Just a conversation started really… but with all the insanely positive word of mouth that “Gone Baby Bone” has been getting for the directorial debut of Ben Affleck, and with Sean Penn getting some good buzz for his stint behind the camera with “Into the Wild”, it got me and a friend of mine talking last night about some of our favorite films directed by actors.
It’s not really that far of a stretch at all for actors to get behind the camera. They spend most of their time with directors… some of them get to work with the best in the business… so it’s not surprising many of them like to take the big chair and guide their own films. Some do it masterfully… some horribly. So here are… just off the top of my head… not an exhaustive list in the least… 5 of my favorite films directed by folks who are primarily known as actors:
1) Braveheart (Mel Gibson)
A lot of people like to bash this film… but I don’t care. That movie (for me) did everything a movie should do. It got me invested in the film… it made me hate the bad guy… love the good guy… made the want to stick my chest out a little bit more. It was exciting, emotionally strong (That scene where Wallace comes back into town after his wife had been murdered… holy sweet heavens… the look or anger and rage… mixed with total paralyzing sorrow… came as close to making me shed a tear as any film in history (other than the 2 movies that actually did make me cry). I frigging LOVE this movie.
2) Million Dollar Baby (Clint Eastwood)
I didn’t think I’d even LIKE this movie… but I was hooked within 5 minutes and the damn thing never once let me go
3) Backdraft/Cinderella Man/Beautiful Mind (Ron Howard)
I just can’t pick between these three… love them all for very different reasons
4) Quiz Show (Robert Redford)
Still my favorite John Turturro role
5) Good Night, and Good Luck (George Clooney)
Fantastic film. So subtle, and yet at times knocks you right over the head. David Strathairn was brilliant.
So head into the comments and leave your thoughts and other films directed from actors you think should be mentioned.
