Will Smith: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked
Which shots hit their target and which were dead in the water?
Remember when the Big Willie Weekend was a thing? Will Smith, rapper-cum-sitcom-star-cum-blockbuster-king was so beloved by general audiences that having his big mug on a poster was enough to almost guarantee a box office success? Yeah, seems a long time ago now, doesn't it.
Despite repeatedly proclaiming himself the "biggest movie star in the world", he's had a bit an up and down time since his 90s heydey; there's been big successes in dramas, sci-fis and everything in between, but as time's gone he's lost his magic touch and turned out a fair few flounderers. And then there's all the stuff with Jaden (although, like the Smith's at Christmas dinner, we don't talk about Jaden).
Well, you can bet Smith's hoping for things to come back with Suicide Squad, which is out today; although it's an ensemble piece, he's clearly positioned as the lead, with the most screentime and biggest emotional arc. Sadly, the film itself isn't up to much (you can read our assessment here) and Smith's part is another case of his trademark character type having an overbearing impact on the script. He's good, but it's not anything like his best. Although it's thankfully not his worst either.
And, on that note, let's look at the two sides of Will Smith, taking in five of his most awesome performances and five that just plain sucked.