De Niro vs. Pacino: Their Ten Most Badass Performances

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on August 17, 2008

The Best of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino

Around here, we are all for just about anything that involves flying bullets, a foxy lady and some witty, mean-spirited dialog. What can we say, most of our staff is plagued by repressed adolescent male fantasies of grandure — we never got a chance to be a badass, so we choose to watch them on screen.

Two of the ultimate on-screen badasses have always been Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. From De Niro’s work in Taxi Driver to Pacino’s iconic title role in Scarface and beyond, these two men have always been at the forefront of what it means to be a badass with a gun. And with their upcoming film Righteous Kill, they are teaming together to play two tough NYC cops after a vicious serial killer. And in honor of that team-up, we’ve put together a very special feature: De Niro vs. Pacino: Their Ten Most Badass Performances. Have a look at that by clicking below.

Click here to read De Niro vs. Pacino: Their Ten Most Badass Performances

Also, for more Righteous Kill goodness, check out our special feature by clicking on the banner below:

Click Here for more of the Best of De Niro and Pacino


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  • Nevernude
    Does Al Pacino's turn in The Devil's Advocate not count? He played the devil like he was the freaking devil!. Everytime he acted next to Keanu Reeves, you wanted to weep for poor Keanu, who did not know what the f**K he was doing. And the last act where he chews copious amounts of screen and spits it back out.
    "I'm a fan of man!! Im a humanist!!"

    That speech at the end is worth a huge amount of badassery. Plus he's playing the devil! how much more badass can you get?!!
  • great column !!!!! fun reading back on those movies i love . not realy sure which is my fav if its taxi driver or dog day afternoon...


    actually was wondering if you guys would put pacinos devils advocate in there. he looks like he's jsut having a ball wiht the roll especially in the last 25 minutes trying to convince keanu....dont care for scarface though. i think its way overrated but thats just me.

    again....sweet column.
  • @ nevernude and Daniel

    I wanted to put The Devil's Advocate on Pacino's 5, but it came down to the fact that Scarface is one of the two roles that Pacino is most known for. That's why The Devil's Advocate gets honorable mention.

    As I told Cole when I was writing the feature, the end monologue is something I loved so much that I performed it for my acting final in college. It's such a superb performance by Pacino, but I think if you took asked people to name the top 5 Pacino performances Scarface would easily be in the first 2 or 3 mentioned.

    I don't know if we can make an edit devoted to The Devil's Advocate but if there is any film Pacino did that deserves it, that'd be the one.
  • mudywaters
    klck ass list
  • Dana Abercrombie
    Are you kidding me with that list. Did you just chose the most popular movies. Umm...so just where does his performance in Glengarry Glen Ross, Donnie Brasco, Angels in America, Frankie and Johnny and The Insider rank?
  • Dana Abercrombie
    Again why is Awakenings only getting an "honorable mention" his performance was Oscar winning...I watch that movie because of him. Just where is This Boys Life, A Bronx Tale, Untouchables, The Fan and Mean Streets rank? Not a good list at all.
  • @ Dana

    Thanks for your comments and opinion . Almost all of the films you mentioned were on a longer honorable mention list. But I chose to go with movies where De Niro and Pacino are the focal point of their particular film. These are roles that these actors have been known for universally.

    I love Angels in America but I doubt many people would put Roy Cohn ahead of Frank Serpico. And I didn't choose movies just because they are popular. I personally never want to see Scarface again, but there is no question that when most people think of Pacino they think of Tony Montana before Frankie and Johnny.

    Top 10 lists are both a blessing and a curse, particularly with actors who have a resume that is this stacked. The blessing is that we all get to have our opinions and celebrate their careers. The curse is that you can't please everyone. For example, if I choose Pacino in The Devil's Advocate and kick off Scarface I would be dragged through the streets. In a way it is a no win situation. I would counter with a question of which film you feel isn't up to par?

    Furthermore, just because a role wins an Academy Award does not mean it moves ahead of other performances. I don't see Halle Berry or Marisa Tomei making any top 10 lists anywhere. I'd take a role that sets the mark for a particular genre, like Scarface, before I will take an award.

    To put a twist on a quote from Ed Wood, "Worst list you ever saw, Dana? Well, my next one will be better. Thanks again. :)
  • JMoney
    Chill out guys, the list is about their mst badasss characters, not their best performances. And its a great list, i agree with an honorable mention for the Devi's advocate, there is no way Tony Montana could be left off a list of bad asses.
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