Leonardo DiCaprio: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

5 That Sucked...

5. Amsterdam Vallon - Gangs Of New York (2002)

This film is important because it was the very first of the Scorsese/DiCaprio partnership, one that in the last decade has delivered some incredible work from the pair as the actor becomes the director's 'new De Niro'. Unfortunately, that's the best you can say about it, because it's also the worst collaboration between the two. DiCaprio's Amsterdam Vallon is the lead protagonist of the film, but while the actor would obviously get it right later under Scorsese, his performance feels at times like he's trying too hard to show he has the chops to work with Scorsese, rather than simply doing it, and he never really feels like the film's lead. Of course, that comes to the other problem. He's acting across from Daniel Day-Bloody-Lewis! Not many could contend with such a cinematic giant giving a mammoth performance, so it's not really a discredit to Leo that he fails to shine, but it's still one of his weaker performances, especially compared to what would come after with Scorsese.