Al Pacino vs. Robert De Niro

[Comeds]

Both have been terrific in their good roles but Pacino has been laughably terrible in a few. Bad De Niro is when he just half-asses it. Bad Pacino is unwatchable.

Thats the way I feel. Both actors at their best I think this question would be a tough one but to me in so many roles Pacino has way overacted - almost to the point of him being a caricature of himself.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Nope. I've given seven movies 5/5:

The Dark Knight
The Departed
Training Day
Spider-Man 2
Batman Begins
Gran Torino
End of Watch

All beloved movies. Scarface was horrible overacting.

Who knew that all of the good movies in 100+ years of filmmaking were made in the last 10-15 years?

 

[PatsFan2003]

Who knew that all of the good movies in 100+ years of filmmaking were made in the last 10-15 years?

Great works of art defy all concept of time...

The Dark Knight
The Departed
Training Day
Spider-Man 2
Batman Begins
Gran Torino
End of Watch

I do like these movies too but Gran Torino? Not even one of the 10 ten best of Clint.
I never even heard of End of Watch..

 

[Omar 382]

Who knew that all of the good movies in 100+ years of filmmaking were made in the last 10-15 years?

Who said that? I listed MY favorite movies....

 

[DragonfromTO]

Who said that? I listed MY favorite movies....

So silly me for thinking that you consider entertainment that you like and enjoy to be good entertainment (and vice versa)?

I mean, are we getting into some "Sure, it's like having teeth pulled watching it but the film-making techniques it uses are just groundbreaking!" type shit here?

The movies I enjoy the most are at the top of my personal "good movie" list. They're not all there for the same reason(s), but they're there. And vice versa.

 

[chf]

nor No Country For Old Men- movies everyone loves.

Heh. 'Everyone' must be re-defined in your world.

I'd say more people dislike NCFOM than like it.

 

[Omar 382]

So silly me for thinking that you consider entertainment that you like and enjoy to be good entertainment (and vice versa)?

I mean, are we getting into some "Sure, it's like having teeth pulled watching it but the film-making techniques it uses are just groundbreaking!" type shit here?

The movies I enjoy the most are at the top of my personal "good movie" list. They're not all there for the same reason(s), but they're there. And vice versa.

Wouldn't time and availability limit the movies one individual watches, thus leading one to admit that his own personal "favorites" are not the best movies ever? Isn't cinema a subjective field anyway?

 

[Omar 382]

Heh. 'Everyone' must be re-defined in your world.

I'd say more people dislike NCFOM than like it.

Well, it does have like a 97% on RT I think

 

[DragonfromTO]

Wouldn't time and availability limit the movies one individual watches, thus leading one to admit that his own personal "favorites" are not the best movies ever? Isn't cinema a subjective field anyway?

I guess I didn't get the impression from your earlier posts that you hadn't actually seen much of anything from the 20th century.

 

[Gooch1034]

I only like their pre-1990s stuff mostly and think De Niro has been better and in more good movies. One movie that I really liked De Niro in post 1990 was The Score in 2001. Very underrated movie IMO.

 

[Omar 382]

I guess I didn't get the impression from your earlier posts that you hadn't actually seen much of anything from the 20th century.

No I have, but certainly more movies from the 21st Century.

 

[mcnabb7542]

man very tough call.......

DeNiro, just by a small edge.....

 

[UK Cowboy]

The scene with them getting coffee in Heat....has to be a draw

 

[KnuteRoc]

Every move rated that I've seen each actor in

Al Pacino:
The Godfather: 2/5 stars
The Godfather Part 2: 3.5/5 stars
Scarface: 1.5/5 stars
Heat: 3/5 stars
Donnie Brasco: 3.5/5 stars
Insomnia: 4.5/5 stars
Jack and Jill: 0.5/5 stars (but he was actually ok)

AVERAGE: 2.64/5

Robert De Niro:
The Godfather Part 2: 3.5/5 stars
Raging Bull: 3/5 stars
Once Upon a Time in America: 1.5/5 stars
The Untouchables: 4/5 stars (I forgot about this one)
Goodfellas: 4/5 stars
Casino: 0.5/5 stars
Heat: 3/5 stars
Jackie Brown: 3.5/5 stars
Analyze This: 2.5/5 stars
American Hustle: 3/5 stars

AVERAGE: 2.85/10

I still like Pacino a little more, but again, I really don't like either

Nice list, but you've never seen Cape Fear w/De Niro, Nolte & Juliette Lewis? De Niro played Max Keady very well.

Pacino is very good at delivering rants or speeches, though by no means am I saying he can't be diverse... but his 'speeches' in And Justice For All, Scarface, Heat, Any Given Sunday, and even The Devil's Advocate are classic.

De Niro seems to have a wider range and he's one of my favorites but his dialogue in Cape Fear was masterfully done.

It's a tough choice but I'd probably favor De Niro slightly.