Kevin Costner

[Harvey]

And his "Louisiana drawl for the role of Jim Garrison in "JFK" was an embarrassment (never mind the fact that Jim Garrison HAD no such drawl and was, in fact, from CHICAGO).

I thought his performance in that film was fine. And, though I'm no expert on the subject, though Garrison was born outside of the state, he spoke with a southern accent in every interview I've seen with him. Oliver Stone makes the same point when he defends this performance, for whatever that is worth.

 

[Aragorn]

More Kevin Costner trivia: Harrison Ford and Mel Gibson were Oliver Stone's top choices for JFK before Costner.

Also, Air Force One was written for Costner, but because of his commitment to The Postman, he suggested Harrison Ford.

 

[CaptainCanada]

I think Costner's a much better director than he is an actor, at his peak. He gets the western, which is rare enough these days.

As an actor, he's somewhat limited, but I've liked a lot of his films.

 

[Aragorn]

When a lot of older actors start to struggle with their drawing power, they tend to go back to the franchise well (Ford with Indiana Jones, Schwarzenegger with Terminator, Stallone with Rocky and Rambo, even Eddie Murphy wants to get Beverly Hills Cop IV off the ground, though Mel Gibson did decline Lethal Weapon 5), but Costner has so far resisted to make Bodyguard II with Beyonce and Bodyguard III with Britney, or Robin Hood Returns, or another Untouchables.

 

[Zachary Smith]

And his "Louisiana drawl for the role of Jim Garrison in "JFK" was an embarrassment (never mind the fact that Jim Garrison HAD no such drawl and was, in fact, from CHICAGO).

I thought his performance in that film was fine. And, though I'm no expert on the subject, though Garrison was born outside of the state, he spoke with a southern accent in every interview I've seen with him. Oliver Stone makes the same point when he defends this performance, for whatever that is worth.

I hear NO evidence of an "accent" for Jim Garrison here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS0p3tyZUlQ

OR here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alwGiET07G0&feature=related

OR here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J06yVqNGIF4&feature=related

I'll be willing to listen if you can find some examples where Garrison DOES display any southern accent. Til then, I maintain that the accent Costner used in "JFK" was just another of the VERY MANY FICTIONS contained in that film.

 

[RoJoHen]

I have an unhealthy obsession with "For the Love of the Game."

 

[Captaindemotion]

More Kevin Costner trivia: Harrison Ford and Mel Gibson were Oliver Stone's top choices for JFK before Costner.

Also, Air Force One was written for Costner, but because of his commitment to The Postman, he suggested Harrison Ford.

I think Gibson was also offered Untouchables ahead of Costner. And The Bodyguard was a script that was originally written for Steve McQueen and Diana Ross. Costner also turned down the Alec Baldwin role in Pearl Harbour (not a bad decision, perhaps).

On topic, I think he's a watchable if limited actor, whose charm often suffices for the role. On the basis of Dances With Wolves and Open Range, I think he's a pretty decent director (though I haven't seen The Postman). His best work as an actor depends on the director he works with - Ron Shelton coaxed a winning and funny performance from him in Tin Cup (and I HATE golf) and Clint Eastwood got one of his best dramatic performances from him in A Perfect World. His earnestness suited the likes of The Untouchables but he was a bland Robin Hood.

I'd take him over the gurning, grumpy performances Harrison Ford has given over the last decade or so.

 

[Ganja Tea]

I like "The Untouchables" but my favorite Costner movie is Tin Cup. That was just a fun movie and him a Cheech played pretty well of each other. Hell even Don Johnson was pretty good as the shmuck boyfriend.

 

[1001001]

I suggest that you all see Dragonfly if you haven't before. I don't really care much about Costner otherwise but I thought that he did really well in that film. You can really sense his desperation as the movie goes along and by the end you're feeling just as anxious as he is to get some answers. Besides his role it's just a great film anyway.

My wife and I saw this film in the theaters. It took me ten minutes to stop crying long enough so I could drive home. I absolutely loved this film, and everyone we showed it to on DVD loved it too.

Costner has made some terrific films: Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, The Untouchables, No Way Out, Dances with Wolves, A Perfect World, 13 Days, JFK, Open Range. I'll bet there's more than a few actors in Hollywood who would sell their souls to the Devil for a career like that.

I personally liked Waterworld quite a bit too. A "flop" that grossed $350 million.

