DiCaprio vs Hanks , who ya got?

[travnole]

My college buddies and I have an ongoing debate whenever we get together every few years and try and determine who is the better actor of our time. We discuss Numerous actors but the conversation normally make its way back to this matchup and we can never decide.

Head to head, who ya got and why?

(and please try and refrain from saying neither of them it’s this other guy instead and go on a rant about someone not named Tom or Leo).

 

[artradley]

Tough call. I think DiCaprio might be the more technically talented actor, but Hanks has by far the more impressive body of work.

 

[Huey Grey]

Leo. His range is better.

 

[travnole]

Tough call. I think DiCaprio might be the more technically talented actor, but Hanks has by far the more impressive body of work.

yes, we start naming good movies/performances and it’s like a heavyweight slugfest.

“Catch Me if you Can” being the double knockout punch in the final round.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Leo. His range is better.

Tom. His range is better.

AND he survived coronavirus.

 

[artradley]

yes, we start naming good movies/performances and it’s like a heavyweight bout.

Catch me if you can?

* Philadelphia
* Forest Gump
* Saving Private Ryan
* Castaway
* Sleepless In Seattle
* The Green Mile
* Road to Perdition
* A League of Their Own

That’s just great movies off the top of my head, and before we cover cute little ones like Big and Splash, or his voice work on Toy Story, Polar Express, and others.

 

[hawkifann]

Tough call. I think DiCaprio might be the more technically talented actor, but Hanks has by far the more impressive body of work.

This. I got Hanks, but it's close.

 

[artradley]

Tom. His range is better.

AND he survived coronavirus.

By taking the Hydrox, no less!

 

[wilson reborn]

Tom. His range is better.

AND he survived coronavirus.

DiCaprio with Blood Diamond convinced me that he is a very serious actor. Had been a skeptic before that. But still have to go with Hanks, what a body of work.

 

[artradley]

DiCaprio with Blood Diamond convinced me that he is a very serious actor. Had been a skeptic before that. But still have to go with Hanks, what a body of work.

I first saw him in his debut: What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. My wife and I both left the theater talking about how great the young actor playing Gilbert’s brother was.

 

[HumbleP1e]

Tough call. I think DiCaprio might be the more technically talented actor, but Hanks has by far the more impressive body of work.

Hanks clearly has a tremendous catalogue, but I can name more than one ass crack of a film he starred in, and I'll posit Joe v. The Volcano as a clear nominee for one of the worst films I have ever seen just for starters. I can't name a single "bad" film Leo has been in. Let's not split hairs if you feel one was bad. I think my point is simply this: Leo had the higher floor (way higher), Tom has the higher ceiling, and they basically play a relative version of themselves in most of their works. They are both fantastic and frankly get their pick of he litter for film roles, so they damn well should have good catalogues. I give the edge to Leo.

On a related albeit unsolicited note, I think pound for pound your three best actors of recent memory are Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, and Daniel Day Lewis. I honestly think they could play almost any non-child role. I lump Day-Lewis into a group with Meryl Streep and the New England Patriots. They're good, but I'm not a fan. Hardy is tremendous, but Bale is the best actor for me. If he's in it, I will be watching it guaranteed.

 

[desihawk]

Leo for sure. Half the time the movie starts off with me thinking he’s totally unsuitable for a role but he always ends up owning it. He’s one of the greats at his craft. Hanks is alright.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

DiCaprio is overrated. No range. Hanks played Mr. Rogers, Gump and Sully.

 

[noleclone2]

 

[mooresville hawk]

Tom wins on Bosom Buddies alone!

 

[QChawks]

Hanks would be on the Mount Rushmore of actors

Leo is second tier

 

[Democratic Nole]

yes, we start naming good movies/performances and it’s like a heavyweight slugfest.

“Catch Me if you Can” being the double knockout punch in the final round.

 

[Menace Sockeyes]

DiCaprio is overrated. No range. Hanks played Mr. Rogers, Gump and Sully.

Hanks would be on the Mount Rushmore of actors

Leo is second tier

This and this. I’m shocked that this isn’t a Hanks rout.

