De Niro vs. Pacino: Their Ten Most Badass Roles

What constitutes a badass performance? Complete immersion into the role of the character? Sure. Perfect delivery of the dialogue handed to you? No question. The answer “Pretty much anything Robert De Niro and Al Pacino do” also would be acceptable.

These two pop culture icons have left us with some of the greatest one-liners ever, and are the Jordan and Pippen of film, destined to be paired up, as evidenced by the fact that both went to the same performing arts school. But to argue who is better of the two is a matter of taste. Pacino fans will claim that there is no more intense personality on-screen, an actor you truly can’t take your eyes off of. De Niro lovers will point to his versatility, which is on display in films like Meet the Parents and Casino. You can’t go wrong choosing either one.

So, in honor of their third on-screen pairing, Righteous Kill, FSR is proud to offer up ten badass roles from two men who wrote the book on being badass.

Al Pacino

Having studied under the great acting coach Lee Strasburg, it’s no wonder why the man has been nominated eight times for an Oscar, with a surprising single win. Pacino chews up screen like Jaws and is one of the most influential actors of the past 40 years, giving perhaps the most memorable monologues in movie history. What makes him even better is that he has no problem shining as the second fiddle to other actors, a consummate team player. Milan Kundera once said “There are no small parts, only small actors,” and the fiery Italian proves that sentiment true time and again by sacrificing both on and off-screen for his craft.

Michael Corleone, Godfather I and II

The first two films of The Godfather trilogy stand as my first choice when asked the question “Name the best original film and sequel” (Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back being right there as well), and that is mainly to the credit of Pacino’s flawless turn as mob boss Michael Corleone. The evolution of Corleone is unparalleled, stripping away the layer of innocence in favor of a ruthless and rising young power. Many critics say it is the greatest character of all-time and it is hard to argue against it. There are standout performances by Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, and company, but Pacino is the heart and soul of The Godfather saga.

Lt. Colonel Frank Slade, Scent of a Woman

Hoo-ah! When one thinks of stellar character acting they should look to Pacino’s role as a blind and depressed military man. The fact that this film gave Pacino his first Oscar win stands as one of the greatest travesties since Gigli, but it displayed a more tender side of the actor. His tango with Kimberly Williams made men want to learn how to dance, and just when you thought the man had gone soft, he is happy to remind you “I’m just getting warmed up!” in the climactic monologue that surely won him the Academy Award for Best Actor. Plus, he actually made Chris O’Donnell look like he can act, a feat in itself.

Frank Serpico, Serpico

Very few crime dramas can stand up to this film, and Pacino handles the weight of a cop thrown into the depths of corruption with ease. His role is the textbook case of being careful what you wish for, and you root for Serpico completely as he fights to oppose the indifference of the law system, eventually turning his back on it. You get the feeling that the writers of The Departed might have taken notes on the film.

I can just see Pacino pulling Ethan Hawke aside at the Training Day premiere and saying “You think you got it rough in that film? I fucking got shot in the face when I played a cop,” before turning to Denzel and yelling “King Kong ain’t got shit on you? I’m what happens when the Wolfman and Bride of Frankenstein got it on, you fucking cockroach!”

Sonny Wortzik, Dog Day Afternoon

Sometimes you have to rob a bank to get your partner money for a sex change operation, right? Maybe not, but damn it if Pacino didn’t make us sympathize with his plight. His take on the former Vietnam veteran transcends opinions of gay rights, while also perfectly reflecting the despair of the common man during that time period. Chalk it up to another Academy Award nominating performance for Pacino, and a one-word quote that had me screaming “Attica! Attica!” when my friend told me he was moving to New York.

Tony Montana, Scarface

The ultimate tale of the rise and fall of the gangster, Scarface is a film that sits in probably every man’s DVD collection. I sure as hell know every hip-hop star on MTV’s “Cribs” has it. It also certainly serves as the inspiration for games like Grand Theft Auto. In a film that has often been criticized for its graphic violence, he somehow finds a way to skip back and forth in emotions, whether he’s mocking Michelle Pfeiffer as he watches pelicans fly on TV, or making it crystal clear to Manny that his sister is off-limits. Montana is a Cuban refugee trapped in a modern-day greek tragedy , and Pacino delivers it so convincingly that by the end when you see him lying in front of a statue that says “The World is Mine,” you honestly believe it almost was.

