Ethan Hawke : lacks talent

limited talent - was a face ,but never backed it up with ability.

I think he can brilliantly perform serial killers or psychos or brutal people that you don't know what to expect from, his performance in Taking Lives was really scary and creepy. But he is just not much into mainstream, I guess he is doing more independent movies or whatever.

I don't really agree with you on that one. I think he's a great actor.

Also... I can kill you with my brain

dont agree he made the movie (Alive) watchable .


they casted him perfect in gattaca


def underrated actor

that's being kind.
he sucks Royally.
A worse actor than his ex Uma.

I wish I was 'Fake shemp #3 !.

Totally disagree... he is an awesome talent and a great actor. He plays gritty cop dramas (Training Day or Brooklyn's Finest) really well, and psychotic killers (Taking Lives), but he was always the best in low budget dramas.

I wish he would do more of those. He made some of my favorite movies of the '90s, like Before Sunset, Gattaca, and Great Expectations.

I really wish he'd stop the cop/thriller kick he's on. He needs more serious stuff.

While before sunset is a good movie with a great storyline, Hawke made watching that movie unbearable. I cringed the whole movie through because of the terrible, cheesy faces he keeps making for no reason. He is pure garbage.

Wow. And I wanted to watch that movie... after Gattaca I can believe you though...

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I own you.

nonsense he did great in that movie. He's very compatible with Julie on screen. The both did good and those movies are loaded with tons of good dialogue and seeing how their characters evolve is fascinating.

agree. Average talent, limited range....chicks like to look at him and he's comfortable in front of the camera, so had a career.

Hawke is to Bale what a grape is to wine.....both decent, one just a snack the other one is awesome.

check out before the devil knows you're dead, tape, dead poets society (even though he's a kid in it), i hear he's good in training day, and before sunrise/sunset. I think he's a good actor, but I've heard plenty of opposition.

I agree that Christian Bale is a better technical actor than Ethan Hawke but I think a lot of it is because Hawke's range has been fairly limited (serial killer types/cop types) recently and he hasn't had a lot of HUGE movies like Bale (eg Batman, or American Psycho.)

And besides, speaking as a female, I don't think Hawke is exactly a "hot" actor... rather, I'll pretty much always envision him as the guy from "Taking Lives," which is probably not the most attractive image to have lol. He looks like a druggie killer... and I always believe him in his roles so I'd say he's a pretty decent actor!

Really? I think he is such a good actor. One of the most natural actors I've witnessed on screen. Comes off as an intelligent actor too. I think he's not given roles to show his range. But I loved him in Training Day and Before Sunrise.

I would say he hasn't made the best career choices. Too many cop roles that feel to similar. The reality is what of the state of Hollywood?

The current business model is Adaptations,sequels,and remakes. The movi b68 e audience is currently shrinking yet the majority still eating up the few current choices in droves.


The original ideas can mostly be found indie cinema. Hollywood is unable to look not just at profit but a film long term quality. Will someone really want to own this movie in ten years. Or is going to be filling up used dvd stores and pawn shops for years to come.

Maybe not that versatile but he did some stunning things in Before Sunset. I've never see such longing for a woman conveyed in a single expression. Really one of the best romantic performances I've ever seen. Maybe the best.

Yeah I agree with 'TheMovieGuy94'.

I can think of Sam Rockwell, and Eddie Marsan in the same bracket as underrated actors.

Definitely, most definitely UNDERRATED. He's been really good in every film I've seen him in, TRAINING DAY is his best performance.

Captain Marcus Chaplin: I will crush the jelly from your eyes.

He's good as *beep* in Training Day.. always thought he should be casted more

I disagree. I think he brings alot to his characters. He's already successful but I wish he had even more success because he's so fantastic.

The guy has basically made a career of playing the wimpy *beep*-up. You'd think after a while there wouldn't be any more parts available but it's still going on.

And please don't tell me about Training Day or Before the Devil knows you're dead... he was playing the same part in a different setting. Wimpy guy. Boring.

Hell, he was even playing the same part in Taking Lives for 90% of the movie. They cast him because he looks so wimpy, nobody thought he'd be the killer (well that was too obvious for me still) and in the scene where he's supposed to be creepy/scary... he's just laughable. Hence the stupendous failure of the movie.

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco

Training Day, Before The Devil knows You're Dead, Lord of War, What Doesn't Kill You, Brooklyn's Finest - All good performances, imo.

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Ever see him on stage? I've seen him in several plays by Shakespeare and Chekhov and he was actually quite good. 5b4

The OP is a moron. He just claims Ethan Hawke has no talent without any evidence or examples to back it up.

Hollywood is a business. Producers and directors won't cast untalented people unless they have the kind of name to sell a movie or get notoriety. Paris Hilton was cast in a couple of films despite her lack of talent because her name is a draw.

