Michael Fassbender-why the fuss

[Jeffbiscuits]

I wathed Hunger the other night too. I don't know if I was being harsh on Fassbender because of my opinion of him but I thought he was a solid, capable lead. Nothing more. The film was carried by his ability but I was expecting, even hoping for a star turn. His performance was sturdy and emotive, but not what I thought it would be.

[robinho67]

I like Fassbender but I can agree with the criticism regarding his accent in some recent outings, and it wasn't hard to stand out in a film like Centurion.
However, his performances in Fish Tank, only bettered by the young girl in it, and in Hunger keep him high in my opinion. I'm curious about Shame but haven't seen it yet, from what I've heard there have been positive reviews about him in it.

[FBNDargan]

Very simple. Hunger and Shame. Two of the best performances of the last god knows how long. He was fantastic as Rochester in Jane Eyre and what he brings to his smaller roles is anything but predictability, its a scene stealing ability far greater than most supports can manage. He ripped X-men right from under the feet of McEvoy. Theres a subtlety to all of his performances that the likes of Al Pacino could do with learning, or re-learning. By the time he is 40 he will be one of the most respected actors in the world for years. And it will be fully deserved.

[shanebot]

I've seen Shame. It's a great film. Fassbender gives the performance that is well-deserved of an award, he strips his character to an emotionally raw state and he doesn't hold anything back in the role. I've not seen Hunger or Fish Tank, but I've heard a preposterous amount of good things. If someone is creating buzz in the media and is hotly tipped to take on 007 next, why wouldn't there be a fuss?

[Jonesy]

Originally Posted by Jeffbiscuits

His performance was sturdy and emotive, but not what I thought it would be.

What more could you have expected from his performance, Jeff? I thought he played the art of dying slowly absolutely superbly - subtle and affecting. It was completely convincing, as was the scene when he was speaking to the priest. You need to have your brain scraped out with a scalpel.

[Siegfried]

Haven't seen much of him, but I thought his Rochester in Jane Eyre was the best I've seen.
Looking forward to seeing him in Shame.

[Jeffbiscuits]

The scene with the priest was the highlight of the film and I understand that it's probably one of the reasons he's becoming so prolific and in demand. I'm not denying he's a good, capable actor. Hunger proved that. I just don't see the shine. I can't define the elements that make an actor truly great but whatever they are, I don't see them in Fassbender's performances.

[morris]

Originally Posted by Jeffbiscuits

I just don't see the shine. I can't define the elements that make an actor truly great but whatever they are, I don't see them in Fassbender's performances.

ok, so this might be a subject for a different thread, but who would you say has the ~shine? example?

maybe post answer here http://www.totalfilm.com/forums/show...t=16210&page=3 if they're British or Irish

[Jeffbiscuits]

Out the current selection of younger male actors Ryan Gosling seems to be the standout when it comes to actual acting chops. The fact that he's staying away from mainstream lead roles and concentrating more on character driven roles where the talent is more of a draw than the effects budget is giving him more of a chance to prove those chops.

[cachapman11]

Hmmm, I've seen him in Hunger and Jane Eyre, two of his better films by the sounds of it. In those roles I thought he excelled but then when you compare him to the really great talents he doesn't quite stand up. That's my view anyway.