Blog 2.0

We saw a glimpse of what Jack and Rose would have been like if they shared the floating door in Sam Mendes’ tragic and genuinely moving portrait of a marriage in 1950s suburbia. DiCaprio’s Frank Wheeler doesn’t ask for the viewer’s sympathy, rather than just allow us to wrestle with our own feelings as he cheats, whines and runs through the movie. Anchored by Kate Winslet’s career-best performance, both were snubbed by the Academy (Winslet was nominated and won instead for “The Reader”). Sometimes the movies are just too real to embrace.

Teddy Daniels is a complex man, and DiCaprio rides multiple waves of inquisition and emotion in Martin Scorsese’s underrated thriller. Likely due to an early February release, the film went unnoticed in categories like production design and sound mixing, but none were as egregious as DiCaprio’s overlooked work, demonstrating masterclass sparring with co-stars Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams. It comes together splendidly with his question to Mark Ruffalo’s Chuck following the film’s big reveal: “Do you live as a monster or die as a good man?”

The only performance of DiCaprio’s career that resulted in an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor (arguably one of the best lineups in Academy history), his intellectually disabled Arnie Grape in Lasse Hallström’s poignant gem is one that could have easily aged poorly with hindsight, but has not. Commanding the scenes opposite Johnny Depp and an outstanding Darlene Cates (who should have been nominated herself), his sensitive and sentimental hits all the right notes.

As Leo’s babyface seemed to be a hindrance in the late ’90s and early 2000s, at least in terms of being taken seriously as a leading man, his Frank Abagnale Jr. in Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can” was one of the first examples that our “Growing Pains” orphan was growing up and had something substantial to offer the acting world. Opposite Tom Hanks and Christopher Walken, his 21-year-old conman on the run plays out perfectly, especially in his capture-in-France scene, where he really unloads his arsenal. Unfortunately, only the Golden Globes nominated him in best actor in a drama.

The visceral and harshly engaging look at Hugh Glass’ journey following a bear attack is one of DiCaprio’s most daring. Raw and brutal, his physical interpretation of revenge is just as impressive as his emotional take, partnered beautifully with Tom Hardy’s nominated performance. Along with director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki’s, the long-overdue Oscar statuette came his way. In that field of nominees, it was well deserved, especially after climbing into a dead carcass.

If there is a film, and performance of Leonardo DiCaprio’s career that could be considered the most underrated, Michael Caton-Jones’ “This Boy’s Life” truly hits the mark. As Tobias Wolff, DiCaprio navigates teenage years, in the shadow of abuse and a yearning to find his way in the world. Not just discounted for DiCaprio, it boasts an amazing turn from Robert DeNiro, and a criminally ignored Ellen Barkin, who with her young co-star, should have been given more of an Academy shake. The same year as his nominated “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” the Oscars were not ready to double nominate a 21-year-old actor in favor of winner Tom Hanks, along with Daniel Day-Lewis, Laurence Fishburne, Anthony Hopkins and Liam Neeson.

Baz Luhrmann’s “William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet,” the modern take on the classic play, is one of the most underrated and invigorating films of the 1990s. DiCaprio’s lovestruck Romeo manages to light up the screen at every turn, showcasing one of his most explosive statements of his acting career. Likely seen at the time, and still too often today, as a teenage YA drama, Oscar showed no interest in shortlisting his performance (although the art direction nomination is clutch). His chemistry with Claire Danes, who also should have been given more love (thank you MTV Movie Awards for noticing), is sensational. Thanks to the pair, the song “Kissing You” by Des’ree is engraved in my mind for all time. All I need a two-sided aquarium and I’m going to start my renactments.

DiCaprio has partnered many times with filmmaking icon Martin Scorsese, but his comedic take on Jordan Belfort’s time of wealth, corruption and drug use is one of the actors’ most jaw-dropping. At a hearty three-hour runtime, his all-staff monologues, physical liquefying to Margot Robbie’s “no more panties” speech, and a hilarious attempt to crawl to his car after a late reaction to quaaludes is just the chef’s kiss of his career thus far. He found his way to an Oscar nomination, despite the film being released just under the gun and missing the crucial SAG awards deadline. That resulted in him on the sidelines in favor of Matthew McConaughey’s work in “Dallas Buyers Club.”

In 2006, DiCaprio delivered a one-two punch powerhouse duo with his nominated work in Edward Zwick’s “Blood Diamond” and Martin Scorsese’s best picture winner, “The Departed.” Double nominated at the Golden Globes and nominated in best supporting actor at the SAG Awards; all this contributed to his snub. Add in campaign confusion and a rule that doesn’t allow an actor to be double nominated in the same category. His undercover Billy Costigan couldn’t find a consistent awards message.  Makes you wonder, if he was nominated for Scorsese’s film, could he have been a formidable challenger to Forest Whitaker (“The Last King of Scotland”)? If you’re one of the few that sees the crime drama as an ensemble, he could have also challenged winner Alan Arkin (“Little Miss Sunshine”), who upset Eddie Murphy (“Dreamgirls”).

Call it the perfect marriage of an actor feeling like he’s at the crossroads of his career, or the fact that he’s just so infectiously funny and charming but his Rick Dalton in Quentin Tarantino’s look at classic Los Angeles is his best work yet. Maybe it’s chemistry alongside Oscar-winning co-star Brad Pitt, but it can be argued that if he had not won for “The Revenant” in 2016, he would have undoubtedly unseated Joaquin Phoenix’s monstrous turn in “Joker.” He’s never made a flamethrower so cool.

Article by: Clayton Davis for Variety