With The Great Gatsby heading into UK cinemas this weekend, on the back of some mixed reviews, the critical reception - including my own review from the Cannes film festival - has pointed to Tobey Maguire as one of the weak points of Luhrmann's grand romantic tragedy. Unfortunately for Maguire, this is not the first time he has faced criticism, and for all of his heralded performances, there have been those which have attracted negative press. He has certainly found it more difficult recently to find his niche, after a very strong start (and mostly in the wake of Spider-Man 3), but there is no doubting his potential to offer more great performances when given the right roles. So, to celebrate the release of The Great Gatsby this week, as well as the curio that is Tobey Maguire, we've put together his finest performances, as well as his worst for your consideration. First the awesome performances...
5. Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas - Hitchhiker
He might not be in it for a particularly long time, or have a particularly crucial role in the narrative, but Maguire's turn as the blonde, shell-shocked Hitchhiker who gets in the wrong car without ever fully realising what he's got himself in to, is a wonderful little touch in a genius film. Of course, Gilliam's magnum Dope-us is the ultimate cinematic curio, but so is Maguire's odd little appearance, which gives us an anchor as the audience to help put the silliness of the story into context. This is not a world of monsters, these are merely monstrous characters who do actually live in our world. And as he runs off into the distance, you can't help but think he got out at exactly the right time...