Mr. Brooks was an interesting movie, with Costner cast totally against type. He's made some unusual choices (not many, but a few), and this was one. 3000 Miles to Graceland is one. The War being yet another.

IMHO, Costner is kind of like the Reggie Jackson of Hollywood. He always swings for the fences. Sometimes he hits it out of the park, other times he misses wildly and falls down in the batter's box. I can't think of any film where he's just phoned it in for a payday. Even if the film stinks, it wasn't because Costner wasn't trying. In fact maybe that's his downfall: he tries too hard. His sincerity can easily be mocked, and I think that's where he's had trouble with the media and some of the viewing public.

I agree he is not the most commanding screen presence, but overall I think he makes good films, and always tries to give you your money's worth.

 

[cardinal biggles]

I like Kevin Costner, and I like a lot of the movies he's done, but he's nowhere on my list of favorite actors, favorite directors, favorite anything. I think auntiehill nailed it above when she said Costner is better at playing the "everyman" role, and those are my favorite films of his: Field of Dreams, Dances with Wolves, even Thirteen Days to a certain extent. Yeah, he's playing a specific person, but he's not the Big Damn Hero.

Also for a leading man, Costner frequently manages to get upstaged by his supporting cast... Connery in Untouchables; Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham; James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams; Morgan Freeman and Alan Rickman in Robin Hood; Bruce Greenwood and Stephen Culp in Thirteen Days.

 

[barnaclelapse]

I've enjoyed Costner in a few movies but have been especially impressed with is work over the last ten or so years. Middle age has allowed him to make the transition into a fairly competent character actor of sorts.

 

[Zachary Smith]

I like Kevin Costner, and I like a lot of the movies he's done, but he's nowhere on my list of favorite actors, favorite directors, favorite anything. I think auntiehill nailed it above when she said Costner is better at playing the "everyman" role, and those are my favorite films of his: Field of Dreams, Dances with Wolves, even Thirteen Days to a certain extent. Yeah, he's playing a specific person, but he's not the Big Damn Hero.

Also for a leading man, Costner frequently manages to get upstaged by his supporting cast... Connery in Untouchables; Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham; James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams; Morgan Freeman and Alan Rickman in Robin Hood; Bruce Greenwood and Stephen Culp in Thirteen Days.

It's one thing to get upstaged by another actor, and those are all high quality performers you cited above.

It's another thing ENTIRELY to get upstaged by a "wanna-bee" actor/singer like Whitney Houston, the way Costner was in "The Bodyguard".

 

[flandry84]

I must say that I've always enjoyed anything that i've seen Costner in.Along with Russell Crowe,Costner seems to me someone interested in doing intelligent "men's pictures" rather than "all-action extravaganzas"(if you understand what I mean).
Besides which,anyone who champions the western as much as Costner does is jake with me.(yee haw!)

 

[PKTrekGirl]

I have not seen a ton of Kevin Costner's films, but the ones I have seen, I liked.

Great performances -
Dances With Wolves (my favorite of his films, and one of my all-time favorite movies. If all Kevin Costner ever did was this movie, I'd like him for this alone.)
JFK
Bull Durham
Field of Dreams

Performances I liked, sometimes almost in spite of myself:
Tin Cup
The Bodyguard
Message in a Bottle - total chick flick....but then I'm a chick so it worked for me.

I don't know....there is something, I don't know....'likable' about him. I wouldn't say he's demonstrative at all...but you always get the feeling that 'still waters run deep' or something with his characters. Gary Cooper is my favorite movie star of all time, and in some ways, Kevin Costner, particularly in his more stoic performances, actually reminds me of Gary Cooper. Now, Gary Cooper had a humorous side that I have yet to see in Kevin Costner...but I have read and agree with some of the commentary comparing Costner with Cooper. And I suspect that if I saw more of Costner's westerns, that opinion might well be reinforced.

 

[gblews]

And The Bodyguard was a script that was originally written for Steve McQueen and Diana Ross.

This sounds interesting as all hell. Ice Queen Diana Ross matched up against a real tough guy. God, I would love to have this happen.

 

[Thespeckledkiwi]

You could say that about half the actors in Hollywood;

Nicholas Cage, how the hell does he keep getting any jobs?

Will Ferrell should NOT direct or write any of his own movies.

Christian Bale is...stiff and uninteresting as an actor.

Even Johnny Depp is starting to show his range that he's been doing eccentric movies for the past...decade.