MovieChat Forums > Twelve Monkeys (1996) Discussion > Brad Pitt Can't Act

Brad Pitt Can't Act

posted 17 years ago by jjd430
263 replies | jump to latest

I just watched 12 M. for the first time, all the way through. Is the reason that IMDB describes it as a black comedy because Pitt's performance is so clownish and exaggerated? Was he not directed!? I don't think he was at this undeserved exalted place in pop. culture at the time, so why didn't they fire him after the first few dailies? He's just awful and distracting in every scene.
I was never a Brad Pitt hater, but his performance in Seven was bad, too. I also saw him in an earlier obscure flick and he was terrible there as well. 12 M would have been a much better movie, and possibly a cult classic, without him in that key role. Brad must've been a pool boy for some influential producer back in the day. He surely can't act.

[–] jjd430 17 years ago

Well, we're just going to have to agree to disagree on this point. One responder totally agreed with me, and another was confused by the performance, so at least I know I wasn't imagining it. lol But I'll be watching his future performancs with a keen eye.

[–] lakers3348 17 years ago

Wasn't he nominated for this performance? Doesn't that say something about how he did? I think it says your an idiot. Just a thought

[–] chase-caldwell 16 years ago

I've seen some pretty terrible nominations in my life. I think it says he has a differing opinion than yours and mine. Btw it's "you're."

[–] Zeedeveel27 17 years ago

Watch him in snatch, i thought he gave a very good performance in a different kinda role there. Fight club hes good in too.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Ppump 16 years ago

jjd I am always amazed at people's different opinions of the ability of an actor. I would never have believed that anyone would think that Brad's portrayal of a mentally unbalanced person was no good. I guess it is just another example of how differently we are all wired. I thought he did a superb job. Maybe you should visit an institution and watch how a manic person behaves. He was brilliant IMO. It would be interesting to see you play the part.

[–] cassbtt 15 years ago

Bump. Just before this dreadfully long and popular (?) topic drops off the system. Personally, I don't want to see another, new one started.

[–] jayteethirtyone 17 years ago

do you realize that brad pitt was nominated for this role? and this wasn't even his best performance.

[–] rinksinsd 17 years ago

jd430, you really need to look at acting in a whole. Brad Pitt was playing his part, a loony rich boy who was psychologicaly crazy. How better could he have played the role. Tell us how we should have performed and maybe you'll get some people who agree with you!

[–] timetopiekka 17 years ago

Well, I don't know what you've missed. There is a lot of black comedy in the movie not having anything to do with Brad. For example SPOLER: when bruce returns to the future the way the scientists act isn't what you'd call usual, with all the wierd songs etc.

I actually was surprised how well he acted in the movie, he made the character just what he needed to be, hyperactive and easily aggrivated. This allows us to believe -SPOLER- that he was the person that released the virus, although he only released a bunch of animals, which is what the movie requires.

If you think the way he acted was stupid, you should blame the screenwrite/director. Obviously they wanted him to act as he did.

Overall I think this is one of the best movies ever, very artsy fartsy yet smart and entertaining.

I agree, his performance in Se7en was boring, but that is what he needed to be for his character.

[–] jjd430 17 years ago

Well, Pat Morita was nominated for an Academy Award for Karate Kid III (or something), so the nomination process has always been off. Pitt probably got the gay vote that year, because he surely didn't earn it. And yes, I do know something about mental wards, and I know that patients are given meds in the evening so they go right to bed and sleep through the night. But Pitt's character is full of boundless energy one night and causes a disturbance, which again is clownishly overacted. Contrast that acting and direction with Bruce Willis' character, in a sleepy drug-induced haze most of the time in the asylum. Pitt needed better directing since he had no natural instinct for his character.

[–] omar-agha 17 years ago

Maybe he didnt take his meds ? I mean how did he get hold of a key to the ward ? I thought his acting was brilliant and completely in tune with the movie.

As a previous poster has said Brads character gets the viewer to believe he is behind the whole virus when in fact he is not. isn't that the whole point ?

[–] egyptianratking 17 years ago

... Brad Pitt didn't make his character throw a tantrum in the middle of the night. That has NOTHING to do with his acting. That would involve the writing of the film. The script called for him to cause a disturbance in the middle of the night.