 

[Titus Andronicus]

Calvin Candie, Jordon Belfort, Jay Gatsby, Jack Dawson, Romeo Montague, Frank Abagnale, ... and the list goes on!

David Ehrlich of Indie Wire reviewing "The Great Gatsby:"

... On one hand, Gatsby screams for a famous face, and Leonardo DiCaprio was as obvious a choice in 2013 as Robert Redford was in 1974. On the other hand, DiCaprio’s presence is endowed with its own unique import. The last movie star of the 20th century, DiCaprio has since become the only movie star of the 21st (at least so far as the Hollywood galaxy is concerned), and “The Great Gatsby” affords him the destructive gravity of a dying sun.

 

[HumbleP1e]

Hanks would be on the Mount Rushmore of actors

Leo is second tier

Maybe Tom would. But, aside from Forrest Gump and maybe Philadelphia isn't he basically being himself...? I don't disagree he's fantastic. But, see that as any different than say Sylvester Stallone or Arnold. That is not acting if someone wanted to split hairs. It is instead great CASTING. My scale, no one else needs to agree or follow, means you can make me believe you are someone you aren't. Hanks is tremendously cast in Saving Private Ryan, but his role appears and sounds like Tom in any interview. He's being an everyman, and he does it very very well.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

I think Leo is the better actor but Hanks entertains me more.

Neither are better than Daniel Day-Lewis though.

 

[HumbleP1e]

Calvin Candie, Jordon Belfort, Jay Gatsby, Jack Dawson, Romeo Montague, Frank Abagnale, ... and the list goes on!

David Ehrlich of Indie Wire reviewing "The Great Gatsby:"

... On one hand, Gatsby screams for a famous face, and Leonardo DiCaprio was as obvious a choice in 2013 as Robert Redford was in 1974. On the other hand, DiCaprio’s presence is endowed with its own unique import. The last movie star of the 20th century, DiCaprio has since become the only movie star of the 21st (at least so far as the Hollywood galaxy is concerned), and “The Great Gatsby” affords him the destructive gravity of a dying sun.

You, sir, get a gold star.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I like them both but Hanks a bit more.

When I’m watching DiCaprio act I always feel like I’m watching DiCaprio act. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but still.

My favorite Hanks movie is Apollo 13, followed closely by Bridge of Spies.

 

[Kakaw83]

My college buddies and I have an ongoing debate whenever we get together every few years and try and determine who is the better actor of our time. We discuss Numerous actors but the conversation normally make its way back to this matchup and we can never decide.

Head to head, who ya got and why?

(and please try and refrain from saying neither of them it’s this other guy instead and go on a rant about someone not named Tom or Leo).

No offense, but you and your college buddies sound kinda lame. I mean, who the fvck cares?

 

[HumbleP1e]

This and this. I’m shocked that this isn’t a Hanks rout.

I know when I go to a Tom Hanks film exactly what I am going to get. He is the McDonald's of acting (not meant as a dig necessarily). He's just really the same. No matter the role, I am getting Tom Hanks, and fortunately, he is really good as Tom Hanks.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

DiCaprio’s range:

DiCaprio as Jack Dawson
as Jack Dawson in Alaska
as Jack Dawson on Wall Street
as Jack Dawson doing a Boston accent
as Jack Dawson as an actor
as Jack Dawson in the Roaring 20s
as Jack Dawson mining Diamonds with a weird accent
Gilbert Grape

 

[HumbleP1e]

DiCaprio’s range:

DiCaprio as Jack Dawson
as Jack Dawson in Alaska
as Jack Dawson on Wall Street
as Jack Dawson doing a Boston accent
as Jack Dawson as an actor
as Jack Dawson in the Roaring 20s
as Jack Dawson mining Diamonds with a weird accent
Gilbert Grape

Lol. Solid.

 

[Menace Sockeyes]

When I’m watching DiCaprio act I always feel like I’m watching DiCaprio act.

THIS! I have said this EXACT same thing.

So many better actors right now than Leo: Lewis, Giammati, Buscemi, Sheen, De Niro, Cooper, etc.

 

[Hawk and Awe]

This is like asking ribeye vs NY strip.... and by that metaphor I mean it’s an easy answer.

