Edward Norton is the kind of guy you look at in one light and think he’s kind of a nerd and couldn’t possibly hurt anyone or even defend himself if it came down to it. Then you look at him in another light and think that perhaps you wouldn’t want to be walking on the same side of the street as him. He’s that talented and he’s that scary at times since he can switch things up pretty quickly and be your best friend or your worst nightmare depending on what role he has to take on. After some of the roles he’s taken it’s hard to look at him as a weakling anymore.
It’s easy to see him as an accomplished actor though.
5. Rounders
Worm is the best friend that gladly ruins your life and then just bails on you all while claiming its ride or die or that you’re his best friend or blah, blah, blah. In any case this is the best friend that you don’t keep after they go away for a while no matter how good it is to see them once they’re back. They become a weight tied around your ankle, or worse yet, your neck, and will drag you down to survive.
4. Primal Fear
You have to wonder just what goes on in the mind of those who are criminally insane and seem to think that it’s okay to fake a multiple personality disorder while using it as a defense against murder. The cold-blooded and calculating mind that would think such a thing up is the kind of mind that would perhaps enjoy torturing household pets and seeing just what it’s like to dissect a live cat. Shudder city.
3. Red Dragon
Think about how long it took Clarice Starling to get used to Hannibal Lecter when they communicated through the glass, now think of how Will Graham must have felt after surviving an encounter with the man. It’s not everyone that can come out of a meeting with Lecter and still hold onto their life. Of course he was hospitalized for a while but hey, he gave as good as he got. Maybe Clarice could use a lesson or two.
2. American History X
Derek was about as hardcore a character as Norton has played. This is the guy you don’t want to look at cross-eyed for fear of what he might do after thinking that you’re insulting him. He does go through a period of doubt that leads into a revelation that he’s been wrong all this time, but what he has to lose at the end is so much worse than anything he willingly gave up while being consumed by hatred.
1. Fight Club
THIS-IS-EPIC. I don’t care what anyone says about this movie, it’s one of his absolute best since attempting to get into the mindset of what it would take to act like this is virtually impossible for a lot of people. You would literally have to kick your own butt all across the office and then be able to turn that crazy off when it was all done with. This was an awesome performance.
Edward Norton is in fact a master of his craft.
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