Opinion Battles Round 14
Favourite Leonardo DiCaprio Role
In the year we finally got to see Leonardo DiCaprio take home the Oscar on his 5th attempt it could easily be argued just how iconic he has become to the modern era of cinema. Having only 37 credits to his name we have seen DiCaprio work with some of the best directors in the business today. We will be picking our favourites of his career to so.
If you want to take part in the next round of Opinion Battles we will be looking at our Favourite Pixar Movies, send you choice to [email protected] by Sunday 24th July 2016.
Darren – Movie Reviews 101
Cobb – Inception
Cobb is the leader of a group that break into people’s minds to steal information but this time he must risk everything to planet an idea so he can go back to live with his family. I will flat out say this isn’t his BEST performance but it is one where we get to see him relax on a set within a film that constantly questions you. We see chemistry with the whole cast be it his loyal friend Arthur or his enemy forcing him into the crime. Of all of his work this is the one I have watched the most too.
Kim – Tranquil Dreams
Romeo – Romeo + Juliet
In the 90s, Leonardo DiCaprio captured my heart because of his boyish looks. His more recent movies are also quite worth a mention because they really are quality films showing a deeper side of his mature self, except I can’t quite get over seeing Leonardo DiCaprio reciting the verses of Romeo and Juliet and matching that character so perfectly.
Tom – Plain Simple Tom Reviews
Jordan Belfort – The Wolf of Wall Street
You may think that 3 hours or so of watching Leo taking loads of drugs, having loads of sex and generally spending all his screen time shouting and going wild might get boring after a while: but it clearly doesn’t!Always appearing as though Martin Scorcese has just pumped him full of caffeine and sugar and then told him to “just have fun with it”, DiCaprio’s Belfort is so much fun to watch, always hypnotically engaging, funny and outrageous. It is plain to see that Leo was having the time of his life in this film; his boundless energy is incredible and his is one of the greatest powerhouse performances that I’ve been lucky enough to experience at the cinema – I was smiling throughout!
Daniel – Dellens 456
Arnie Grape- What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?
I can’t say that I’ve seen that many Leonardo DiCaprio films, only this one in fact. Shocker! But he’s great in this one and it’s his first Oscar nom. He plays Arnie Grape, a disabled kid who causes a lot of stress and grief for his family especially his brother, Gilbert Grape played by Johnny Depp. This character could be really annoying but DiCaprio adds the right amount of heart and emotion into his performance. It’s such a good performance on so many levels and I’m surprised he didn’t win the Oscar. His first of many Oscar snubs!
Jordan Belfort – The Wolf of Wall Street
Who is my favorite Leonardo DiCaprio character? That’s actually quite difficult as I’ve liked him in all his movies! Leo rules. I especially liked him in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Catch Me If You Can, Django Unchained, and The Wolf Of Wall Street. Hmm. Time to pick one…. Oh, I don’t know!!! This is too hard! Okay. Here we go. I’m gonna go with his portrayal of Jordan Belfort in The Wolf Of Wall Street. He was so insanely good in that movie & I really wanted him to win an Oscar that year. Oh well – at least he finally has one now.
Richard – The Humpo Show
Danny Archer – Blood Diamond
I actually did a Tribute post to him last year, and some of the films which were top of my personal list were Catch Me If You Can, Blood Diamond, Shutter Island, Inception and The Wolf of Wall Street. And the role which I believed is his BEST role acting-wise was Blood Diamond, though TWoWS was a close second. Blood Diamond is an absolutely brilliant film and one which just makes the audience sit back and be absorbed in this incredible tale. A must watch film, and DiCaprio is sensational in it!
Damien Riley – Riley Central
Frank Abignale – Catch Me If you Can
Leonardo DiCaprio (Leo) played Frank Abagnale, the real-life young man who faked the identity of many professions including a pilot and even a physician. Despite his incredible acts, the role shows a lot of humility. Leo plays Abignale with the utmost believability. For my money, he might as well be the real Abagnale.
Leo pulls off dozens of cons in the film and absorbs the character as he does so. Steven Spielberg was so impressed with the cons of Abagnale, he made Catch Me If You Canand cast DiCaprio in the lead role. I like him in the role especially because the character is self-effacing. At some points, he has no place to sleep and is set in unglamorous positions.
I’m sure humble roles are a challenge for any blockbuster star. Still, in Catch Me if You Can, the character fails often and shows vulnerability. As a result, the viewer wants to see him prevail despite his arrogance and grandiosity. For these reasons, I think Frank Abagnale in Catch Me If You Can is the best DiCaprio performance.
Rachel – 54 Disney Reviews
Cobb – Inception
My favorite Leonardo DiCaprio role is as Domm in Inception. I love movies that are puzzles and this is the ultimate puzzle. DiCaprio is our lead through the maze and his relationship with Mal is the emotional core of the film. It is he that meets his father and yearns for his children. It is he that grieves for his wife and creates the uncertainty that makes the ending work.
Emma – Emma Explains It All
Billy Costigan – The Departed
One of my favorite bits in The Departed (apart from ANY scene with Mark Wahlberg being all shouty) is when Billy takes out Madolyn’s childhood photo from the packing box and puts it on the wall – a shy smile on his face. This small gesture really sums up his character and his kindness, especially when compared to Madolyn’s actual boyfriend Colin (Matt Damon) who didn’t want the picture on display. It’s a very clever scene.
I adored DiCaprio’s performance in The Departed, I truly think it was the best of his career (yep, even more than that bear movie). He perfectly portrayed Billy as a broken, sinking man. Someone who is tough and streetwise, but also shows childlike insecurity and really just needs someone to care for him.
The Departed is one of my favorite movies and I know DiCaprio’s performance and the character of Billy had a lot to do that. I love three dimensional characters – people who show their good and bad sides, their strengths and weaknesses, the complexity of being human. But mainly I love Billy because he had a good heart and a rough ride. And because he put Madolyn’s picture on display.
S.G. Liput – Rhyme and Reason
Jack Dawson – Titanic
Although I love Inception, which was the first film that got me to see DiCaprio as anything other than Jack, his breakthrough role in Titanic has always been my favorite, even if it only defined his early career. Using his boyish good looks to full effect, DiCaprio was the perfect love interest for Kate Winslet’s Rose, and their chemistry was the centerpiece of a movie that needed its tragedy to hit home. I’ve picked Jack because his final scenes turned me into a blubbering idiot the first time I saw Titanic, and I doubt I’m the only one.
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