2. Troy
Troy represents one of Brad Pitts highest-grossing films. However, the sad truth of modern Hollywood is that just because something makes a lot of money, it doesnt necessarily mean that its a good film. But Troy isnt a bad film, its just mediocre, much like the actor himself in this. Sadly, it could've been so much better. Weve already established that Pitt has a natural affinity with alpha male characters. So, at first glance, his decision to portray the nigh-on invincible classical hero Achilles was something of a perfect fit. Pitt is capable of exuding a sense of natural authority and can be a commanding presence. Couple this with his bulked-up physical appearance, and you have somebody who could easily evoke both the physicality and mindset of a demigod. Unfortunately, he only pulls off half of the demands of this role. Hes excellent in the physical aspects, managing to nail the god-like fighting style of a man who is clearly beyond mere humans. However, its in the dramatic conveyance of Achilles where Pitt falls down. Whilst there is a memorable performance by a tragic soldier-character in Troy, its Eric Bana who takes these plaudits. Pitts performance is forgettable at best. Granted, Achilles is supposed to be a wholly un-likeable character, albeit with the caveat that he is a fundamentally good one. However, whilst this inner conflict is meant to inspire something in the audience, we doesn't really see it like this. Whilst Pitt is trying to convey something akin to a level of burden and aloofness common in demigods, he doesnt work the gears hard enough. Instead of portraying world-weariness and inner torment, he just ends up looking hung over. Thus, all dramatic power is lost- instead of making the audience question what's wrong with the world, we end up wondering what's wrong with the actor. They must've been serving good scotch on those Turkish sets. But this is only one part of the problem of a much larger problem; the fundamental misinterpretation over how to portray the character. Arguably, if you're going to play a Greek classical hero, I don't think being introspective is the way to go- you should probably attempt some bombast and give yourself an effusive personality to mesh with the obvious physicality and grandiose plots on show. These guys aren't regular human beings, they're supposed to be caricatures. By not realising this, Pitt makes a massive mistake. Perhaps he over-thought it- he wants to make the character seem nuanced by giving him a brooding edge, but this sits so uneasily with this mighty character that it actually alienates the audience. The rest of the cast resemble archetypes; the foppish Paris, the battle-hardened Hector, the dickish Agamemnon. We know what they are, so we know how to react to them, and they inform the story accordingly. However, Achilles is much harder to fathom, and therefore much harder to relate to. Unfortunately, the blame for this has to be laid at Pitt's feet. The true, disastrous scope of creating an introvert-Achilles becomes even more apparent when he's put in scenes that require him to display outward emotion. Consider the scene where his elite unit have to break the news to a departing Achilles that his cousin Patroclus has been killed. Everybody else is working really quite hard to mark out that this is a heart-rending, dramatic scene. Its arguably the pivot upon which the plot of the film is turned. Its at this moment where you need your actor to really chew some scenery. Yet Pitt just cant rise to this challenge. Rather than acting in the grand, dramatic way the Iliad was clearly set out for, he retreats back into himself, and attempts to brood again. Except this time, the misinterpretation of the situation leads to a complete and utter dramatic fumble. Pitt's lack of gravitas makes him look like he's visibly doubting what he should do, to the point where it becomes actually hilarious. He ends up looking like a shell of himself, being operated by a tiny Derek Zoolander. He's trying so hard, he actually pouts. If that's the best emotion that your lead actor can summon, we might as well all go home. Something's clearly gone wrong.