Best Against-Type Performances

[KnoxHarrington]

Sometimes, actors will take a role that really goes against their public perception. And it can be really great, or just awful.

For a prime example of a great against-type role:

http://images.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=img&q=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a7/Henryfonda.JPG&usg=AFQjCNGJbS31txCyo04cBRwchhIp0OmHcA

Henry Fonda, one of the all time "good guys" in movies, playing a guy who, in the first scene we see him, blows away an entire family, including cute little kiddies, without flinching.

The story goes that when Leone pitched the role of Frank in "Once Upon a Time In The West" to Fonda, he summed it up this way: "Picture this: the camera shows a gunman from the waist down pulling his gun and shooting a running child. The camera tilts up to the gunman's face and...it's Henry Fonda."

Fuckin' A it is.

[razorboy]

Jimmy Stewart in Winchester '73.

[Gvac]

I read the thread title and immediately thought of Fonda in "Once Upon A Time In The West."

My hand to God.

You suck for taking my first choice, Knox.

[Hottub]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Edward_G_Robinson_in_The_Ten_Commandments_film_tra iler.jpg

[KingGeno]

I dunno if this counts, since it is kind of a cameo, but Donnie Wahlburg (guy from New Kids on the Block) showing up as the crazed homicidal/suicidal/sixth sense nut at the beginning of Sixth Sense. I was floored when I found out that was him after researching it.

http://www.donniewahlberg.com/i/6thsense13.jpg

That kind of opened up serious roles on various television shows and movies. Went from being a pussy fagola singer to a marginal actor.

[razorboy]

Oh yeah, to continue with the western theme, Humphrey Bogart in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

[epo]

I'll give Tarantino some credit here. The casting of Kurt Russell against type as "Stuntman Mike" in the Death Proof movie was outstanding.

http://www.pictureshowpundits.com/misc/silver_cines/2008/2008_stuntmanmike.jpg

[razorboy]

I'll give Tarantino some credit here. The casting of Kurt Russell against type as "Stuntman Mike" in the Death Proof movie was outstanding.

http://www.pictureshowpundits.com/misc/silver_cines/2008/2008_stuntmanmike.jpg

If only the film didn't suck so much.

[epo]

Jimmy Stewart in Winchester '73.

Stewart in Rear Window? He's a serious creep in that film.

[razorboy]

Stewart in Rear Window? He's a serious creep in that film.

I'll forgive anything with Grace Kelly.

[Dirtbag]

Bob Saget as the coke addict in Half Baked. It's been diminished by him being an always-on douchebag in recent years, but it was fucking hilarious when I first saw the movie.

[razorboy]

Bob Saget as the coke addict in Half Baked.

The role was hardly a stretch.

[Dirtbag]

The role was hardly a stretch.Not the point. Everyone knew him as the guy from Full House/America's Funniest Home Videos. That guy asking if someone's sucked dick for marijuana is funny.

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

Farrah Fawcett in The Burning Bed and Extremities.

[fezident]

Sandra Bullock - CRASH.

She nailed it.

[hammersavage]

Ben Stiller kinda in Permanent Midnight. He was great in that.


Tom Hanks was pretty against type in Road to Perdition. It wasn't that huge of a stretch but he was good in it.

[Freakshow]

I want to say Kevin Spacy in Seven, but that was kinda his breakout role, so maybe it should be every movie after that?

Brad Pitt in Twelve Monkeys? Again his breakout role, so I don't know.



Man I suck at this...

[Landblast]

Michael Madsen in Thelma & Louise, nobody has better screen presence as a villain but playing the good guy was definitely a change, those scenes had weight, I don't know why he doesn't work more

[Hottub]

General "Buck" Turgidson


http://l.yimg.com/eb/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/columbia_pictures/dr__strangelove/george_c__scott/strangelove1.jpg

[Coach_Mac]

For me it was Shia LeBeouf in A Guide to Recognizing your Saints. He was just a stupid silly movie actor until that......and then he went back.

[Section 8]

Robin Williams in "One Hour Photo" and "Insomnia".

Completely against the norm for him.

[fezident]

Robin Williams in "One Hour Photo".

Hell yes.

[KnoxHarrington]

Stewart in Rear Window? He's a serious creep in that film.

The definitive against type Stewart performacne, though, is in Vertigo.

For a guy who made his reputation playing relatively simple, plain-spoken guys (like George in It's a Wonderful Life), he sure as shit pulled off one of the most psychologically complex roles in film history.

[biozombie]

Tiny Zeus Deebo Lister as The President of Earth in The 5th Element.

[TheMojoPin]

I read the thread title and immediately thought of Fonda in "Once Upon A Time In The West."

My hand to God.

You suck for taking my first choice, Knox.

I thought the same thing. That pick is definitely the top of the heap.

I think Ben Kinglsey in Sexy Beast belongs up there. I never though Ghandi could be so terrifying.

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[epo]

The definitive against type Stewart performacne, though, is in Vertigo.

For a guy who made his reputation playing relatively simple, plain-spoken guys (like George in It's a Wonderful Life), he sure as shit pulled off one of the most psychologically complex roles in film history.

Hitchcock did that to a guy. Other great examples are what he did with Perkins in Psycho and Connery in Marnie.

[realmenhatelife]

Dont forget that, at the time, Bill Murray was playing against type in Rushmore. Now thats all he does.

[A.J.]

Stewart in Rear Window? He's a serious creep in that film.

The definitive against type Stewart performacne, though, is in Vertigo.

For a guy who made his reputation playing relatively simple, plain-spoken guys (like George in It's a Wonderful Life), he sure as shit pulled off one of the most psychologically complex roles in film history.

I was going to say Stewart in "Rope".

[instrument]

Mccully culkin in the good son

[Hottub]

I was going to say Stewart in "Rope".

Well, that's 3. Maybe not so against type.

[razorboy]

I was going to say Stewart in "Rope".

I'll stand by Winchester '73 for Stewart. Lin McAdam remains an understated but scary role, and completely contrary to what most came to expect from Stewart to that point in his career.

[topless_mike]

robin williams in "death to smoochy" is the only thing i can think of
then again, that whole movie was fucked up.

[ChrisTheCop]

Robert Deniro AND Bill Murray in Mad Dog and Glory.

The story goes they were originally cast in each other's roles, but the director decided to switch it up, although I've also read that it was Deniro's idea.