My Best Performance: Will Smith

[Spinal]

I give you an actor.

You tell me which movie contains their best performance. You get one vote.

Discussion might happen.

After a day or so, the votes are counted. I announce the winning performance.

We then move on to somebody else.

Previous decisions:
Robert De Niro - Raging Bull
Kate Winslet - Heavenly Creatures
Toshiro Mifune - Throne of Blood
Meryl Streep - Adaptation
Michael Keaton - Beetlejuice
Penelope Cruz - Volver
Charlie Chaplin - The Gold Rush
Julianne Moore - Safe
Forest Whitaker - Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Ingrid Bergman - Notorious
Humphrey Bogart - In a Lonely Place
Liv Ullmann - Scenes From a Marriage
Johnny Depp - Ed Wood
Nicole Kidman - To Die For
John Turturro - Quiz Show
Helena Bonham Carter - Fight Club
Christopher Walken - The Deer Hunter
Helen Mirren - The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/joel_harmon/will_smith1_300_400_zpsf68a671 1.jpg
What's my best performance?

[Ezee E]

His charisma goes a long way. Too bad he picks some of the worst movies to possibly be in.

However, I do like I Am Legend until others get involved beyond him.

[Spinal]

I chose to do a Smith thread because I'm trying to mix it up between critical darlings, box office icons, character actors, etc. And Smith, is one of the biggest box office draws there is.

And yet, much to my surprise, I've only seen two of his movies. Yes, I haven't seen a Will Smith film since Men in Black. I don't dislike him, but I tend to avoid his work.

No vote from me, I guess.

[Grouchy]

Eh... Men in Black?

He's not a good actor, but I guess that's him at his most memorable.

[Ezee E]

I'm glad you're switching it up Spinal. Hope it brings some discussion to guys like Will Smith. This is something that hasn't been as delved into since the Directors Consensus polls from way back in the day.

[MadMan]

For now I'll go with I Am Legend. Too bad the second half of that movie was an absolute mess.

[Dukefrukem]

It's gotta be either MIB or ID4. He carried both of the movies on his back. Without him cast in those movies, I doubt either would be as fun and/or successful.

I'll go with MIB

[Dukefrukem]

Although now that I'm reading the comments, Ezee's right about I Am Legend. The scene where he goes back into the record store was probably his best scene ever.

[Lucky]

It's been awhile, but I remember being impressed during Ali. I'll go with that.

[Raiders]

Ali

[Dukefrukem]

Ugh Ali really? So bad.

[EyesWideOpen]

Ali

[Raiders]

Ugh Ali really? So bad.

Not Mann's best, but I don't dislike it... and yes, it is easily my favorite performance from him. He feels less like Will Smith and more like an actual character. I Am Legend would be a second choice, but I like this one better.

[Skitch]

Ironically I just added The Six Degrees Of Seperation to my queue this weeik, so I'll watch that and report back. For now I'll agree with I Am Legend.

[Gamblor]

Ali. May also be my favourite film he's in.

[Robby P]

Ali for sure.

[Grouchy]

Goddamn Ali? Seriously?

[Watashi]

Ali is a great film.

[Irish]

He's not a good actor, but I guess that's him at his most memorable.

He's a great actor -- or maybe I should say 'performer' -- but he's not an actor's actor like Daniel Day Lewis or, maybe, Bryan Cranston. He's another kind of actor.

The kind who perfectly inhabits his own persona and plays that for all it's worth. More examples:

- Robert Downey Jr
- Dean Martin
- Cary Grant

All three of those guys have impeccable comic timing, too. Just like Smith.

[Raiders]

Robert Downey Jr

Only true since Iron Man. It happens to a lot of actors as their career progresses. Jack Nicholson and Sam Jackson have become parodies. Harrison Ford has like, one personality. With Will Smith though, he has always been this way. 90% of the roles he has played could simply be inserted into the other films and nothing changes (except the setting of course).

[Irish]

Only true since Iron Man. It happens to a lot of actors as their career progresses. Jack Nicholson and Sam Jackson have become parodies. Harrison Ford has like, one personality. With Will Smith though, he has always been this way. 90% of the roles he has played could simply be inserted into the other films and nothing changes (except the setting of course).

Hmmm .. not sure I agree there. I haven't seen Downey's full filmography (most of it .. maybe). And he's always been Downey Jr. The cute, precocious, flippant, wise-ass.

He stepped it up a notch since Iron Man and that's become his full-time schtick. But even before that, it's not like the guy was treading the boards and doing Hamlet.

"90% of his roles" might represent the pigeon-holing he still gets as a black comedic actor. You're not going to see him climbing pyramids or kissing white girls because the majority audience wouldn't buy into it.

[Grouchy]

I realize what you're saying, it's the difference between an actor and a movie star.

But even amongst movie stars, Will Smith is a pretty bland guy, or maybe he's good and he just doesn't appeal to me.

[Dukefrukem]

He's a great actor -- or maybe I should say 'performer' -- but he's not an actor's actor like Daniel Day Lewis or, maybe, Bryan Cranston. He's another kind of actor.

The kind who perfectly inhabits his own persona and plays that for all it's worth. More examples:

- Robert Downey Jr
- Dean Martin
- Cary Grant

All three of those guys have impeccable comic timing, too. Just like Smith.

I'd put Jim Carrey on that list too.

[Ezee E]

Downey just happens to play that character in different genres, as opposed to Will Smith and Jack Nicholson. It's the same character in Chaplin, Natural Born Killers, Game 6 (sorta), and Zodiac, but the genre is so much different that it gives him a little levity I think.

Will Smith's action movies are just that, action movies. Bad Boys, I Robot, and ID4 could all be misunderstood for each other I think.

[D_Davis]

I really like Will Smith as an actor, but it's hard for me to pick a film he's best in for some reason.

It's easier for me to pick my favorite movie that he's in, and I think he's great in it:

Enemy of the State

[Qrazy]

I really like Will Smith as an actor, but it's hard for me to pick a film he's best in for some reason.

It's easier for me to pick my favorite movie that he's in, and I think he's great in it:

Enemy of the State

I'll also go with Enemy of the State.

[MadMan]

I haven't seen Ali yet. I forgot about Enemy of the State. He's great in that and its a good movie.

[Raiders]

Downey just happens to play that character in different genres, as opposed to Will Smith and Jack Nicholson. It's the same character in Chaplin, Natural Born Killers, Game 6 (sorta), and Zodiac, but the genre is so much different that it gives him a little levity I think.

Will Smith's action movies are just that, action movies. Bad Boys, I Robot, and ID4 could all be misunderstood for each other I think.

Quite true, I suppose. It is more of the context for Downey than overall range. Still, I think Downey has played many distinct characters who tend to gravitate to a certain persona, whereas Smith has, at least 80% of the time, played pretty much the exact same character, only in a different setting.

[Spinal]

Match Cut says my best performance is ...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/joel_harmon/willsmithali05_zps19d47a72.jpg
ALI