Open Forum Friday: What Was the Last Good Kevin Costner Movie?
A couple of weeks ago I watched the Kevin Costner movie The Postman for the first time, and while I was hoping to find an underrated gem that had been unfairly slammed by critics, I was disappointed to find that the movie was corny, overwrought, and took itself way too seriously. (Okay, so I still kind of enjoyed it.) However, it got me thinking. Ever since Waterworld, Kevin Costner seems to be regarded by mainstream audiences with a bit of suspicion, but this is also the same guy who once starred in movies like The Untouchables, Field of Dreams and JFK, and won an Oscar for directing Dances With Wolves. Somewhere along the line it seems like his career derailed, but what was the turning point and why did it happen?
A lot of people seemed to really like his last movie Mr. Brooks (ugh), but that hasn’t changed the general apathy surrounding the opening of his new movie Swing Vote. (The reviews haven’t been great either.) Is the problem just that Costner chooses bad projects, or are they the only parts he’s being offered nowadays? I guess I just find it strange that he is still out there doing his thing as if nothing has changed, but in some ways he has almost fallen completely off the map. Seriously, what was the last good Kevin Costner movie you saw? Personally I’d have to nominate Thirteen Days, the movie about the Cuban Missile Crisis, which came out way back in 2000. Other than that, it’s been slim pickings. What do you think, is Kevin Costner a lost cause, or is there still hope for him yet? Give us your thoughts here on Open Forum Friday.
Comments (18)
Open Range is a superb film. In my opinion only Unforgiven is a better Western. I did like Mr. Brooks I have to say but it isn’t in the same league as Open Range.
Posted by Stephen on August 1st, 2008though I did not see it, The Guardian also was pretty highly regarded by a lot of people. I think there are just certain actors who, for whatever reason, become poorly regarded and no matter what they do it will be panned by the masses. See Reeves, Keanu, for example…I think Kostner is one of those people. His fall started before Dances With Wolves I am pretty sure because I remember the noise about him even before that and complaints about it as more of the same.
Of course, there are also guys who, no matter how much dreck they put out, still have a huge audience. I won’t name any names because getting on the wrong side of Jim Carrey or Will Ferrell fans is seldom a good idea…
Posted by Darth Weasel on August 1st, 2008love the cost-man … i will be seeing swing vote this weekend without shame .. apparently he is a drunk at least at the beginning of this movie … drunk costner can never fail
Posted by dirrrtyfrank on August 1st, 2008Yea, I think that people just notice that after a while Kostner acts the same in every movie. His range is very limited (which also goes for Keanu, Darth Weasel.)
Posted by Matt on August 1st, 2008My favorite Kostner movie is JFK. Not because of him though. Oliver Stone could have had pretty much any actor in that role and it would have been great.
Also, Kostner has been getting up there in terms of age, and he does not seem to age very well. Balding and whatnot. Might be a reason why the ladies don’t flock to his movies anymore.
*Costner
Posted by Matt on August 1st, 2008I don’t mind Costner. But for me the last few years he hasn’t made a project that has really interested me other than Thirteen Days. His other projects seem so generic, like The Guardian, Mr Brooks and Dragonfly as well as others.
Maybe he should make small interesting pics…like Thirteen days and rebuild his career.
Right now his career seems very similar to Harrison Fords…making really generic and formulaic movies. They both need to make small really important projects.
I think Clooney did a great job with his career. I think he could have ended up just like Ford and Costner but working on fine quality projects really gave him credibility with the audience and with the industry. He can make anything now, big or small.
Posted by 1138 on August 1st, 2008I don’t have any interest in seeing Mr. Brooks. The last Costner movie I saw was actually on dvd where he starred in REVENGE directed by Tony Scott which I thought was a fun movie. Scott is one of the few directors that overuses, but knows how to use smoke in a film.
Anyway, the last good movie I saw him in at the theater was Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Wyatt Earp was alright, but preferred Tombstone much more. I have caught only bits of Waterworld on tv, but I did like how the guys in the movie treat dirt like cocaine.
Before REVENGE, I saw him in Open Range which was pretty good. He seems to be hit or miss with me. Just depends on the story I guess and not because of him when I see a movie he is in.
Posted by Primal on August 1st, 2008Huh, I just watched JFK this morning. Definately the best Costner performance. Never seen Thirteen Days, but Waterworld was underrated. Maybe that.
Posted by Chaz on August 1st, 2008For the most part, I’m a Costner apologist (though even I wouldn’t give into The Guardian). I enjoyed Mr. Brooks, 3000 Miles to Graceland and even The Upside of Anger a fair bit but they’re not exactly “good movies”. Looking back, I think the last good film Costner was in would be Thirteen Days – and lookie here, he was also pretty good in it.
Posted by Marina on August 1st, 2008I haven’t seen JFK or Dances with Wolves. With that said; I haven’t watched any Costner movie I liked (or been drawn to one, they are all so generic). I thought Waterworld was ok when I was a kid but it’s pretty boring now (although probably not as bad as people say; some people will say something was bad purely because it failed commercially and other people are saying it was bad).
Posted by Ryan M. on August 1st, 2008I agree with Chip Douglass:
“Dry land is not a myth. I’ve seen it. Kevin Costner. Waterworld. I don’t know what the big fuss is about. I saw that movie six times. It ruled!”
Posted by Bob the Slob on August 1st, 2008Hmmm. Wyatt Earp was good. Underrated performances from Cost and Quaid. I liked it a lot more than Tombstone. I do love the Costner sports films. For the Love of the Game was excellent and Tin Cup was a lot of fun.
Posted by Greg on August 1st, 2008Open Range was pretty damn great. Costner doesn’t bug me but I also don’t especially seek out his films, they tend to not interest me.
Waterworld is way underrated, a fun, overblown action film.
Posted by Swarez on August 1st, 2008Tin Cup was the last one I enjoyed..wow, that was 12 years ago.
Posted by Josh on August 2nd, 2008i am not a Costner fan, but i didnt mind Tin Cup.
Posted by Chopper on August 2nd, 2008Open Range was definitely his last good film. END OF DISCUSSION!!!!!!
Posted by Joel on August 2nd, 2008Nope. 13 DAYS. Didn’t care for OPEN RANGE. 13… was the last truly good movie this guy was in. And I saw every one of them in a row right up to THE BODYGUARD.
Posted by Juan Carlo on August 3rd, 2008I enjoyed 13 Days, even though it had too much Hollywood/Oliver Stone-ish cr*p about the “Military Industrial Complex” trying to manipulate Kennedy into going to war. Whatever. 13 Days, JFK, Robin Hood were all good movies, but I can’t stand Costner’s weak attempts at accents, either as ‘Nawlins D.A. Garrison, Englishman Robin of Locksley, or Irish boy Kenny O’Donnell. Like fingernails on a chalkboard. Thus, I think Waterworld was probably his last great role because he could use his own voice (although Dennis Hopper and Tina Majorino stole the movie). Field of Dreams, Dances, and Untouchables remain his career pinnacles. (Who can forget: “Where is Nitty?” — “He’s in the car.”) I think Costner is still a very, very good actor, but he is in need of a truly defining role to attain 21st century greatness. Where he can use his own voice.
Posted by Chris on August 7th, 2008Leave a Reply