What Happened To Robert DeNiro?

Many people have written Robert DeNiro off.  There was a time when saying he was in a movie meant you had to go see it, but then after 1995 his name on a movie meant that the movie was probably garbage?  So what happened?

During the 1980's after a few flops, which happens to all actors, DeNiro stopped starring in films for awhile but rather made cameo appearances in films, or smaller supporting roles.  At one point his star had faded so much that he petitioned to star in BIG, and was turned down. Can you imagine DeNiro dancing on an oversized keyboard with Robert Loggia.

Then he came back to the fold working with Scorsese again in Goodfella's and suddenly DeNiro was hot again.  He still did the ocassional supporting role like in Backdraft, but he was seen as having returned to his former self.  Then in 1995 he concreted his reputation by releasing HEAT and CASINO within a month of eachother, wowing critics and fans alike. 

Since then he has gone out of his way to prove to us how bad and lazy of an actor he really is.  With releases like ROCKY and BULLWINKLE, GODSEND, HIDE and SEEK, ANALYZE THAT, and those awful focking FOCKER movies, DeNiro lost any credibility and reputation he had earned.  Hard to imagine that the same guy who played Travis Bickle is now wearing a fake breast feeding contraption in MEET THE FOCKERS.  The same guy who played Jake LaMotta is now acting in a Jason Statham movie. 

What the fuck happened?

I have a few idea's.  First and foremost is age.  Look at any actor or musician and you'll realize as they age their talent fades.  This maybe cannot be helped.  As we age we get tired and aren't up to the same level of performance dedication we once were.  The Rolling Stones suck, Paul McCartney won't stop singing Hey Jude, and DeNiro can't seem to act anymore. Sure there have been a few exceptions where his performance was decent or good, but it was surrounded by a movie that was lesser than he, such as, MEN OF GLORY, EVERYBODY'S FINE and CITY BY THE SEA.

I personally don't expect DeNiro to gain or lose massive weight or bulk up, I mean the guy is 68, but the scripts and the performances aren't even up to Adam Sandlers quality.

My other theory is that DeNiro is being offered much more money for these films, and is finally taking the paycheck.  If you research his great older films, he wasn't paid much, and they didn't do well at the box office.  Now his films do well, and he gets PAID!!!!!

My final theory, coupled with the theory above, is that he owns TRIBECA FILMS.  This company can only survive by being financed, and financing means doing movies that might suck but pay well.  And if you notice alot of these shit movies he has been in have had Tribeca as Producer.  So he gets paid double.  The money gets funneled back into Tribeca which will exist long after DeNiro is gone from this planet.

It is a shame to no longer look forward to anything DeNiro does, but he has proven himself and has other interests to pay for.  We should give him a break and stop expecting him to perform as if he was 35.  I mean look at what happened to Pacino since SCENT OF A WOMAN, the dude talks with a southern accent in all his movies, has a bad tan, and an awkward looking toupee he is trying to pass off as real. And is currently co-starring with Adam Sandler in JACK AND JILL.

Alot has happened to Robert DeNiro, but unless we ask him why he does the films he does, we'll never understand his thought process. And if you read interviews with the guy, he isn't gonna apologize to you, me or anyone for any of the films he has done.

In 2012 is will be in a film called BEING FLYNN, which looks like a return to some good acting in a good movie. Let's pray this is true because the Irish Mob movie with him, Pacino and Pesci directed by Scorsese will probably never get made.

He could play Jerry Garcia