Johnny Depp
YES: His resume shows his versatility
By Zoë DiGiorgio
It’s been a wild decade for Johnny Depp.
The actor went from relatively unknown to those born after the premiere of 21 Jump Street (the late-’80s TV series) to one of the biggest names in Hollywood faster than you can say “Captain Jack Sparrow.” But as he skyrocketed to the top, Depp became less known for his subtle, nuanced performances and more for his crazed on-screen antics.
With Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley pursuing other projects, the fate of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise now resides solely on his roguish charm and swagger, and Depp has not shied away from the challenge. His frequent team-ups with Tim Burton have left him with a colorful resume that might seem kitschy instead of Oscar-worthy, but Depp has proven himself time and time again as a talented, versatile performer.
From the Mad Hatter to Raoul Duke and even John Dillinger, Depp has played a wide variety of roles unmatched by his contemporaries. His role in Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory might not be his most popular performance, but his eerie, childlike Willy Wonka is a stark contrast to his brooding, rebellious Wade Walker in the John Waters camp classic Cry-Baby.
He can have a commanding screen presence or a subtle, muted one, and is often able to switch between the two in the course of a few scenes. As the titular Demon Barber of Fleet Street in the movie adaptation of Sweeney Todd, Depp is able to convey the highs and lows of the character through both bombastic musical numbers and silence — and his singing’s not half bad, either.
Before he was known for his silly, slurred one-liners in Pirates, one of his biggest roles was in Edward Scissorhands, the film that launched his often-macabre creative relationship with Burton. Over the course of the film, Depp speaks fewer than 200 words, but still is able to give a heart-rending performance as an unfinished Frankenstein-like creation that only knows kindness and compassion, despite his deadly appendages.
And of course, going beyond these extreme characters, Depp is a master of the art of playing human. Depp shines as J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland; his accent is charming, and his chemistry with young Freddie Highmore and Kate Winslet is remarkable.
Though Depp has become more renowned for playing goofy caricatures in off-kilter critical flops, at his core he is still a remarkable actor who gives countless commanding performances, and he is only getting better with age.
NO: His performances are mostly strange and underwhelming
By Michael Errigo
Johnny Depp’s best movie was released 10 years ago this fall. That might sound like a bold statement, but I make it for two reasons:
1. Finding Neverland is one of my favorite films ever made.
2. I just don’t think Johnny Depp has made many good movies.
Depp’s career has certainly been filled with interesting choices. Numerous weird Tim Burton collaborations are mixed with gigantic blockbusters — some in reality (the Pirates of the Caribbean series) and some just in theory (The Tourist). Depp is almost universally perceived as a movie star, and that’s fine. Being a movie star doesn’t mean you have to be a great actor (see Schwarzenegger, Arnold), which is good, because Depp is not a very good actor.
Finding Neverland always made me think Depp could be a Brad Pitt-caliber name — adored by young girls and old-school movie buffs alike. His performance in that movie is so mysteriously charming and contained; the Oscar nominee it garnered was well-deserved. But nothing else on Depp’s IMDb page really enthuses me. Sure, the first Pirates of the Caribbean was great when it came out, and Jack Sparrow was an entertaining character. But by the second film, the sea captain acted as an annoying joke someone kept telling over and over again. It was only funny the first time.
The Jack Sparrow performances are weird, but I think that’s just how Depp likes it. Throughout his career, he has gravitated toward odd characters: Edward Scissorhands, Willy Wonka, Sweeney Todd, Tonto. It seems Depp’s face is covered in white makeup more often than a geisha’s.
I know that almost all of those characters have cult followings. I just don’t understand why. Edward Scissorhands is bizarre, The Lone Ranger was a snooze and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was one of the worst movies I have ever seen — Depp’s performance stands as an insult to both Gene Wilder and Roald Dahl.
Even when Depp ditches the makeup, nothing matches Finding Neverland’s quality. He never really finds his character in Donnie Brasco; The Rum Diary flopped for a reason; and I can’t help but feel Blow would have been better with another lead actor.
I question whether Depp really deserves his global acclaim. Sure, his movies are cult classics to some, but that is because those people appreciate Burton-esque strangeness, a certain bucking of cinematic norms. Depp should be seen as a cult hero, not a Hollywood titan. I won’t say he is a terrible actor, because Finding Neverland proves otherwise. I will just hope that one day I will watch the film and not think its brilliance was wasted.
