It appears to me, Paige, you are quite outnumbered in your views and assessment of Russel Crowe, as an actor.
Although some of his earlier work may be a bit lame, I feel that his more recent accomplishments starting in 1999, have for the most part been very successful and enjoyed by many, including myself.

Tony

I'm okay with Russell Crowe, I enjoyed him in "Gladiator".  Robin Williams is a favorite of mine, personally ("Hook" has been my all-time favorite movie for the last 17 years).  The only two people who are on my permanent ex list are Woody Allen and Donald Trump.  Trump is a jerk who can't keep his mouth shut (at least now he's laying lower), and Woody Allen's relationship with his adopted daughter-turned wife just creeps me out to no end.  I could never watch one of his movies.  Paul McCartney is teetering on the edge too with his behavior the last year or so.

Russell Crowe is the bees knees.  I'll dream about him even if I'm 89 and walk with a cane!

Russell has been my #1 favorite ever since Gladiator.  I saw a man who immersed himself in his character.  I then went back and watched all his previous movies and was totally hooked on his talent and how he prepared for his roles (excluding Virtuousity).  He excelled in Beautiful Mind, Master & Commander, Cinderella Man and 3:10 to Yuma.

He WAS a "bad boy" in his personal life, but has settled down and become an admirable husband and father.  I'm really looking forward to Body of Lies, and then State of Play and Nottingham in the future.

One of the main reasons I still wanna go to theaters to watch movies is RUSSELL CROWE! My favorites are Romper Stomper, LA Confidential, The Insider, Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, Master and Commander, and 3:10 to Yuma. I said to myself,"Jesus! This guy could play anything he wants so convincingly!" Yes, there are some of his personal behaviours that I dislike, but who cares?! I'm just a movie fan, not his mom, his sister, his wife, his girlfriend, his mistress, or his friend. What I see on the screen is what I get. And so far, what I've found was enjoyable and truly FANTASTIC!! What an actor, he's so brilliant and could embody his role perfectly. That's why when someone says he/she doesn't want to see his film because of his arrogance is beyond me. Sorry! The role of Capt Jack Aubrey seemed to be created only for him to play in a movie. He was really macho, funny, and charismatic beyond belief!

What I find truly enjoyable about him right now is that he seems more relaxed in his movie choices and does not appear to be too serious. He doesn't necessarily have to star in films with blah blah like Oscar Buzz, Oscar Bait or stuff like that. But that what makes it really really fun and enjoyable. He just plays along and has fun with the whole process. He doesn't have to play the main role to show how good he is. He can still be brilliant eventhough the role puts him as a second banana like in "The American Gangster" and "Body of Lies." It's wonderful to see how he enjoys marriage and family lives right now, so I guess he's mellowed. Cool for him!

I'm totally OK with those who dislike him whether as an actor or human being, dislike his movies, and those who disagree with me. Your choice, I don't mind. But I can only say one thing and it's gonna stand forever. RUSSELL CROWE IS ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST BRILLIANT ACTORS IN THE PLANET RIGHT NOW!    

I agree with the folks who feel that Russell Crowe is one of the finest film actors of all time. His performance in The Insider stands out above all the others, IMO - subtle, engrossing, poignant, universal - in a word, epic. He's stepped back from that level of intensity (perhaps temporarily) but I like to believe that his best work is still to come. He waited a long time to become a father and he's devoting himself to his family, bless him. What I admire about Russell Crowe, the man, is his introspection (evinced in his songwriting) and his determination to follow his own creative instincts. As Ridley Scott has said, he's complex, which is why we see such a diversity of opinion about him.  Very few people are lukewarm on the subject of Russell Crowe.      

Russell first came to  my notice on sleepless night back in the nineties when he caught my eyes in The Sum of Us. Back then, I said to myself: Hey, one day this guy will be a really great one.  As he has proved since then.

Gladiator – is still one of my favourites, after LA Confidential. After having watched it again and again, I still find new things to discover.

I don’t agree with your view on A Beautiful Mind. In my opinion Russell dived into his character in ABM. You don’t see him – you see John Nash.

“When did he become a seemingly pompous 'actor' type who did important films as though he were trying to emulate Tom Hanks’ career?” – Agreed.
“Lately, though, I’ve seen a little bit of the old Crowe resurfacing. I loved his nasty anti-hero (though hated the softy ending) in “3:10 to Yuma.” And though “American Gangster” was mediocre at best, its finest moments involved Crowe, who seemed more at home on the streets of New York than co-star Denzel Washington.” – ITA, I found it hard to stay awake during the film, often fell asleep.

Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion, I guess, but I have to disagree with the author of this article. Vince in L.A. said it best--he becomes the person he protrays.  I've never seen a more versatile or consistently excellent actor than Russell Crowe, and he dares take on roles as divergent as Romper Stomper and The Sum of Us.  I look forward to each new film he does, because I know it will be a quality performance.

I have to say that i have really enjoyed everthing that I have seen him in. I really enjoy the characters that he plays. Great job.

Russell Crowe is up there with Richard Burton, Dirk Bogarde, Spencer Tracy, Tom Hanks. Sometimes he makes a naff film like A Good Year, sometimes he excells like in 3:10 To Yuma. It seems he's cooled off from the bad boy image. Good. After all, he's only human.

Both Gladiator and Crowe's performance in it are...Oscar aside....continually underrated. The film has many levels and those who dismiss it as a toy or merely eye candy are actually saying more about their lack of perception than anything else. The movie embraces big themes and its no surprise that it resonates with many famous sportsmen and politicians.
He truly deserved the oscar for that role....because without his total conviction in the part the movie would have not have had a heart. He was a forcefield as Maximus.
I advise you to watch it again. A lot of the themes are very relevent to our world today.
Another favorite of mine is Cinderella Man. A terrific film and a great portrayal of a truly good man. (Very difficult to pull of successfully without being cloying.) The scene where he goes to beg for money to get his kids back is gut wrenching and one of his best ever. Its another film and performance which, given current problems, is topical regardless of being set in the past.

I hope the high-minded folks who will not watch his movies based on his personal behaviour also extend that criteria to Halle Berry, Kieffer Sutherland, Robert Downey Jr.,Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman and Jack Nicholson, amony other American actors, who have also proved less than ideal citizens.And of those who say he is arrogant, I have to wonder how many of them have actually seen him interviewed on Leno,Martha Stewart,etc. He is relaxed,warm,and very funny.
Personally I would pay money to hear him read from a phone book.He is the most exciting actor to emerge for decades.

Russell Crowe to me is the ultimate actor, man and father. He loves poetry, has a bad temper, loves his family, and puts his whole being into his craft.
I love everything he does. Even his "not so great" films to me are masterpieces simply because he is there. I watch him on shows like Jay Leno and David Letterman...he talks about his family, has a great sense of humour and appears to feel comfortable in his own skin. At 44 he is charming, sexy and fascinating. He has no equal.

Crowe, in my opinion, is the best male actor performing today.  From the frumpy Wigand to the beefy Gladiator, he's proven his versatility and willingness to take on challenging projects.  His bad-boy behavior tainted his career and for that along with the smear campaign of the movie, he lost the Oscar for A Beautiful Mind. Hollywood is a popularity contest and Crowe doesn't participate. I'd watch him read the yellow pages.

Even when a movie that Russell Crowe is in doesn't work so well, whatever character he plays is played to perfection. How could you not feel for John Biebe when he's removed from the Saturday Game to make way for a younger, faster player in Mystery,Alaska; despite the film's obvious and worn out plot devices? Who didn't secretly root for bad Ben Wade in 3:10 to Yuma? I have seen every one of Crowe's films and he is the only actor who plays characters that I ache to know more about after the movie has ended.

I actually saw him first in "The Quick and The Dead" which I loved!  He was thinner and still a 'newcomer' back then.

I love Russell Crowe, but the actor that totally wasted his talent was Mickey Rourke.  There was a time when I would havegladly paid the price of admission just to see him walk across the screen.  He too got his teeth into roles and would not let go, and then Bam, he lost it, just lost it.

I feel that "Cinderella Man" is Russell Crowe's best film and should become a classic.  Too bad it was so overlooked because he was judged on his behavior and not no his tremendous talent.  He truly becomes the character he portrays and gives his whole heart and soul to his profession.  Note: watch "Russell Crowe's Personal Journey: Becoming Jim Braddock" one of the bonus features of the "Cinderella Man" DVD.  

An early 90's film call "For the Moment" is the first time I layed eyes on Mr. Crowe.  His brilliance shown even then.  I've been a devoted fan ever since.