Honorable Mentions: John Milton, The Devil’s Advocate

Robert De Niro

Any guy that is Martin Scorcese’s golden boy has to be a badass. The ultimate method actor, Robert De Niro seems to be able to handle any role you throw at him. You want him to be an athlete in the twilight of his life? He did it in Bang the Drum Slowly. Need a heartbreaking tale of a medical patient? De Niro knocked it out of the park in Awakenings. And gangster? Shiiitt, Bobby can play that part in his sleep. Watch The Untouchables, Casino, and The Godfather II if you dare doubt. The golden age of De Niro’s career might be the most impressive of any we’ve seen, and it would be unwise to bet against the man to add to his 6 Academy Award nominations.

Jake LaMotta, Raging Bull

The raw physicality De Niro brings to the role of the self-destructive fighter never ceases to amaze me. It’s as if you can literally see the character fighting within himself as he struggles with issues of trust, ultimately destroying the relationships around him. Combine that with the physical transformation De Niro underwent from the beginning of the film to the end (gaining 60 pounds for the part), and you have one of the greatest examples of method acting ever. De Niro also gets points for serving as the inspiration to Martin Scorcese in this film, who fought off a cocaine addiction to get Raging Bull done. And let’s not forget that he lived out my personal dream by beating the shit out of the loud-mouthed midget, Joe Pesci.

Michael Vronsky, The Deer Hunter

Tragic is the only way to describe the outcome of events that happen to De Niro’s character. Torn between his love for a woman and the friendship to the man married to her, the character is a classic cautionary tale that would later spark the term “bros before hos.” The Russian roulette scene, where we watch De Niro fight to save his forgotten friend’s life, is one of the most intense scenes to grace the screen, one that gets my heart racing every time. It also showcases an incredible young cast with the likes of Meryl Streep and Christopher Walken (back when he tried to act), and De Niro stands toe to toe with all of them.

Max Cady, Cape Fear

“Counselor! Come out, come out, wherever you are!” There was nothing funnier to me walking into my high school guidance counselor’s office yelling that, and I can thank De Niro for that. His Academy Award nominated performance as an relentless ex-convict set on terrorizing the public defender responsible for his imprisonment goes down as one of the creepiest roles ever. It’s the type of character you could see trolling Myspace at three in the morning and certainly serves notice that nobody should mess with De Niro. His acting also set the standard for suspense films like Se7en, where the killer is as psychologically threatening as they are physically. On a sidenote, apparently there is a Cape Fear Counseling Center. Who the hell would ever want to go to that?

Jimmy Conway, Goodfellas

In my opinion, you have two types of classic gangsters. There’s the psychopathic loose cannons like Joe Pesci, a guy who shows you his hand as soon as it’s dealt. Then there’s the guy who speaks softly but carries a big fucking Louisville Slugger, like De Niro’s approach to Jimmy Conway in Goodfellas. Conway and his posse are the type of guys who make you think twice about getting involved with the wrong characters. It also solidified his role as a student of the craft, as De Niro went deep into research with Nicholas Pileggi. Pileggi was author of Wiseguys, the inspiration for the film. His role as a young Vito Corleone is equally impressive, but Conway gets the nod because it was a bigger part.

Travis Bickle, Taxi Driver

Arguably De Niro’s greatest performance ever, Bickle is a Vietnam vet who strives to find meaning in an otherwise pointless existence. The ultimate anti-hero, De Niro brings us the unraveling of a man dangerously close to the edge from the beginning, and it has to be one of the top 10 acting performances ever. Bickle stands as one of the most shockingly real examples of a lonely and depressed man who exacts those feelings onto a society he feels is responsible. The scene where Bickle sits on the couch as he repeatedly mimics shooting his brains out is undeniably haunting. The role also serves as a reference note for Heath Ledger fans, as De Niro lost the Academy Award to recently deceased Peter Finch, who got the award for his role in Network.

Honorable Mentions: Leonard Lowe, Awakenings

Original: here