What happened to Matthew McConaughey? Last time I checked he was your average embarrassing romantic comedy leading man – an American Hugh Grant, if you will. But in a blink of an eye, he has become one of the most impressive actors working today. I am not complaining, he deserves every credit in the world – I watched him in Killer Joe and I couldn’t believe it was the same actor who was in How to lose a guy in 10 Days. This is a Heath Ledger like transformation.
But on the other end of the career trajectory spectrum is Johnny Depp. What is frustrating is that not many people are telling it as it is about Johnny Depp’s recent performances. This is guy that is living off a reputation that is no longer reality – if you look past the man’s smoldering good looks it is clear that, as an actor, he has become lazy.
It hurts me to say this about Depp because so many off his films are among some of my favourites of all time, but the lad has stopped challenging himself. Where is the Ed Wood Deep, or the Donnie Brasco Depp, or Fear and Loathing Depp? As much as I liked his turn as Captain Jack Sparrow, I think it is clear that he has beaten that donkey dead.
But against my better judgement, I have allowed myself to get excited about his next film Transcendence simply because it looks like nothing Depp has ever done before. It looks like he has started to challenge himself again. I love the Nolan-ist feel to the film and I think it could surprise a lot of people this year.
For me at least, I am giving Depp one last chance before I start disregarding his future films altogether. I am sure the man is devastated at the thought.
[More film stuff at Chocolate Films]
Just a normal everyday bloke writing about films.