a hotshot advertising executive who is well, a man’s man and a woman’s dream…unless you are working with him or well you are his daughter or if you are trying to be in a relationship with him. But then something really weird happens. You can check out the plot here. Here I will talk about what his new creative director tells him to do. He needs to come up with advertising ideas for feminine products such as tampons, make-up stuff, pantyhose and well… waxing equipment. Since his imagination doesn’t take him anywhere, he decides to try these stuff… This actor tried anything from a kilt to a western outfit.

The movie is one hell of a romantic comedy that doesn’t get romantic for a while. And yes, I believe you have never seen him in a bra and wearing mascara before this flick.

Actors & Their Niches 1: Robert De Niro – Cop/Gangster

Actors’ Pleasantly Surprising Roles feat. Robert De Niro & Mel Gibson