Top 5 – Non-Scorsese Directed Robert De Niro Movies

Not much more can be said about Robert De Niro that hasn’t been said already.  He’s one of the best to ever grace the screen, some would argue the very best.  He gives every performance his all and defines what method acting is.  This weekend, De Niro stars in the boxing drama Hands of Stone.  So in honor of that, here is a look at the best Robert De Niro movies.  And, to make it a little more challenging, I am excluding all the movies he worked on with Martin Scorsese, as that list alone could make its own top five.  So, sorry Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), The King of Comedy (1983), Goodfellas (1990), Cape Fear (1991), and Casino (1995).

5 – JACK BYRNES in MEET THE PARENTS (Jay Roach, 2000)

De Niro was never known for his comedy.  He had a few moments here and there, but was really a dramatic actor.  Meet the Parents is far and away the funniest De Niro has ever been.  Playing an insanely paranoid and strict father who does not approve of his daughter’s new boyfriend (Ben Stiller), De Niro’s smart, dry, over-the-top performance is even more impressive when he is acting with comedy heavyweights Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson.  His rapport with Stiller is perfect and he has some pretty iconic lines as well (“I have nipples Greg.  Can you milk me?”).  This is arguably the only really good movie De Niro made in the first part of the 2000’s and still stands as his comedic best.

And remember, this list is based on movie quality and De Niro’s performance.

4 – LORENZO in A BRONX TALE (Robert De Niro, 1993)

A Bronx Tale is one of the most underrated movies of all-time.  I feel it got lost in between the greatness Goodfellas (1990) and Casino (1995), but it is one of the finer films of the 90’s.  Telling the coming of age story of Calogero (Francis Capra/Lillo Brancato), a Bronx youth who struggles between the ideals of his lower class, bus-driving father (De Niro) and the flashy gangster of the block (Chazz Palminteri).  He wants the life and luxury of the gangster, but his father wants to teach him about working for what you want, even if it’s hard.  This isn’t so much a showcase for De Niro’s acting, as Palminteri steals the show, but his direction.  This is a stellar directorial debut and one of the best from an actor-turned-director.  A Bronx Tale is a movie about life, family, love, loyalty, and what it really means to be a man.

3 – NEIL MCCAULEY in HEAT (Michael Mann, 1995)

Heat brought two acting icons, De Niro and Al Pacino, together on screen for the first time ever (They were in The Godfather: Part II together, but never on screen together).  And what writer/director Michael Mann did so well, besides the action, was give both these actors room to act.  This sprawling L.A. crime story is a classic cat and mouse game about a cop (Pacino) on the hunt for a crafty group of criminals, led by Neil McCauley (De Niro).  De Niro really kills it as McCauley.  He’s a man who lives by a certain code and that code gets pushed when his plans start going awry and he begins to fall in love.  Featuring the iconic bank heist and the infamous diner scene, Heat is one of the most complex and best action films ever.

2 – VITO CORLEONE in THE GODFATHER: PART II (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)

This performance is probably number one on a lot of people’s lists, not only for non-Scorsese De Niro movies, but for De Niro’s career.  I’ll justify my number one, but this performance might as well be 1B.  De Niro’s performance in Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece sequel solidified his status as an elite actor in Hollywood.  Playing young Vito Corleone, we watch as he grows from a nobody to the mob boss we know him to be.  Only speaking Italian, De Niro shows us the struggles Vito faces as an immigrant in New York with great intensity and commitment.  In a brilliantly crafted and acted film, De Niro is the best part, and it is his story that elevates The Godfather: Part II to a true classic.  Winning his first Oscar for this film, this is masterclass acting.

1 – PAT SR. in  SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (David O. Russell, 2012)

That’s right, Silver Linings Playbook.  David O. Russell’s romantic dramedy is one of my favorite movies of the decade.  It’s smart, funny, human, and filled with excellent performances.  De Niro gives the best performance in the film, in my opinion, even better than Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence.  Playing a father who is struggling to have a relationship with his son (Bradley Cooper) who was recently released from a mental institution, De Niro gives as emotional of a performance as he has ever given.  It’s a fully rounded performance, as De Niro flashes every emotion.  He’s happy, angry, sad, unstable, and determined, all for the sake of being close with his son again.  The scene on the bed when he breaks down while talking to Pat Jr. will crush you.  This is the best performance of De Niro has given in over a decade and shows that the great actor hasn’t lost a step, even after a rough 2000’s.  Robbed of his third Oscar, this is the best De Niro performance this century and one of his all-time greats.

What are your favorite Robert De Niro movies?  Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @kevflix and LIKE Kevflix on Facebook!