Josh Brolin: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

Thanos' ups and downs.

By Johno Patterson /

Imagine you're Marvel. You have to cast Thanos, the Mad Titan who will be the Avengers' biggest threat so far. And this isn't any old one-shot villain - he's one who's been seeded ever since Earth's Mightiest Heroes first formed. What do you do? Why, you cast Josh Brolin, of course. The actor, who started inauspiciously back in The Goonies, has built a profile that has enjoyed a significant boost in recent years thanks to astute career choices (mostly) and a commitment to character performances that build huge screen presence, and he is legitimately considered one of the brightest leading men in the business (and is now a part of the biggest franchise of all time) Brolin is rarely anything but a great performer with an intense and effective screen presence, no matter the demands of the character, and it may seem blasphemous to suggest he has made any missteps at all - but they exist. As with every actor who so broadly straddles the generic boundaries, and so willingly stretches himself in the name of diversity, not everything can be a success - for every career-defining success, there have been regrettable moments where poor content, and an uncharacteristic lack of commitment combined in a perfect storm with disappointing results. So, as Sicario, his latest film, hits cinemas under a wave of great reviews, let's look back at the career moments that have propelled Brolin to his current lofty status as one of Hollywood's hottest properties.

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