Bruce Willis: 5 More Awesome Performances And 5 More That Sucked

1. Old Joe - Looper (2012)

bruce-willis-looper In Rian Johnson's futuristic time travel flick Looper, Bruce Willis plays Old Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Joe as a younger man). Early in the production they thought about "splitting the difference" between the actors using makeup to make them look like each other, but eventually Rian Johnson decided that it was ridiculous to try and make Bruce Willis look like someone else because he's so recognisable as himself. The end result was that the film stars Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Bruce Willis. It's a testament to Bruce's acting, then, that even his extreme star-power and recognisability don't prevent you from being absorbed into the world of this film. He isn't on screen for a full minute before you buy that he's "picking up the reins" of the character that we've been following as a young man. He sells it. And the role is that of a man utterly conflicted - torn between the love of his wife and the pretty unsavoury actions that he has to undertake in order to save her. There's one scene in particular, where Joe breaks down after making a very hard decision, that's genuinely emotional. The film plays as something of a showcase for Willis, reminding us that the man is still here and that he can still act. If all showreels were this entertaining, I'd get a job as a casting director. And now, on the negative side...
Contributor
Contributor

Sol studied film production at university and now he works in television. Aim for the stars and even if you miss, you’ll still land in TV. He spends his time watching films and complaining about them on the internet. His latest outlet is Whatculture. You can find him on Twitter as @solmaquina.