Loved him in Gladiator!  Loved him in Master and Commander!  Loved him in 3:10 to Yuma!  Loved him in Cinderella Man!  Loved him in A Beautiful Mind!  Loved him in the Quick and the Dead!  Haven't seen the others mentioned.  But I may be a little different from some of you because I choose to watch a movie  based on the subject matter, not on who is in it.  So I will probably never see Romper Stomper or some of the others mentioned in the article for that reason.  They are just not my cup of tea.  But I think the definition of an actor must be 'the ability to disappear into a role and to present yourself as that person for the duration of the piece', right?  And if that is the case, and you look at Mr. Crowe's body of work and observe the broad spectrum of characters he has inhabited (notice I didn't say 'played'), I would think you would HAVE to conclude that he is not only a good actor but a gifted one.

As far as looks are concerned, he's okay.  Not drop dead gorgeous in my opinion but not unattractive, either.  But you don't have to be good-looking to be talented or successful in Hollywood, do you?  And yes, he does have a nice voice but Sean Connery will always own my heart in the voice category.  Sorry, Russell.

There are lots of actors whose work I have enjoyed in the past and hope to enjoy again the future: Viggo Mortensen, Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Clint Eastwood, loved George Clooney in "O, Brother, Where Art Thou?"-what a hoot!, Sean Connery (fell in love with his voice before I ever really saw him.  I was doing something else while my husband was watching "The Man Who Would Be King").  And I didn't get the brouhaha on Brad Pitt's looks until his approach to the wagon in "Legends of the Fall", long blond hair streaming....  Oh, baby!, "Meet Joe Black" was disturbingly good!  Anyway, so I don't know that I can say I have one favorite actor of all time or that I would never miss any of their work.  What I can say, however, is that I very much enjoy losing myself in a great story that is well told/illustrated/portrayed by gifted people.  Meryl Streep, in "Out of Africa" was INCREDIBLE!  Loved the accent!  

Anyway, I could go on and on about this subject for quite awhile so I better stop.  So let me just conclude by saying "Thank You" to all of the people whose efforts go into great story-telling on film!  Keep up the GOOD work!

Renee'

I was one of those who intially ignored Russell Crowe ('The Insider' did nothing for me, but then again most of Michael Mann's work leaves me cold). It's only with 'Gladiator' onward that I learned to love Russell Crowe. But you obviously have forgotten his turn as Jack Aubrey in 'Master and Commander'. His performance in the film led me to the Patrick O'Brian novels, and having read the novels makes me treasure Crowe's performance more. He's the only modern actor I can think of who could not only embody Aubrey's physical presence, but his emotional complexity. As for 'American Gangster', just watch the scene where Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington are talking together. Denzel is railing against the Gods at top volume and Crowe just sits there, very quiet and self-contained. It's a badass moment.  

Hello,
in my opinion Russell is one of the best if not actually the very best actor ever. His ability to let us believe he 'becomes' the role he performs is absolutely terrific. His personal life does not belong to us but to himself only and to the people he decides to share his inner feelings with.

Look at all these comments.  Lotta love and hate for the Crowe-man.  "He's ugly", "He's pretty", "He's cool", "He's a dork".  
Superb actor, without a doubt one of the best around.  Anyone suggesting otherwise can't see past his or her nose, let alone objectively evaluate talent.  As for his off screen "volatility", one of those incidents cost him a second consecutive Academy Award for best actor, which was a shame.  Whether you're a saint, arsehole or in between shouldn't qualify or disqualify your work, merit thereof.  It's irrelevant.  
Saw him in a Monday Night Football interview a while back, seemed anything but the jerk he's been made out to be;  quiet, subdued, polite to the point of tedium.
Viva la Russ'.  Any buddy of Steve Irwin's is Ok with me.  Looking forward to "Body of Lies".  
 

He's a solid actor, but I don't find his characters to be challenging and I don't see signs of jaw-dropping acting brilliance that I see from an actor of Cate Blanchett's calibur or a number of british actors. He relies too much on emotion rather than actual technique so he can veer into hamminess at times.

Actors that I think are wasting away their talent:

Lindsay Lohan - The secret that Hollywood is hiding is that she's actually a capable actress, atleast before her destructive behavior post- Mean Girls.

Kate Beckinsale -Cold Comfort Farm, Last Days of Disco. Fantastic performances, so why does she do horror movies with Luke Wilson?

