Summary
Quentin Tarantino’s movies are filled with great acting performances, many of which have flown under the radar.Tarantino has benefited from some iconic performances, including Oscar-winning turns from Christoph Waltz inInglourious Basterdsand Brad Pitt inOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood.However, many fine actors haven’t gotten the recognition that they deserve for working with Tarantino, whether they played supporting roles or even minor cameos that still managed to elevate the whole movie. Tarantino’s regulars often do excellent work without necessarily catching the eye.
Tarantino’s movies often have large ensemble casts, so it can be difficult to keep track of every actor who makes an appearance. In movies such asPulp FictionandJackie Brown,there are multiple main characters, and many more minor characters who can still leave their mark on the film. The biggest, flashiest performers tend to draw most of the attention, but Tarantino’s direction often gives actors enough time and respect to work well. This means that his minor characters feel incredibly real and vibrant, even if the actors don’t always get the credit they deserve.
The Movie Critic: 10 Details Revealed About Quentin Tarantino’s Canceled Final Movie
The Movie Critic will no longer be Quentin Tarantino’s 10th and final movie, and though plot details are unknown, other details have been revealed.
Eli Roth’s role inInglourious Basterdswas originally written for Adam Sandler, and although this would have been interesting to see, Roth does a great job as Sergeant Donny Donowitz, known as the “Bear Jew”. As a Jewish soldier behind enemy lines, Donny has an intense personal journey, as opposed to other members of the Basterds who often treat their Nazi-hunting as little more than sport.Roth is able to funnel a lot of rage into Donny, as shown by his unflinching stare when he finally gets the opportunity to tear Adolf Hitler to pieces with a machine gun.
Robert De Niro has had many more memorable roles than Louis Gara, buthis part inJackie Brownmakes the entire movie feel much more dangerous and tense. In a world of part-time criminals and desperate grifters, Louis Gara is a hardened killer who has no time to play games. De Niro swaggers about with a permanent grimace plastered on his face, looking like he has a mouth full of sand, and he cuts through the dreamier exchanges that the other characters have. Gara is there to get his money and go, but if he has to crack a few skulls, then so be it.
Christopher Walken doesn’t have a very important role inPulp Fiction,and a lesser actor could easily be forgotten entirely. Walken plays Captain Koons, a Vietnam War veteran who delivers Butch’s father’s gold watch to him.This brief appearance is one of the most memorable scenes in the movie. Tarantino places a lot of faith in Walken, keeping the camera locked on his face as he delivers a monologue that lurches from intense drama to comedy, all without Walken missing a beat. Tarantino doesn’t cut away until it’s absolutely necessary, and Walken rises to this challenge.
12Mike Myers As General Ed Fenech
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Mike Myers' character inInglourious Basterdsadds a comedic jolt to proceedings as he introduces Lt. Hicox. Myers has a lot of prosthetics and a ludicrous accent, and it’s hard not to see his brief appearance as an incident of anAustin Powerscharacter bursting into the war drama.Although he’s overblown and out-of-touch with his surroundings, this kind of performance is exactly what the scene calls for.It certainly marks a huge shift just as Hicox enters the fray, but Myers' performance also speaks to the bluster and bravado that Britain often uses to describe the war.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’s Manson familyis packed with talented young actors, many of whom have gone on to achieve even greater success since 2019. Austin Butler, Sydney Sweeney and Maya Hawke all play violent anarchists in Manson’s cult, but Margaret Qualley has the most substantial role. “Pussycat,” as she is known to other cult members, often crosses paths with Cliff Booth as he crisscrosses Los Angeles.She’s alluring and mysterious, but this masks an element of dangeras she repeatedly tries to tempt Cliff into giving her a ride.
Kerry Washington does a lot with her limited screen time inDjango Unchained.She could easily be reduced to little more than the object of Django’s quest, butWashington’s performance goes a long way to developing Broomhilda into a three-dimensional character. This heightens the stakes, even whenDjango Unchainedindulges its more outlandish proclivities. Washington and Tarantino subvert the damsel in distress stereotype inDjango Unchained,and Hildi becomes a capable and vital character, even though she is repressed by a horrific system.
Steve Buscemi brings a lot of comedic flair toReservoir Dogs.From the very first scene in the diner, Mr. Pink establishes himself as a motormouth who isn’t afraid to voice his opinions, no matter how unpopular they are. After the heist,Buscemi ratchets up into his signature brand of hilarious rage. The genius of his performance is how he can deliver laughs without ever impeding the drama of the disastrous fallout from the heist. Many ofSteve Buscemi’s best movies, likeFargoandThe Death of Stalin,allow him to balance comedy with drama.Reservoir Dogsis no exception.
The Hateful Eightis set up to place a lot of emphasis on the strength of its performances. Fortunately, Tarantino’s all-star cast delivers, with Jennifer Jason-Leigh and Samuel L. Jackson taking their fair share of the credit. Walton Goggins also shines as the self-appointed Sheriff of Red Rock. Chris Mannix’s simple-minded enthusiasm makes him stand out amid a crowded room full of people staring each other down like they’re ready to draw their pistols at any moment.Mannix is often the comic relief between scenes of nerve-shredding tension, and Goggins is always ready to play the butt of the joke.
7Margot Robbie As Sharon Tate
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
Based on the marketing around the movie, many fans expectedMargot Robbieto have a much more central role inOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood.Ultimately, she makes the best of her peripheral role. Her character represents the new era of the movie industry that Rick Dalton sees passing him by. Tarantino needed a genuine movie star with the glamor of Hollywood’s Golden Age for the role, soRobbie is doing half her job simply by being on screen. She’s also perfectly compelling and likable as Sharon Tate, a naive starlet who has no idea of what’s coming for her.
6Bruce Willis As Butch Coolidge
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Most ofPulp Fiction’s best quotesand most iconic moments are hoovered up by the trio of Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta and Uma Thurman, but Bruce Willis has a vital role to play.Willis is just as compelling, even if he’s a little less splashy in his performance. As a boxer on the run from a violent gangster, Butch Coolidge finds himself facing danger around every corner, but unlike some of the other characters inPulp Fiction,his predicament stems from his decision to do what’s right. Willis’s performance is a throwback to the leading men of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
