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Is Tom Hanks one of the true great actors? (feddit.uk)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/movies@lemmy.world
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I just heard Streets of Philadelphia on radio, which made me think of movies where Tom Hanks is in a leading role. I could not think of one I’ve seen where he was not convincing in the role.

I think he is one of the very best actors we’ve seen. Disagree?

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[–] 18 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (8 children)

Sure. But, in more of a plug-n-play sorta way.

Thought process: If it's a Tom Hanks movie, then it'll be enjoyable in a vanilla ice cream sort of way. Few people would reject, out of hand, vanilla ice cream. Unless they're Tom Hanks intolerant... but now im strangling this metaphor.

True great actor? Stage & screen, sings & dances, transforms the medium where every they show up.

I think I understand male actors better, so that list is longer.

  • Daniel Day Lewis

  • Christopher Walken

  • Gary Oldman

  • Denzel Washington

  • Philip Seymour Hoffman

  • David Strathairn

  • Mark Rylance

  • Jim Carrey

  • Ian McKellen

  • Viola Davis

  • Lupita Nyong'o

  • Jennifer Lawrence

  • Frances McDormand

Edit: how did I miss Alan Rickman!

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  • [–] 9 points 5 months ago* (3 children)

    Nail on the head. I know I'm gonna enjoy a Tom Hanks movie, and he was really great in some roles, but if Frances McDormand is on the ticket my socks are gonna be blown off. That woman is art to watch.

    Edit: Willem Dafoe and Olivia Coleman also. There are obviously loads more but they all really excite me to see in a movie.

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Yeah, but I feel like a lot of it is because of the roles he chooses and the career he cultivates. Hanks can play bigger roles, but you can tell he picked more restrained roles after making the transition from comedy to drama.

    I also feel like he never had a legitimate down time in his career which would require him to play against type to bring in audiences. A lot of great performances come from actors making their comeback, something that Tom Hanks never needed to do.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    IMO: Brand Tom Hanks was established with Big (1988!) and solidified with A League of Their Own (1993). From then on, he's basically a hit factory.

    The biggest departure for him, that I saw, was the Road to Perdition (2002). Not exactly off-brand, but a risk. It was excellent.

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