Movies Matt Damon vs Johnny Depp

[horc00]

I find Damon generally boring af in most of his roles.

He is. Most of his characters are boring af too, and would likely work too if replaced by another good actor.

Depp, when on his A-game, owns the role. I simply cannot imagine another actor portraying Jack Sparrow.

 

[Woldog]

I said Depp is the more talented of the two actors not necessarily the better actor

Aaron Rodgers may be more talented than Tom Brady but Brady has the better resume

Here I was thinking being more talented correlated to being the better actor.

 

[Brother Numsi]

Here I was thinking being more talented correlated to being the better actor.

Best analogy I could come up with big dawg lol

 

[horc00]

I'd disagree, I think Damon is a much much better actor. I think Depp peaked with the first Pirates of the Carribean after riding on the coat tails of Gilbert Grape and Scissorhands for far too long.

I think Depp has played these over-the-top characters so damn well that he's been typecast. No one can imagine him in "normal" roles anymore.

 

[JSN]

In some ways Damon’s is more consistent, but I picked Depp because they’ve both done a lot of quality work, but I think that within the context of that work, Depp has put in some absolutely iconic, genre-defining performances.

Obviously it would have better for his legacy if he’d died around age forty, but fuck it you can’t take away shit like Edward Scissorhands and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

And the way he reclaimed his kewlest person on the planet title with Pirates of the Caribbean to start the second phase of his career is the stuff of legend.

He’s at James Dean levels of kewlness. Top five all time IMO.

 

[thetruth2709]

Matt Damon is smart and hard worker and his "talent" is based on that

Johnny Depp is that type of artist who like many artists, has mastered the art of let himself be "FREE" and allow himself to make "FREE" decisions at a precise moment during work. Its a talent on its own that only people who understand art can grasp the concept. You can not teach that, you can only arrange circumstances around work and at some moment you have to just "let go" and amazing things can happen....you will get things/art who people who dont understand that process cant obtain. Its not obtained by hard work, maybe more by discipline to look for those moments and how to put yourself in that spot.

You can go an entire career with that talent but at some moment is going to come back and bite you in the ass, because in the long run in life hard work BEATS EVERYTHING

With that in mind Matt Damon could have never ever in his life be able to come up with characters like Jack Sparrow, he just doesnt have the tools or method to come up with that type of work. However in the long run Matt Damon will have a way more impressive and solid career, and he will have more money too. Its very possible that artists like Johnny Depp will self destruct and not be happy at the end of life. Matt Damon will be more balanced.

 

[JSN]

Matt Damon is smart and hard worker and his "talent" is based on that

Johnny Depp is that type of artist who like many artists, has mastered the art of let himself be "FREE" and allow himself to make "FREE" decisions at a precise moment during work. Its a talent on its own that only people who understand art can grasp the concept. You can not teach that, you can only arrange circumstances around work and at some moment you have to just "let go" and amazing things can happen....you will get things/art who people who dont understand that process cant obtain. Its not obtained by hard work, maybe more by discipline to look for those moments and how to put yourself in that spot.

You can go an entire career with that talent but at some moment is going to come back and bite you in the ass, because in the long run in life hard work BEATS EVERYTHING

With that in mind Matt Damon could have never ever in his life be able to come up with characters like Jack Sparrow, he just doesnt have the tools or method to come up with that type of work. Hoever in the long run Matt Damon will have a way more impressive and solid career, and he will have more money too. Its very possible that artists like Johnny Depp will self destruct and not be happy at the end of life. Matt Damon will be more balanced.

This is all well articulated and I agree on most of your points. I disagree on one part of your final conclusion though because I think that over the course of several decades, we’ll see fairly unremarkable movies become lesser and lesser known and that Depp has more movies that would be likely to be watched for many generations as important works in terms of sheer quality or being genre-defining.

Thrn again what do I know; I’m of the opinion that Near Dark is an absolute must watch, yet you essentially can’t watch it without buying some foreign region DVD.

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

I don't know but Matt Damon has a much more punchable face and he's also played some character's that about as unlikeable as it gets.

 

[Proud American]

How is Matt Damon in the lead here people. Cmon now.

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

 

[Morning Star]

Saving Private Ryan and The Departed are my favorite 2 movies on there. Although Matt Damon did jack shit in SPR, he was a great asshole/villian in The Departed. Honestly I think he's pretty replaceable in almost all his roles. I could easily name a handful of actors that could do his job just as good if not much better. He's not a bad actor by any means, but I also don't think he's one of the greats.

Depp on the other hand really makes certain roles his own. I think he's far more talented and charismatic. He takes on a lot of odd work that doesn't necessarily interest me though.

 

[Kraysla]

Damon pretty easily.

 

[Anung Un Rama]

Damon might be the most underrated actor of the last 20 years. Do can do it all; his comedic chops are top notch.

 

[Madmick]

Donnie brasco and blow are prolly the best depp movies. Black mass was aiite as well and public enemies

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is Depp's best film.

#2 doesn't even make the poll because it's one of the most underrated movies of all time, and also one of the most rewatchable.

 

[Fox by the Sea]

howcome The Libertine, one of the best depp movies isn't there?

on topic - depp is the better actor, not even comparable when range comes into play
but damon is a smart dude and an effective actor, more of a tom cruise type
the comparison is wrong

 

[JSN]

howcome The Libertine, one of the best depp movies isn't there?

on topic - depp is the better actor, not even comparable when range comes into play
but damon is a smart dude and an effective actor, more of a tom cruise type
the comparison is wrong

How so? Cruise has 5000 level charisma. That makes him more similar to Depp imo.

 

[Fox by the Sea]

How so? Cruise has 5000 level charisma. That makes him more similar to Depp imo.

i meant the type of actor that carefully selects his career path and roles, this is the effective part of the comparison i talked about.

 

[Fedorgasm]

Depp chooses roles that look fun to play, even if the movie isn't that good. i.e. Edward scissorhands, ed wood, fear and loathing, pirates...

Matt damon plays more "normal" characters but in much better films.

I'd rather watch good films than good performances, so I guess Matt damon wins

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

I prefer Matt Damon movies to be honest. There more watchable.

 

[I Fusion I]

I'd generally pick Damon's movies over Depp's movies. But I also think Depp has the ability to make his characters way more memorable than any of Damon's.

this for me too