Johnny Depp's always been capable of presenting very off-kilter characters, but traditionally the Jack Sparrows were off-set with more serious turns that showed his versatility. He's a well-revered actor because, while doing parts Jim Carrey could probably do justice, it's clear he's putting effort in. Or at least it looked like he was. The problem is that, while with Alice In Wonderland the prospect of this "character" actor playing the Mad Hatter shot a dire Tim Burton reboot to billion dollar stardom, audiences are now more than aware of his schtick. There's fewer serious roles peppering the zany ones, and most of non-franchise parts are now succumbing to scenery chewing. Just look at Mortdecai, David Koepp's take on the seventies comic novels, which boasts an A-List cast and a unique tone, yet looks set to be overshadowed by the central performance. In casting Johnny, Mortdecai goes from being an adaptation of the novels or another film from a highly prolific screenwriter to simply being another Depp vehicle. Yes, Charlie Mortdecai is an eccentric and purposely comedic, but all that intention will get lost in the fact that it's Johnny Depp in another eccentric and purposely comedic role.