Great actor, straight shooter, would have a lager with the bloke any day. Looking forward to seeing the Rabitohs in Perth 2009.

Russell Crowe is the most, the best, the finest...words are not enough.  Even with the awful clunkers, "Breaking Up", "Proof of Life", (although I blame Meg Ryan for actually everything), there is always bits of the truth of that character.  He's changeable and always interesting.

I agree totally with Ann McCormick.  Russell Crowe is not just one of the finest actors - he is the finest!  I've been around for many generations of actors and think he ranks with the best.  When he plays a role he does become the character - so much so that I often forget I'm watching the actor. Guys like George Clooney and Brad Pitt should take lessons from him.

Russell Crowe is one of my favorite actors of all time (my other favs include Charlton Heston, Jimmy Stewart). I always look forward to Russell's movies, and I am rarely dissapointed.  I loved A Beautiful Mind, his performance was spot-on.  He is very transparent and has that rare ability to dissapear into roles.  Who cares if he threw a phone or is a hothead?  All I want him to do is act for me.  And that he does!

Ditto on "Master and Commander" FABULOUS film, wonderfully acted and a shame the 'studio' feels that making a lot of crumby fluff for $$$ outweighs something that brillant.. Russell Crowe is excellent.

If it's arrogance to insist on striving for the highest possible artistic standards, and to remain true to one's self instead of playing Hollywood suck-up-o-phant games, then God Bless Russell Crowe for his arrogance. It works! His only commitment in his professional life is to excellence in his work. And that is ALL he owes to his audience. The last thing he owes a total stranger (and we are, by and large, all total strangers as far as Mr. Crowe or any other movie actor is concerned) is any kind of concern over what you think are ideal standards of personal behaviour. You want Mr. Nice Guy? Stick to watching Mr. Rogers' Neighbourhood reruns.

BTW, if you truly hate watching arrogant pricks onscreen, I suggest you avoid ever again watching MY FAIR LADY or DOCTOR DOLITTLE. Rex Harrison was notorious for being one of the most unpleasant people ever to work in front of the camera.

I admire the prodigious talents of Russell Crowe tremendously, both in his major and better-known roles ("The Insider," "Gladiator, "A Beautiful Mind," "Master and Commander," "Cinderella Man," "3:10 to Yuma," "American Gangster") and in some lesser known or underappreciated films. In his earlier career, he was low-key and affecting in the odd but compelling 1991 Australian film "Proof." As for his recent endeavors, I thoroughly enjoy his charming and playful Max Skinner in "A Good Year"--maybe because Russell Crowe and a vineyard in France are my ideas of heaven!

Crowe is a good actor.period..  He may not hit the mark everytime out.  but I love that he thinks outside the box with his choices. Crowe worst is far better than some actors best. In gladiator he put a face on the hero, which was his job in the film.  

In my opinion, you're way off base re: "A Beautiful Mind." I doubt that anyone whose life has been touched in any way by mental illness snoozed through that movie. Are you young, by chance?  :-)

I'm a psychiatric nurse. On our unit, we show "A Beautiful Mind" to our clients. It's a great educational tool as well as a profoundly effective Stigma Buster.

And Russell Crowe is one of my favorite actors! How dare someone not think he is one of the handsomest men on the planet?

Right On!, Heather from VA (the first post)

Crowe is just ugly, I'm sorry and I think he probably did Meg Ryan dirty,... he's a JERK in my opinion from throwing telephones, criticizing George Clooney for advertising overseas, making money when Crowe himself makes money from his awful band.

The man is just a JERK and I could care less how good an actor he is!!!!  He is not a good enough actor to convince me that he isn't a JERK and an ugly one at that!!  Send him packing back to Australia with his precious family that he throws phones about!!!!!!

I never was that wild about Russell Crowe, with all the scenery-chewing.  But I saw a different side of him in Riddley Scott's "A Good Year," and fell in love.  It was so refresing to see him do a light comedy.  He always appeared to have a wicked sense of humor, but I'd never seen him so likeable in a movie role.  He really should do more comedies, because he has a real talent for it.

It's too bad LOTR won all those oscars and overshadowed Master & Commandor (which was nomiated for 10)  If you've never seen it, do.  You'll love Russell Crowe's abilities, if not the man himself, after that.  Guaranteed.

can't stand him, have never seen and will never see a movie with him in it period.

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