Opinion Battles Round 20
Favourite Clive Owen Role
Clive Owen was once tipped to be the next James Bond but now his star seems to have faded. He has been in some of the most respected films through his career but which one is our favourite?
If you want to take part in the next round of Opinion Battles we are picking our favorite Tom Cruise roles and you will need to send you entries to moviereviews101@yahoo.co.uk by 16th October 2016.
Darren – Movie Reviews 101
Theo Faron – Children of Men
Theo is the lead in what is one of the most underrated movies of the latest century and it gives one f the best stories. We see how Theo has to risk his own life to potentially help save the human race from their impending extinction.
Kim – Tranquil Dreams
Theo Faron – Children of Men
Clive Owen has taken on some great roles and for a great man like him, Theo Faron fits the description perfectly as he tries to protect a young girl who is the hope of humanity. His character carried depth.
Theo Faron – Children of men
My favorite Clive Owen character is Theo Faron from Children Of Men. Why? Hmm. Well, I have to admit that I don’t think I’m really a Clive Owen fan. I’ve chosen this character simply because it’s my favorite of all the films he’s starred in. Children Of Men is a great, underrated movie & should get more attention. So I’ll go with Theo Faron as my favorite Clive Owen character!🙂
Tom – Plain Simple Tom Reviews
Dwight McCarthy – Sin City
Actually, I think that this is the only Clive Owen film that I’ve actually seen! Well, there was that “Extras” episode as well . . .
Still, he fits in very well to this awesome film; he’s cool, charismatic, him and Rosario Dawson are great together and Josh Brolin, great actor though he is, wasn’t quite as good as Owen in the sequel.
Richard – The Humpo Show
King Arthur
To be honest I have not seen too many Clive Owen films. But one I do remember is King Arthur. Although it doesn’t get a good press from critics, I very much enjoyed it, and whenever I think of King Arthur I think of 3 depictions: Disney’s Sword in the Stone, BBC’s Merlin and this film. Clive is a decent King Arthur in this depiction, he has an aura of a King, and his rugged good looks fit in well with the film’s portrayal of the mythic King.
Rob – Movie Rob
Dalton Russell – Inside Man
Kevin – The Mental Attic
Doctor John Thackery – The Knick
For this one I’ll have to leave the big screen and go to the little one. For me, Clive Owen’s best role is Doctor John Thackery in The Knick. His portrayal of an opium (and cocaine) addict struggling to function as head surgeon in a hospital is brilliant. Go find any textbook on withdrawal and shakes when addicts need a fix, and you’ll see them in Owen’s performance. The desperate pleading, the sudden mood swings and the determined physician all shine through and ground what could easily be an over the top character. His calm scenes, where he’s rational and can push past the era’s prejudices make him seem a normal person, but in a twitch or a simple shake of the hand or any other mannerism, you can see the struggle in the character, you can see the addict rising to the surface, desperate for another hit.
S.G. Liput – Rhyme and Reason
Dalton Russell – Inside man
When I first saw that there would be a battle for favorite Clive Owen role, I couldn’t think of a single one I’d seen. I checked his filmography and thought, “Oh, yeah, that guy who played one of the assassins in The Bourne Identity.” Luckily, I’ve seen him in a couple more films this year, and of those, I’m picking Dalton Russell, the lead bank robber in Inside Man. Owen is the first one on screen, delivering an enigmatic monolog about the perfect heist, and witnessing said heist unfold was fascinating to watch. Despite the fact that Owen’s face is covered by a mask through most of the film, his threatening and mysterious presence are felt throughout. He even has moments hinting that he’s a decent chap, and while the character is never entirely explained, his clever audacity is the film’s best asset.
Damien Riley – Riley Central
Will – Trust
Clive Owen in “Trust” takes us to a place where we all can be vulnerable. His 14 year old daughter has unwittingly revealed personal information online and it threatens the whole family. Owen steps up in his action role he sometimes dons and tries to stop the threat. It’s an exciting, smart thriller from beginning to end. I’ve seen it twice and want to see it a third time. Ebert gave it 4/4. I hope you’ll see it and/or vote for it.
Rachel – 54 Disney Reviews
Robert parks – Gosford Park
My favorite Clive Owen role is probably Children of Men but I’m going to go with something a little more obscure. In Gosford Park, Clive Owen plays Robert Parks, a man who is raised in an orphanage and is brand new to service at the start of the film. He is awkward but fierce in a way and you can see the weight of his life in his eyes. There is also a connectionwith the house that is part of the mystery of the film. In a lot of ways he is the heart of Gosford Park which is saying something when you have Maggie Smith, Eileen Atkins, Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon and many other British greats in the cast. It’s a small role but one that always stood out to me as an actor really bringing a lot to the table. Robert Altman does such a great job with making every part matter and the mystery work but Clive Owen is up to the challenge as well.
Alan – Content for you
Dalton Russell – Inside Man
I have never been a huge fan of Clive Owen, I always find his delivery a little ‘dead pan’ he never seems to bring any real excitement to his roles. Inside Man is truly the exception, on this occasion his unhurried and steady delivery works so well. He keeps the pace of the movie in a wonderfully calm and precise way, while all around him the hostages and police are in total confusion and frustration, he is the epitome of a cool-calculated criminal
Emma – Emma Explains It All
Smith – Shoot ‘em up
This was a fairly easy choice, Shoot ‘Em Up is definitely my favorite Clive Owen film – a quirky and purposely over-the-top action movie that’s a lot of fun to watch.
Smith himself (Owen’s character) is a pretty cool guy (he’s been likened to the Clint Eastwood ‘man with no name’ characters) and good to have around in a crisis – if he likes you. Smith keeps calm under pressure, has a great dry sense of humor and is very good at fighting – handy.
The whole film is fun and all the central characters are memorable, but it’s Smith – and indeed Clive Owen – that steals the show.
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