"Exclusive Video: Comedy Genius Robert De Niro Dazzles Us with Best Performance in Years." That was the headline at Defamer after De Niro's speech Monday night at the Film Society of Lincoln Center tribute to Meryl Streep.
Comedy genius? Defamer facetiousness? You decide. The words "De Niro" and "comedy" do not generally belong in the same sentence because (with the notable exception of "King of Comedy," "Hi, Mom!," "Midnight Run" and moments in "New York, New York" -- all of which get good laughs from extreme discomfort) he couldn't be funny if he tried -- and that's precisely the problem. He tries so very hard. In this speech, read from index cards, he tossed off canned one-liners like a bored celeb hired to appear at an industrial -- say, the Upper West Side Association of Farsighted Florists.
Wasn't he funnier in "Cape Fear"?
I'm confused. So, De Niro wasn't funny? I watched the clip and thought it was amusing. Are we supposed to dislike De Niro for leaving the agency? I feel like I'm reading a satirical political piece from a foreign country. If he left his agency, and they gave him hell for it, then I respect him for speaking out against it.
Also, De Niro was hilarious in Casino. Simply because he's not playing "funny" doesn't mean he doesn't know exactly how to get a laugh by acting like a tight-ass.
Wow. That was painful.
And yes, he was funny in Cape Fear ("Counselor? Come out, come out whenever you are.") Or the line about earthquake preparedness. That's some good stuff. But unlike many who thought he overplayed it I really liked his decision to play the role that way. It made the movie watchable.
Keep an eye open for What Just Happened. De Niro is actually really funny in that and gives his best performance in a while, proving once again that comedy works best when the actors don't try for laughs.
Painful? Unfunny? The whole moment was completely out of context, how could it be funny or not funny? It's like asking someone to tell you the punch-line of a joke without hearing the joke itself. Or equivalent to imparting a really funny thing that happened that's just not as funny when said.
De Niro is naturally shy, he rocks back and forth a bit, and I didn't really hear any bad one-lines. Eh.
Tis true, he is an unfunny actor. He is possibly the worst host SNL has ever had in terms of a comedy performance. Maybe he choked because it was live but it was a painful exercise to watch. Improv is certainly not his thing, he obviously needs to be well rehearsed and I suspect he enjoys multiple takes when working. I enjoy him as an actor, just not a comedian.
DeNiro WAS laugh out loud funny in "Meet The Parents" - Come on.. "I have nipples.. could you milk me?"