1. Sam L. Jackson in Django– This is a list of actors I think did too good of a job acting, so good it’s hard to decipher their villainous character from the person. Why? Because they embodied their roles superbly…now they get the side eye. This isn’t ranked, with the exception of the number one spot. Sam L. Jackson is the reason I haven’t watched Django since it’s inception. My contempt for him as the Uncle Tom caretaker surpassed any I felt for Leo Di’s character. There’s just something about blacks holding each other back to perpetuate white supremacy that grinds my gears, be it fiction or real life (there’s a special place in hell for people like that). For two entire years I refused to support Sam L. Jackson, I kid you not, that’s how long it took me to forgive him and I LOVE Sam. I fear watching it will reignite my anger.
2. Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley– A perturbing performance indeed. Matt Damon is desperate and psychotic, in this classic tale of the haves and the have nots. Unwilling to accept his financial status after hobnobbing with the wealthy, he murders, steals his victims identity, and murders again. Anything to be one of them. His calm demeanor throughout most of the film, juxtaposed with his violent outburst is off putting. Like nigga…you really gonna live this lie?
3. Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men– Stoic, apathetic, and resolute in his moral code to killing, flip a coin, heads or tales, life or death, period. He never breaks throughout the film, as in there are no moments of compassion, it’s a total lack of humanity, for humanity. Bardem is made more macabre by his seeming inability to die, or strike a deal with those begging for mercy. And when it’s all said and done he simply goes on to his next target. Business as usual. He’s good at his hitman job, because he likes it. Despite his dead eyes, it’s his passion.
4. Danny Glover in The Color Purple– An abusive piece of trash who takes joy in tearing families apart, reminding his wife that she’s ugly, openly adulterous (moving his mistress in), violent, a drunk, unappreciative. The only joy this miserable boozehound revels in is degrading his wife. He’s an energy vampire. The audience waits for a moment of redemption never received. Danny Glover makes you want to jump through the screen and beat his ass one good time. Leave Celie alone! Let those sisters be!
5. Robert Di Nero in Taxi– Okay, so, despite stalking a woman who no longer wants to date him, after taking her to a dirty movie, rescuing a perfectly content child prostitute against her will, attempting to shoot a political candidate, Robert Dinero somehow ends up the hero? The glances in the mirror, the erratic soliloquies, it’s clear he’s on the spectrum. This is not a guy you want to run into, getting rid of him is comparable to having a dance party on Mars in two hours. I mean wtf… *Update was the last scene a dream sequence?
6. Tupac in Juice– Was he out of his mind from the beginning? It didn’t seem so, but the power of a gun in hand was enough for Tupac to turn on his childhood friends. Anybody can get shot and someone does. Once his remaining buddies realize he’s unhinged they distance themselves. Tupac, offended, verbatim tells them he’s insane and will shoot them up too. He simply doesn’t give af, also stated explicitly. It doesn’t matter if you attempt to end things amicably, he will stalk and kill you if you try to dip.
7. Al Pacino in The Godfather Trilogy– Once a man of honor serving his country, Pacino descends into cruelty upon joining the family business. By film two it’s hard to believe he started out on the straight and narrow. The look in his eyes as he executes the opps, even his own flesh and blood, gives me the chills. Like you watch his soul leave his body, cold blooded.
8. Sebastian Stan in ITonya– Over a year and a half ago I found out this role was played by Sebastian Stan. I was stunned. When I tell you I hate this nigga Jeff, to the point of yelling at the screen for Tonya not to take his abusive ass back. He singlehandedly ruined her life. Manipulative, violent, idiotic leech. The epitome of toxic masculinity.
Who did I miss? Can you rank them?