Filmmakers : Gosling & JGL

[Bojangles]

It appears to be a popular sentiment that these two gentlemen are in a tier of their own when it comes to emerging Hollywood actors. I'm trying to figure out whether it's that I just don't get it or that I'm ignorant.

Ryan Gosling has made me somewhat of a believer with Drive, and his work in certain movies that I haven't seen has been acclaimed (Half Nelson, Lars and the Real Girl, Blue Valentine.)

However, I'm having a hard time understanding the supposed brilliance of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. What's his definitive performance? (so that I can watch it and cement my dislike towards him.) All I can gather so far is that he's athletic and has a dreamy smile flanked by cavernous dimples.

Who is Hollywood's best young actor? Is it one of these two?

[kyle.loomis]

Mysterious Skin would be that definitive performance, I think.

[sixx]

As far as JGL's best performance, it has to be Hesher. Maybe 50/50.

And while JGL is a fucking terrific actor, he doesn't compare to Gosling.

[ShogunRua]

However, I'm having a hard time understanding the supposed brilliance of Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

You're not alone, man. I've never understood the hype surrounding him, either.

Is he a decent, capable young actor? Absolutely. He always turns in a nice, professional performance. But have I ever seen a role from him where he really amazed me with his ability? No. Not even once.

Even in pictures where he is the central protagonist and the film revolves around his character, like "500 Days of Summer", he is no more than "pretty good". He plays very standard, stock characters, with all the conventional emotions and reactions, and he does them competently. That's it. I've never seen anything from him beyond that.

I think that's it's notable that in "Inception", Thomas Hardy ended up stealing the show in terms of supporting characters, despite having a fraction of the lines and screen time of Gordon-Levitt. Hardy is an exceptional actor. Levitt, based on what I've seen, is not.

Who is Hollywood's best young actor? Is it one of these two?

They're not as young, all being well into their 30s, but Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Thomas Hardy, and Michael Shannon are all pretty fucking spectacular.

[tomelce]

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an exceptionally over-rated actor, albeit one who had a decent turn in Mysterious Skin (though even then, he was outshone by Brady Corbet). Utterly terrible in (500) Days of Summer, as was everyone else.

I like Ryan Gosling a lot. I wouldn't say he's given an outright great performance yet, but he does seem to be a star in the making -- and certainly one with more apparent talent than, say, George Clooney or Johnny Depp. Loved his work in Fracture but he had his work cut out for him in the lousy Lars and the Real Girl.

[JacoIII]

You're not alone, man. I've never understood the hype surrounding him, either.

Is he a decent, capable young actor? Absolutely. He always turns in a nice, professional performance. But have I ever seen a role from him where he really amazed me with his ability? No. Not even once.

It might be worth checking out Mysterious Skin and Brick if you haven't seen them already. The two best of his that I've seen. I'm never particularly excited to see JGL in a movie but you're right, he never turns in a bad performance.

[nauru]

Personally I think Ryan Gosling is the #1 most overrated actor in the world today. I cannot for the life of me understand the hype.

Gordon-Levitt is a pretty decent actor. I haven't seen any stand-out performances from him, but I still haven't checked out Hesher or 50/50 yet. Also I haven't seen any hype for him, just general acknowledgement that he's had major roles in several solid films.

[TheDenizen]

"Drive" and "Believer" are the only Ryan Gosling films I've seen, but he was great in both.

JGL was excellent in "Brick" (though a lot of people hated that films' style) and I also really liked his individual performance in the otherwise unspectacular "Killshot". Still need to see Hesher, though.

I quite like both of them, though I don't think either is "the best young actor in Hollywood". That award goes to Michael Fassbender. I know he's in his early 30's, but I never saw him in anything before 2007 so he's still new to me.

[tef]

I started to like Gosling when I saw Half-Nelson. He's good in that movie.

Joseph whatever is the 3rd Rock from the Sun kid right? He was good in that.

[Anomaly1]

I quite like both of them, though I don't think either is "the best young actor in Hollywood". That award goes to Michael Fassbender. I know he's in his early 30's, but I never saw him in anything before 2007 so he's still new to me.

Everyone else thinks so too, considering how many upcoming films he's in.