Countdown to Gatsby: Seabiscuit (Toby Maguire) and Django Unchained (Leonardo Dicaprio)

This is going to be a short series of reviews that counts down to the Great Gatsby (May 10^th) by looking at the main actors in the film and their previous work. These roles will specifically focus on that actor’s role in the particular film

Seabiscuit (Toby Maguire) (2003)

Toby Maguire is best known for playing Spider Man in Sam Rami’s three films and like many superhero actors he has been in typecasting trouble. With Gatsby Maguire will hopefully get himself out of that trouble by proving he is in fact an actor as he did in this 2003 underdog story. The first third  of seabiscuit is quite muddled and struggles with the broadness of its themes. This story about a champion horse too small and a jockey too big stars out too broad nad unfocused. In many respects this sports film does not correct that but it does become far better as it goes along much like the horse it portrays. By the end of the film you are riveted to this entertaining story and that doesn’t achieve greatness but which does in many ways entertain. The film is lavishly produced and the period detail is really cool. Maguire’s performance is the best I’ve seen from him. He shows that he can play a truly dramatic and flawed character without being over the top ( a la Spider-Man 3). He plays the character he knows best the young gun and underdog and his role gets far better like the film. He seems real and genuine and helps hold the film together as well as he can. Seabiscuit does not quite ever make up the ground it loses in its first half but it definitely tries 3.5/5

Django Unchained (2012) (Leonardo DiCaprio)

Leonardo DiCaprio has been quite a popular and prolific actor recently. His latest outing Django Unchained gave him his first opportunity to play a true villain and he does not disappoint. Quentin Tarantino’s homage to the spaghetti western is a bloody good time with humor and tragedy mixed. DiCaprio’s villain is ruthless and unflinchingly evil beyond doubt and DiCaprio pulls it off with a menace that is frightening and believable. His great last monologue about his theory of slavery is truly and acting tour de force. His presence recharges the movie which starts the wane in the beginning of the second act. Django Unchained is a really solid outing for Tarantino and it is helped along greatly by DiCaprio’s Performance.