PHOTO:10 best underrated Brad Pitt
The easy-going and laid-back Brad Pitt is known for many roles. Those who thought he would be typecast as the stereotypically attractive and laid-back guy are wrong, and dedicated fans of him will recall some of his most notable roles. The terribly handsome vampire, Louis de Pointe du Lac; the surreal and tough Tyler Durden; the always enigmatic Benjamin Button; the confident, intelligent and murderous Lieutenant Aldo; Cliff Booth, the carefree "friend friend who kills wife." The list goes on and on of the roles that define Pitt's career.
But what about the ones who don't argue so much? Most people, especially fans, know that the famous actor began with the roles of "attractive guy". However, his reputation should not be limited to a limited archetype. His most underrated roles must be recognized as his solidified performance range.
10 David Mills - Seven
Yes, this movie is one of the highest rated and fans will say that it is also one of the most recognized. But Pitt's character has not been recognized today as he was more than 20 years ago.
Alongside the brilliant Morgan Freeman, Pitt plays Detective David Mills, who investigates a serial killer who emulates the Seven Deadly Sins in all murders. The character is much more complex than the average character in a crime drama, as the entire murder case takes a surprising turn at the end. "What is in the box?" It's no longer one of the more recognizable lines, which is why this role now falls under the radar of newer viewers.
9 JD - Thelma and Louise
The feminist-approved runaway film featured a young Brad Pitt in one of his biggest roles in his early days. Although some see his character as a very minor role in Thelma and Louise, the comic character, JD, ends up making a huge contribution to the two female leads and their quest to escape from law enforcement.
JD hitchhikes directly into the arms of Geena Davis' character. He drags her around a bit for fun, but it's not just a highway stop. Pitt's character has a lot more history than viewers initially assumed and undoubtedly continues to be underestimated by new generation moviegoers.
8 Early Grayce - Kalifornia
Despite being a box office flop, the actors' performances garnered positive reviews. Pitt's portrayal of a brutally violent and ruthless assassin who is basically a manipulative and uncontrollable monster, a surprising role for the typical funny characters he has played in the past.
His character, Early Grayce, doesn't seem to have motive or regret for anything throughout the film. He takes full advantage of the main couple who simply need a ride and eventually holds them hostage, weakening his girlfriend little by little even as she accepts abuse from him. This character is certainly well underrated for Pitt's terrifyingly compelling portrayal.
7 Roy McBride - Ad Astra
After the release of his Academy Award-winning role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Pitt starred in a science fiction space movie, playing an astronaut who sets out to learn the truth about his father.
The character's trauma regarding the supposed death of his father also involves the film's future American society trying to find signs of another life elsewhere in space. Pitt plays an emotionally complicated character who has to come to terms with his relationship with his father in order to understand what is happening off-earth.
6 John Smith - Mr. and Mrs. Smith
This was one of Pitt's biggest roles! So what happened? Now that the real-life Brangelina duo is over, not many viewers are talking about their thoughts on this comedic, romantic, and action-packed movie about two secret agent-assassins who can barely stabilize their marriage due to their lies.
Pitt's role goes a long way into the romantic side of the film, even when he doesn't want to play it in front of his wife. John Smith's emotional side quickly crumbles when he accepts what he has to live with in his marriage to Jane (Angelina Jolie).
5 Jackie Cogen - Killing Them Softly
The character, Jackie Cogan, is no ordinary movie hitman. His philosophy (which also explains the film's title) "kill them gently" is to shoot his targets from a distance so they don't see him coming and feel fear. The film directly involves the 2008 American financial crisis and the presidential elections, with Cogan's own views shaping the story.
Although the film had a positive critical response, not many remember Pitt's effective performance.
4 Gerry Lane - World War Z
Most may think of this as just a zombie movie, but Pitt's dedicated performance of the horror drama flick shines through. His role as husband, father and fearless hero is the main focus of the character who finally embarks on a journey to end the viral zombie apocalypse. The character, Gerry, has a much larger role to play in the journey to find a cure or protection for the zombie virus.
Pitt's performance is completely underrated for the dedication he showed in this role. For both the action scenes and the very intense and dramatic ones, his performance really shows how well versed he has become as an actor.
3 Rick Clayton - The Dark Side of the Sun
In his first known lead role, Brad Pitt plays the couple's character Rick, who struggles to find a cure for a rare skin disease that can kill him when exposed to sunlight. The character learns to appreciate life, also in the sun, once he becomes involved with a girl. The young actor embraced every ounce of raw emotion in his character's reactions to their ongoing fight.
This role is deeply underrated due to his lesser-known reputation for him. Released directly on video in 1997, countless Brad Pitt fans may never have heard of this unrecognized role.
2 Paul Maclean - A River Runs Through It
Brad's role as Paul Maclean needs to be recognized much more than it has been due to his simple but complicated history. The brothers, Paul and Norman, grow up as perfect, religious, fishing gentlemen who embark on different paths as they get older. Paul begins to have more physical fights and disagreements with local Montana residents, especially after he defended his girlfriend, a Native American woman, for confronting the racism of the white-dominated neighborhood.
Paul's character is a direct comparison to the brother character, as the film conveys a juxtaposition between the two. Pitt's performance was largely forgotten by this highly praised performance.
1 Heinrich Harrer - Seven Years in Tibet
Pitt's role was that of a real-life, self-sacrificing, nonstop Austrian mountaineer whose experiences in Tibet shaped his character. Heinrich experiences imprisonment, camaraderie, and loss throughout his years in Tibet after leaving his pregnant wife to climb Nanga Parbat Mountain.
The character's estrangement from his son leads to a strained relationship, causing viewers to wonder the reasons behind Heinrich's decisions to stay and continue traveling in Tibet. Although Pitt's performance was met with positive reviews, most audiences have forgotten how important this role was to his long-term career after its release in 1997.
