“Good acting,” like anything else, is purely subjective.
For instance, Dustin Hoffman? Master actor. Cate Blanchett? Master actor (I mean, Tar alone could move somebody to tears). Gary Oldman? MASTER ACTOR. For me, any actor who can completely disappear into a role falls into the Master Actor category.
And then…you have Robert Pattinson. Now, unlike Hoffman, Blanchett, or Oldman, I never LOSE Pattinson in a performance. What I mean is, if he’s in a movie, I never forget that he’s acting. That said, his performances are usually so unique, and so interesting that I don’t WANT to lose track of him. I’m purely focused on his performance, sometimes even forgetting the rest of the movie around him. So, here’s why Pattinson is my favorite actor…possibly ever.
The Man Doesn’t Know The Meaning Of The Words “Too Weird”
I once wrote an article about every Johnny Depp performance in a Tim Burton movie, and it really made me think about Pattinson. Because much like Depp, I really do feel like Pattinson doesn’t know the meaning of the words, “too weird.”
Just look at the man’s filmography if you don’t believe me. Sure, Willem Dafoe might have the louder performance in The Lighthouse (which I swear should have been nominated for Best Picture), but Pattinson hangs with Dafoe every step of the way. For him to, in all seriousness, say that he isn’t fond of Dafoe’s lobster, and you actually believe him, even though it’s such a silly scene, just goes to show that it doesn’t matter how weird the scenario is. If Patttinson’s in it, he’ll make it work.
Or, look at the Hayao Miyazaki movie, The Boy and the Heron (which, I might add, is a movie that features two Batman actors). Pattison voices the titular heron, and he sounds so strange, which is befitting of the character, but still! He fully embraces the weirdness, and you wouldn’t even know who’s voicing the character unless you already knew in advance.
And, one of his most recent films, Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17, might be his weirdest yet. In the film, Pattinson puts on what sounds like a quasi-New York accent and plays multiple versions of himself. It’s probably the strangest rom-com you’ll ever watch.
All of this is to say that he can ostensibly pull off anything, and I love that no movie seems to be too weird for the actor. Whatever it is, he’ll nail it. That said…
And Yet, He Could Still Pull Off A Mainstream Character Like Batman, No Problem
Similar to how people were originally wary of Michael Keaton playing Batman, Pattinson went through similar fan doubt when it was announced that he would be playing the Caped Crusader.
However, this was mostly because people were still hung up on him playing Edward Cullen from the Twilight series, which I will actually get to a bit later. That said, similar to how people focused on Mr. Mom when it came to Keaton (and had egg on their faces after he proved them all wrong), the same could be said of Pattinson, as he’s arguably one of the best live-action Batman actors of all time.
But honestly, this doesn’t surprise me, since he can effortlessly slip into any character. When he made his major breakout as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and then leapt into the Twilight series, the man had commercial success written all over him, as he plays the leading man part well.
So, after doing a string of indie films (which I’ll also get into shortly), it didn’t seem all that odd for him to do a big budget Christopher Nolan film like Tenet, or to play Batman. It just, oddly enough, seemed natural, since he can do it all.
Here’s the interesting thing, though, as even Pattinson’s version of Batman feels unlike any other version of the character. He doesn’t seem tough like Bale, or like a bruiser like Affleck. He doesn’t make for the perfect Bruce Wayne like Keaton, either. Instead, he feels like an isolated, almost misanthropic emo boy, which stands out to me more than any other version of the character. Now, let’s just hope that he gets to reprise the role in The Batman 2…if it ever gets made, that is.
He Altered The Course Of His Entire Career By Delving Into Indies
It’s not uncommon for big name actors to do indie or smaller-budget projects to get their mojo back. The McConaissance was a thing, after all. However, Pattinson’s may be one of the most interesting examples, since he practically buried himself in smaller projects following the Twilight movies.
I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t a fan of his during the Twilight years. I just had him pegged as some pretty boy. But, then I watched Good Time, and was blown away by his performance. THIS was the same guy who played Edward Cullen?
I next saw High Life (which I should write about someday), and couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was almost like Pattinson was trying to completely shed any image he had as a movie star, only to evolve into his next form – that of the hidden gem actor. I’ve already discussed my love of The Lighthouse, but he was also interesting as Louis, Duke of Guyenne in the ensemble cast of The King.
His smaller work got to the point that when it was announced that he would be the next Batman, and people complained, folks in the know (like myself) defended him, asking, “But have you seen him in Good Time?” Or, “Did you watch High Life?”
It’s this diverse filmography, and his exceptional acting in all of it (Oh, man. I almost forgot Cosmopolis! I love that movie!) that seriously makes me wonder if Pattinson is ONE of the greatest actors I’ve ever seen, or the greatest actor I’ve ever seen. I’m still deciding on that one.
I’ve Never Watched A Robert Pattinson Performance That I Didn’t Like On At Least Some Level…And Yes, That Includes Twilight
Lastly, can I just admit that I was wrong? Yes, I was one of the former haters of the Twilight series, but as somebody who didn’t watch them in order (I started with New Moon, missed Eclipse and Breaking Dawn – Part 1, but saw Breaking Dawn – Part 2…for some reason), it took me getting to love Pattinson as an actor to re-evaluate his earlier work. Guess what? I misjudged!
I learned this mostly while enduring 26 hours of plane rides when I went to Japan. I watched the original Twilight for the first time on the plane, and I was impressed. The movie was super campy, and it didn’t take itself too seriously. But, here’s where Pattinson made it interesting. Instead of leaning into the campiness, he played it straight, which somehow makes the movie feel even campier.
This is something that would pay dividends in the franchise’s later movies, which seemed to take themselves more and more seriously. I’d argue that the films got worse rather than better throughout the series, but Pattinson remains a constant throughout. It’s almost like the series caught up to his seriousness, and by that point, everything around him seemed kind of bland in comparison. Second-rate, even.
That just goes to show that he stepped up to the assignment, even if it was a little bit beneath him in my opinion. And, in my mind anyway, that takes a real actor – to do your best even if the rest of the movie around you might kind of stink.
Pattinson always does his best. Whether it’s a big budget affair, some small indie film, or some bizarre arthouse picture. If he’s in it, then it will definitely be worth a watch.
What do you think? Are you also a major Robert Pattinson stan? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