Pitt was fantastic in this role.

[–] truekolors 17 years ago

It is too bad no one agrees with you jjd430. Brad Pitt gave an exceptional performance. He deserved the Oscar for it. How would you suggest a mentally unstable person act? I'm curious to know.

[–] Maximillini86 15 years ago

I think what the OP is looking for is some understated, subtle take on the character. And while some roles might call for that, this jabbering and unstable psychotic is a perfect fit for a Gilliam film. Not only does it fit Gilliam's style, but it also reminds me exactly of what Pitt's character says: We're just monkeys.

"Why always with the fighting?"
-Dr. John Zoidberg

[–] oscarstegland 17 years ago

I hope you're not basing your assertions on movies. They don't give every, if necessarily any patients a sleeping pill. That completely depends on what kind of disorder the patient is suffering from. I thought Brad Pitt definately deserved his nomination and to be honest I think he's a good actor. He was excellent in Snatch, if that's not acting I don't know what is. I hear he was great in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

[–] EnglishandProud 16 years ago

Yeah he's an awesome Jesse James. One of his best ever performances.

"Just because I don't care it doesn't mean I don't understand."

[–] oscarstegland 16 years ago

Did you miss the entire point of the movie? His character was written that way. You don't dislike his acting, you dislike the script and the character. He did an excellent job with what was given to him. It's a black comedy. An on-the-surface unserious film with dark and contemporary undertones. If you can't accept that, then I guess we're on two different wavelenghts. It's like saying Mark Wahlberg sucked in The Departed because his character swore so much. It's in the fu cking script...

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] mleprkr 12 years ago

I do know something about mental wards, and I know that patients are given meds in the evening so they go right to bed and sleep through the night.

they never gave us sleeping pills at night. we all took our meds first thing in the morning and at no other time, unless you're on something you take twice a day. if we acted out, we'd get drugged, but they didn't routinely dope us all up just to keep us quiet at night.

personally, i normally hate brad pitt movies but i loved him in this. i spent time teaching in a special needs class for kids with behavioral problems and a lot of them reminded me of his character.

[–] william92879 17 years ago

I always held the attitude that Brad Pitt was a douchebag celebrity...but after thinking it over I may have been a bit harsh. My judgement is probably clouded by the incessant Branjelina tabloid nonsense. Saw 12 monkeys for the first time tonight and I have to say I was impressed with his performance. I thought it was kind of funny even though many of his rants sounded like Tyler Durden's treatise on modern man. Felt like an idiot when I found out that it was the creep with the ponytail and not the bumbling PETA kids. He has had alot of very good roles in films (Seven, Snatch, Ocean's 11 and 12, thought he was pretty good in Babel, and my all time favorite Pitt role in Fight Club). Just wish hed stay out of the tabloids, but I suppose being the subject of many women's fantasies he probably couldn't if he tried.

[–] zukipilot 17 years ago

Have to agree with jjd430. Brad Pitt ruined the role (and almost ruined the movie). it was over-acted and tiresome. he came across as "trying" to act like a crazy person. Johnny Depp could have nailed this role.

[–] snihan 15 years ago

I agree with you. Johnny Depp would be a better choice. I am not a Pitt hater but he is much too pretty and always very aware of that, sometimes ruining the demanding roles he chooses.

[–] jesper_linkis 17 years ago

Agree, he was a loon, and the looniest at the institution.
He was the only one who was so loud etc. so you can't say he was overacting since it's only one out of many who was crazy to this degree.

[–] qiwiyix 17 years ago

I believe that his role is his best movie role in his career. Good job!

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] wheezledick 17 years ago

He was channeling Dennis Hopper and Charlie Callas in this flick.

[–] alexkolokotronis 17 years ago

How did Brad Pitt possibly get an oscar nomination for twelve monkeys. He was horrible.

[–] fosthoff 17 years ago

The reason that Pitt was so over-the-top was because he was supposed to be mentally and emotionally unstable. It appears that his character was *supposed* to be hyperactive and crazy, since it was mentioned that he was given a lot of tranquilizers. And it wasn't like they just told Pitt "go crazy". He was supposed to talk fast and errotically (they took his cigarettes away from him for that) and checked himself into a mental institution to get into character (he knew he had it down when they didn't want to let him out).