Mark Ruffalo: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

Ruffalo's career has reached glorious highs and embarrassing lows.

By Sam Heard /

The Weinstein CompanyToday sees the UK cinematic release of John Carney€™s Begin Again which was first shown way back in September at the Toronto International Film Festival. The musical comedy-drama tells the story of Greta (Keira Knightly) who finds herself abandoned in New York after her long-term boyfriend strays having found some fame in New York€™s music scene. Things start looking up for Greta when Mark Ruffalo€™s character, disgraced record exec Dan, enters her world after stumbling in on her performance on an East Village stage. The film opens slowly but is eventually redeemed by the undeniable chemistry of Knightly (who does the musical numbers herself) and the self-pitying Ruffalo. In recent times Ruffalo is most remembered for his turn as Bruce Banner in The Avengers €“ this more recent role in Begin Again represents a return to his more artsy roots. The 46-year-old may not be hailed as one of this generation€™s preeminent acting talents but there can be no denying that he is one of the best at what he does. In his 20-year career Ruffalo has proven himself to be an incredibly versatile actor, capable of giving superb performances both on the stage and in front of a camera. Ruffalo hasn't always enjoyed the success he does today. The first 12-or-so years of his career saw him struggling; forced to accept unenviable roles in projects doomed to suck. Join us as we delve deep into the career of the man who is rather paradoxically best known as both a marvel superhero and as a respected art-house actor; we€™ll begin with his strongest performances which have led to him being the much respected actor he is today.