# Sean Penn and Robert Downey Jr. "finest actors of this generation"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 23, 2002, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-and-robert-downey-jr-finest-actors-of-this-generation/99710 "2002-03-23T15:38:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-and-robert-downey-jr-finest-actors-of-this-generation/99710/21 "2002-03-24T20:05:09Z")
Spacey, a gifted if understated actor, was born in 1959 which makes him older than all those listed 'cept Hanks. Clooney (born in 1961), plays a nicely tuned ‘charming guy’, but again, I haven’t seen a bunch of range for him. (MHO). Crowe (born 1964) IMHO is one of the most overrated actors I’ve ever seen. I saw Gladiator and learned that he could whisper. I thought - but wait, this guy got an Oscar, so I made it a point to see a bunch of his other stuff. from Proof of Life, the Insider, Breaking UP, LA Confidential, Virtuosity - nope didn’t see anything but "Hi, I’m Russell, and I’m an **ac- tor**. " I just don’t get why folks think he’s so great. The roles he’s gotten were good, but I was never impressed with what he found to do with them. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-and-robert-downey-jr-finest-actors-of-this-generation/99710/22 "2002-03-24T21:45:27Z")
Yeah, but Spacey is only a year older than Penn. Since the OP started with Sean Penn as one of the ‘greatest actors of his generation’, I think you have to include Kevin Spacey, unless Sean Penn’s generation ended sometime between the 13 months between their birthdays. Would anyone Put Tom Cruise in this bunch, especially considering his acting in “Magnolia”? Oh, and how can we forget John Cusack? He’s gotta at least be in the running, although I think he has to show a bit more range before rising to the top of the heap. How about Nicholas Cage? Best Actor for “Leaving Las Vegas”, although he’s got his share of detractors. Gary Sinise needs at least an honorable mention on this list. James Gandolfini could wind up on the list after he gets a few more movies under his belt. And he’s got a wide range - There’s almost no resemblance between “Bear” in “Get Shorty” and Tony Soprano. Keifer Sutherland should be on the list, at least as an honorable mention. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-and-robert-downey-jr-finest-actors-of-this-generation/99710/23 "2002-03-24T22:52:32Z")
Offhand I can’t think of more than two movies that I’ve seen Penn in: Dead Man Walking and Bad Boys. Perhaps I should check out a filmography or something. Pitt is incredible. Seeing him in Fight Club and in Legends of the Fall just impresses the hell out of me. I hate Clooney. Is Oldman really in this age group? He is a pretty impressive actor, but I’d like to see him in some good-guy roles. I can’t htink of any offhand, but hell, I probably have and just haven’t noticed it was him. He is a very good actor. ---
**Author:** ![tighthead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@tighthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tighthead)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-and-robert-downey-jr-finest-actors-of-this-generation/99710/24 "2002-03-25T01:40:45Z")
Looks like this is just turning into a list of actors born between '55 and '70. How about Kevin Costner - he has a range that puts the rest of these guys, perhaps with the exception of Keanu Reeves, to shame. JB ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-and-robert-downey-jr-finest-actors-of-this-generation/99710/25 "2002-03-25T02:05:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tighthead \* > How about Kevin Costner - he has a range that puts the rest of these guys, perhaps with the exception of Keanu Reeves, to shame. Now that’s funny 😃 . - Tamerlane p.s. - Penn = Top of the heap. Not a single bad performance, even in crappy films. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-and-robert-downey-jr-finest-actors-of-this-generation/99710/26 "2002-03-25T05:30:21Z")
Oh, and seeing how he just won best actor, what about Denzel Washington? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-and-robert-downey-jr-finest-actors-of-this-generation/99710/27 "2002-03-25T12:55:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Is Oldman really in this age group? Born in 1958, so I’d say yes. > [@](#): > > Pitt is incredible. Seeing him in Fight Club and in Legends of the Fall just impresses the hell out of me. Another great Pitt performance was in _12 Monkeys_. Pitt is definitely a skilled actor. > [@](#): > > Oh, and how can we forget John Cusack? While I don’t think Cusack shows quite the acting range of Oldman, Pitt, or Spacey, I probably have more respect for his ability at picking films than any other current actor. Maybe it’s because of his own work as a screenwriter, but Cusack has built an incredible track record of appearing in great movies. ---
**Author:** ![red\_dragon60](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@red\_dragon60](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/red_dragon60)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-and-robert-downey-jr-finest-actors-of-this-generation/99710/28 "2002-03-25T13:45:35Z")
BENICIO DEL TORO! 1967, so he’s in. What a fine actor. He was pretty cool on the awards too. Nice work in Snatch and Traffic! Also, what about Guy Pearce? ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-and-robert-downey-jr-finest-actors-of-this-generation/99710/29 "2002-03-25T18:08:27Z")
A few thoughts: I never liked Clooney until “O Brother…” I think that we may start to see him in some un-Clooney like roles. Brad Pitt, as much as I want to dislike him, is very good. I can’t name a movie that I thought he was bad in, ot a bad movie. Ditto Jonny Depp (although I did not see Sleepy Hollow or From Hell, so TTFWIW). RD jr – I guess I have bias against him. He is a good actor but I can’t get past his repeated fuckups. Hope he can get his shit figured out for good. Sean Penn – no argument there. I would probably put Spacey above RDjr. Sppacey and Penn for me. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-and-robert-downey-jr-finest-actors-of-this-generation/99710/30 "2002-03-25T18:09:30Z")
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