Ethan Hawke has never been a major star or an attention magnet. He's always flown under the radar.

Denzel Washington got all the attention for Training Day and he deserved it but without Ethan Hawke's subtle performance to balance out Denzel's over the top acting that film would have fallen apart. They played brilliantly off each other. It's really hard to pull off the thankless subtle roles. To be the straight man.

It's rare for a child actor to make it into adulthood with a solid career.

In my experience if Ethan Hawke chooses to 16d0 take a role it almost always means it's a quality production. He must pick his scripts carefullly. I generally avoid ghost movies like "Sinister" and the only reason I gave it a chance was because he was in it. And I was pleasantly surprised.

I have heard him give interviews about his theatre work and he is a very intelligent and thoughtful actor. He isn't a star or a celebrity so much as an artist. His passion for acting and writing are apparent.

The only completely worthless movie I have seen him in was "Reality Bites". The fact that it has a cult following despite the horrible script and cliched, unlikable characters is a testament to Ethan Hawke's talent. He made that movie somewhat tolerable.

Reality Bites also has a great soundtrack. I have the CD.

He's so untalented that he has been making movies for twenty eight years and fooling producers and directors?

exactly!!

Quote from Wikipedia " Linklater spent nine months casting the film because he saw so many people but had trouble finding the right actors for the roles of Jesse and Céline"

Ethan has the look and the talent. watching his various interviews, I think he is also an intelligent person...

hes a great actor as seen in Before Midnight

He is one of the best actors that Hollywood's got. And, I disagree with those who say his range is limited. He rings true as a lover, a loser, a psychopath, a militant person, a headless punk, or whatever. It is unfortunate that he is so under appreciated. I guess you have your luck about these things. But let us not mix his talent with things such as success, etc. My desire is to watch him in a period drama. I think he should do more of romances/dramas as he is just such a beautiful, sensitive presence on the screen.

Agree with reema_patel, and I'd add that perhaps his greatest asset is his naturalness. It conveys subtlety, which is more difficult for many to appreciate than flash.



"Believe not what you only wish to believe, but that which truth demands."

Hes about as good as Brad Pitt.

I have a love hate relationship with Ethan Hawke. He seems whiny and unlikeable most of the time. Yet oddly I like most movies he appears in. Strange. Apparently there is something about him that keeps us watching.

Limited talent? What would you call Tom Cruise or Keanu Reeves????

Ethan is a great actor, he's actually the reason why I watch the movies he's in. He fits perfectly "average guy" roles, psycho roles, misterious roles, people with issues roles.

He was great in "Great Expectations", "Gatacca", "Before the Devils knows you're dead", "Training day", "Before Sunrise" (trilogy), "Sinister" and those are all different roles.

He's like Bill Murray to me, very flexible in his roles and "The woman in the fifth" is another example of his fine job.

Regarding "Before Sunrise", rare are the actors nowadays that can stand a 20 minute dialogue without changing cameras, a technique well used by Hitchcock that put actors to the test. He can act both in cinema & teathre.

Problem is, he's not in very "mainstream" movies, his movies tend to become cult classics, but not great money grabbers.

Dont confuse lack of popularity with lack of talent.

The people that are ripping on him, I can tell have not seen a lot of his better performances. He's most definitely not lacking talent at all, he just doesn't get the latest and greatest blockbuster hit roles that some of the other actors get. Frankly, I don't think he wants them either.

He picks more obscure projects. I think Ethan is more of a rare talent that's not out for fame, or promotion like a lot of actors today. He's part of a trilogy romantic movie series that's critically acclaimed, but basically very small when it comes to producing the big bucks in Hollywood. He's even co-written the last two films. The trilogy has become a cult classic, but not a real money grabber.

There's no doubt at one time he was a rising star in Hollywood that could have punched a bigger ticket if he wanted, but didn't.

I think he's fine with choosing more projects of personal interest, rather than fame and gaining a name for himself.

He's more of an actor than a movie star. If you think he lacks talent, then you've just not seen that many movies he's done. Talent he doesn't lack, better promotion to become a bigger star just doesn't seem to be of interest. But then again some actors don't necessarily want that either.

Some people are laid back and have no problem standing in back rather than in front.

Well, he surely isn't among the most talented actors around but it would be wrong to say he particularly lacks talent. He has a face that can fit into many roles just as Keanu Reeves and Nicolas Cage; but he also backs it up with good acting, like I said not amazing, but good.

Absolutely disagree. I think he has improved so much in recent years.


Creasy's art is death, and he's about to paint his masterpiece 

Yeah, he is shockingly bad tbh

He was exceptional in BORN TO BE BLUE.