Hanks is the ribeye of actors. Cannot be beat

 

[Jimmy McGill]

 

[Huey Grey]

Maybe Tom would. But, aside from Forrest Gump and maybe Philadelphia isn't he basically being himself...? I don't disagree he's fantastic. But, see that as any different than say Sylvester Stallone or Arnold. That is not acting if someone wanted to split hairs. It is instead great CASTING. My scale, no one else needs to agree or follow, means you can make me believe you are someone you aren't. Hanks is tremendously cast in Saving Private Ryan, but his role appears and sounds like Tom in any interview. He's being an everyman, and he does it very very well.

This is why I say that Leo has better range. Tom is Tom in every movie. Even Gump was Tom. But Leo's characters are often starkly different. There is literally no overlap between what he does in Gilbert Grape and Once Upon a Time.

 

[ThorneStockton]

Maybe Tom would. But, aside from Forrest Gump and maybe Philadelphia isn't he basically being himself...? I don't disagree he's fantastic. But, see that as any different than say Sylvester Stallone or Arnold. That is not acting if someone wanted to split hairs. It is instead great CASTING. My scale, no one else needs to agree or follow, means you can make me believe you are someone you aren't. Hanks is tremendously cast in Saving Private Ryan, but his role appears and sounds like Tom in any interview. He's being an everyman, and he does it very very well.

I thought this was really interesting about Hanks playing himself, being an everyman. It ringed true so I went to his imdb page.

I think you're mostly right, even when he plays someone extraordinary it's got a bit of that same relatable feel. Like as astronaut Jim Lovell or as congressman Charlie Wilson.

 

[artradley]

I thought this was really interesting about Hanks playing himself, being an everyman. It ringed true so I went to his imdb page.

I think you're mostly right, even when he plays someone extraordinary it's got a bit of that same relatable feel. Like as astronaut Jim Lovell or as congressman Charlie Wilson.

Yep. Forest Gump was his one real stretch. After that he’s like the old school actors (John Wayne, Bogart, Jimmy Stewart) and plays Tom Hanks.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Leo has definitely better range in one respect:

 

[seminoleed]

I don't see enough movies, so I don't qualify as any kind of expert. But I do know what I like.

I never saw one Leo's movies until Catch Me If You Can. (Nope, never saw Titanic or any other of his earlier films which are highly recommended). I only watched Catch Me because I lived in the apartment complex where he was always having parties, and prolly actually met the guy at some point). Anyhoo, since then, it seemed like every movie of his I saw he got better and better: The Aviator, The Departed, Blood Diamond, Shutter Island, Inception, topped off by his tour de force in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. PLUS, he's produced at least 2 other excellent films, Live by Night and the Deep Blue Goodbye. He's one of the very few I will actually pay at a theater when his movies come out.

None of this is to denigrate Hanks: his history speaks for itself. But where I see Leo getting better and better, Hanks just maintains the same steady (high) quality. Some of his stuff, like Dragnet, the Bonfire of the Vanities; and God help us, he produced Mama Mia. Frankly, some of his movies I had no interest in seeing at all, Sully and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood coming to mind immediately. He's been great in all the Dan Brown movies, but for those who talk about his "range", I'd take Leo's every time. Maybe it's just a case of choosing better vehicles to act in, I don't know, but I'll take DiCaprio every time.

Just one man's opinion, mind you.

 

[Gonolz]

Tom. His range is better.

AND he survived coronavirus.

Did he, or was he just acting like he had it? He is that good. Either way, Hanks gets the win.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Yep. Forest Gump was his one real stretch. After that he’s like the old school actors (John Wayne, Bogart, Jimmy Stewart) and plays Tom Hanks.

Scrubs...

 

[Gonolz]

Btw, the correct answer is Daniel Day Lewis.

 

[Black Lab Hawk]

Leo for sure. Half the time the movie starts off with me thinking he’s totally unsuitable for a role but he always ends up owning it. He’s one of the greats at his craft. Hanks is alright.

Hanks isn’t one of the greats at his craft in your view?

 

[FAUlty Gator]

I think Pitt is the better than both.