Johnny Depp started life out as something of a teen idol after his rise to fame in the TV series 21 Jump Street. It is to his credit that he managed to escape from the pretty boy trappings earlier in his career and branch out into more challenging roles. To a greater degree than Tom Cruise, Depp's earlier roles demonstrated a good sense of range and variety - from Joseph Pistone in Donnie Brasco to Hunter S. Thompson in Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, Depp tackled interesting characters with subtlety. Sadly, the other side to his career is perhaps best characterised by his frequent collaborations with Tim Burton in which his characters are brought to life by the costume and makeup department, on top of which Depp adds a quirky, over-the-top and ultimately one-dimensional performance. It's a tendency which has come to dominate his later filmography. With more Pirates Of The Caribbean on the way, along with another Alice In Wonderland collaboration, Depp doesn't look as if he's about to break the successful mould which has earned him so much money, which is a shame since he's proven himself capable of delivering more understated performances in the past.
