MovieChat Forums > Samuel L. Jackson Discussion > Does this man ever actually act?

Does this man ever actually act?

posted 12 years ago by KHSebastian
9 replies | jump to latest

I know everyone loves Sam Jackson, and I can sort of understand why, but I have no idea how he ever came to be known as a really good actor. This man has played one role in any of his popular movies, and that is just to be a badass. That's not acting. The man was a Black Panther in real life. He's a real life badass.

He never takes a role where he is actually like, struggling for something, or at a disadvantage, or vulnerable. He's always playing Samuel L Mother****ing Jackson. He wasn't chosen for the part of Nick Fury. They MADE THE ROLE for him. Which, yeah, is a pretty awesome thing to put on your resume, but it's also total garbage. Acting is about pretending to be something you're not. It's about putting yourself in a wide variety of roles, and making yourself be something you normally are not. SLJ doesn't do that. He is ALWAYS the coolest character, but it's an artificial cool, because the writers and directors can't write a movie where he's not the top man, or he won't take the part.

Everyone seems to be really psyched about his role in Django, but it sucked! Yeah, haha, it was kind of funny. But he also played a slave. He signed on to play basically one of the most powerless human beings in American history. And he did it as a badass. He cursed at his master, and he talked back and yelled at him. As a slave. That would NOT FLY. (disclaimer: Don't take this to mean that I think slavery was in any way right, or anything less than absolutely disgusting. But if you're going to play a slave, play a damn slave).

This is stupid pandering, and it's NOT good story telling, it's NOT good acting, and it rather disgusts me that people consider this man to be such a great actor.

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[–] thefilmdevotee 12 years ago

No need for the disclaimer. You're just describing the fact, that a slave would probably not be allowed to swear at his master. I didn't think it was weird in the movie. The role he is playing is clearly the 'chief slave' or whatever you would call it, and therefor he had a whole different set of rules to follow.

Anyhow, I'm having a hard time figuring out if you mean what you're saying, or just trolling.

Is Christoph Waltz acting? He has won 2 Oscars for playing intellectual badasses on screen.

Is Robert De Niro acting? Or should we call him "EL STIFFO" as Hoffmans character said in Meet the Fockers?

Of course, Sam Jackson is gonna get cast in movies where we recognize him as Sam Jackson. People want to see him succeed against evil powers.

[–] jaydlove 11 years ago

I know what you mean, even if I don't fully agree with everything you're saying.

Sam Jackson used to be a real treat to see in a film, but only as long as they limited his character and didn't let him oversaturate the movie. You knew when he showed up in the middle of a film he was there to handle business with a *beep* cool attitude and wit.

Then he started showing up and doing the samething in other movies.

Then they started giving his character the leads, and he pulled the same act in those movies.

Now it's at the point where you see he's cast in a movie before it's come out in theaters and you already know exactly who he character is going to be and what their role is.

Frankly, it's getting to be a bummer. These roles could have gone to different actors who would have brought unique diverse talent to the character. They could have gone to actors who approach each character they play as entirely different people, with quirks and vulnerabilities.

Instead, they give them to Sam Jackson. And Sam Jackson comes on screen and Sam Jackson's the sh*t out of that role.

[–] jaydlove 11 years ago

you're right. he was a little bit, he's played his "normal guy" character a few times. 187 and those few other times are really just the small exceptions to what I'm saying though.

[–] sinbad8982 11 years ago

I agree with what youre saying he did put in a great performance as a drug addict in jungle fever though

[–] anttell 11 years ago

He's certainly typecast, but to me he's charismatic as hell and can carry a movie with his presence. I absolutely think he deserves everything he's getting. But yeah, he's not a method actor.

[–] ACureforPain 11 years ago

To the OP: watch Unbreakable and Changing Lanes. And then be amazed at what this man can do when he's not being typecasted as the badass.

"I like them French fried potaters" - Karl Childers

[–] koffeenkreame41-1 11 years ago

To the OP: watch Unbreakable and Changing Lanes. And then be amazed at what this man can do when he's not being typecasted as the badass.

^^This. 187, A Time to Kill, Jungle Fever, Changing Lanes, Unbreakable etc, show Sam CAN act and certainly deliver a damn good performance. I thought he did a good job in Die Hard With a Vengeance too, loved him in there, he wasn't a badass but he was awesome in there.

"I am the ultimate badass, you do not wanna `*beep*` wit me!"- Hudson in Aliens.