Has Robert De Niro "Retired?"

Chris Farmer · 01-06-2005, 06:31 PM

Looking around the net recently, I've noticed a lot of articles criticizing Robert De Niro for his recent choices in movie roles, namely going for a lot of light comedy instead of the weighty, dramatic roles that made him famous and gave him an creditable claim to "Greatest actor of his generation." Just do a Google search for the phrases "Say it ain't so" and "De Niro" and you'll see exactly what I mean (I tried to track down an editorial one of the columnists over the The Digital Bits wrote saying many of these things, but couldn't find it), he's been roundly criticized for his parts in Analyze This, Meet the Parents, their respective sequels, Showtime, Rocky & Bullwinkle, etc.

So my question is, why has he made that shift? Has he lost his mind? Is he just "phoning it in" for the money? Does he simply not care anymore? My personal belief is that this is his "retirement" from movies. Let's face it, this man has defined more characters then just about any other actor, and has put a massive number of quotes in popular culture. Jake La Motta, Travis Bickle, young Vito Corleone, Noodles Aaronson, and plenty of others are absolutely fantastic performances. I'm still in awe of how well they aged him in Once Upon A Time In America, he has aged in real life to look almost exactly like he did in the "old Noodles" scenes of that movie. I think now though, he's tired of those heavy, taxing roles. He knows that they're forever ingrained in cinematic history, and he probably won't ever match those performances again, so I think now he's doing parts that he simply finds fun. This is his way of enjoying himself, getting to work in his chosen profession for sheer enjoyment, and not having to work at getting the emotional drama and power of his signature roles. Now, he can simply enjoy giving Ben Stiller a lie detector test over pornography, or break down crying at an insurance commercial. His place in history is established, this is a man who has nothing left to prove, and can now afford to take advantage of that fact.

Anyway, that's what I thought looking at the last few movies he's been in, anyone else have any thoughts?

Ricardo C · 01-06-2005, 06:52 PM

Personally, I've enjoyed his comedic roles, for the most part. People change. I doubt he's "phoning it in for the money." He could do that playing the type of roles he's most famous for, but he's instead focusing on comedy. And quite well, I might add. Whether he is deliberately going into lighter roles to "have fun" now that he knows his cinematic immortality is assured, I can't say. Doesn't seem like a bad reason, though

Robert Crawford · 01-06-2005, 06:57 PM

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Anyway, that's what I thought looking at the last few movies he's been in, anyone else have any thoughts?

chris winters · 01-06-2005, 07:00 PM

i think it has more in common with Michael Jorden switching to Baseball. He was at the top of his game dramtically for quite awhile, now he wants to stretch different acting muscles. Comedy is very difficult. Its not easier, and hes not "phoning it in". he is adding a layer to his legacy. A fine comedic straightman, as well as a helluva dramtic actor. Im sure he will profile some oscer worthy drama again, maybe even for scorsesi. For now hes making some very fine comedies.

Richard Travale · 01-06-2005, 07:06 PM

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i think it has more in common with Michael Jorden switching to Baseball.

Except for the fact that DeNiro is actually good at these comedic roles.

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Vince Maskeeper · 01-06-2005, 07:12 PM

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Except for the fact that DeNiro is actually good at these comedic roles.

Thi Them · 01-06-2005, 07:13 PM

Since what many would call his turn to comedy with Analyze This in 1999, he's had about 17 roles in that 5 or 6 year period. As Robert mentioned, he's done dramatic roles in that time, which some people seem to forget. I think the fact is, he's just working more, wants more variety, and isn't receiving as many of those Oscar-worthy roles as he used to.

~T

george kaplan · 01-06-2005, 07:56 PM

DeNiro has some great dramatic roles, especially in The Godfather 2 and Goodfellas, but overall I like a greater percentage of his comedic roles than his dramatic roles.

Peter Kline · 01-06-2005, 11:33 PM

DeNiro is no longer a young leading-man. Actors do age and they can't play the same roles they did when they were younger. Times marches on. Reviews of his recent comedy movies have been positive. His next film is a drama "Hide And Seek" with Dakota Fanning. In the movie, DeNiro plays father to Fanning, who discovers that his nine-year-old daughter has come up with an unexpected and terrifying way of dealing with her mother’s death through a seemingly imaginary friend named Charlie. But her father soon realizes that Charlie isn’t make-believe.

Holadem · 01-06-2005, 11:51 PM

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DeNiro is no longer a young leading-man. Actors do age and they can't play the same roles they did when they were younger. Times marches on.

Sure but there has got to be more to it. Listen, there are plenty of aging actors, Pacino, Hackman, Nicholson just to name a few. They aren't playing the same roles they did decades ago either but whatever they are doing today does not feel like they've sold out.

The problem with Deniro's recent choices is that they are SO beneath him it feels like he is betraying his legacy.

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H