In terms of acting Dennis Quaid seems somewhere between the utility actor that can pop in and play just about any part and the nice guy that’s there to lift the film up when it’s feeling down. Those might seem like odd descriptions but if you really look at the roles he’s played you might see the trend. In any case he’s been given some very interesting roles throughout his career and has played them all with the same kind of zeal and attitude that has earned him a spot as one of the greats in Hollywood. There have been moments when his fame doesn’t seem to have been on the rise as much but overall he’s won his fair share of awards and has been a noted and very valued member of the acting elite in his lifetime. He’s had a few stinker movies here and there, but to be honest he’s still just as reliable as ever.
Here are some of his best movies.
5. Wyatt Earp
Let’s be honest, when you play the character of Doc Holliday you’re going to get a few looks since the character is one that stands out in legends of the old west and is expected to be played with some hint of realism that brings him to life. Now it can be said that he didn’t really manage to top Val Kilmer’s depiction but Dennis did just fine in his own right as he portrayed the gambling, drinking, and altogether troublemaking individual that was also a very good friend of the legendary Wyatt Earp. If not for Doc, Earp’s legend would still be there, but it would be missing a very important figure.
4. Great Balls of Fire
Jerry Lee Lewis was someone that a lot of people loved and just as many people couldn’t stand since he was playing the type of music that some people considered positively sinful. In fact it was said more than once during his time that he and all those that sang the songs and played the music they did were going to hell at one point. It was a very different time back then however, and if people were up in arms over this music just think of how they would have reacted had hip hop or alternative music had come along earlier. Lewis was a visionary, but also kind of a troubled man since despite coming from a religious family he didn’t always get along with the church since he was more of a rebel and less of a follower. He was a genius when it came to music, but kind of a mess at life sometimes.
3. Innerspace
This movie was just hilarious since the science is so far out there that you don’t even worry about checking the applications or possibilities and the humor was perfect for the time period it was made in. It’s kind of hard to see Martin Short and Dennis Quaid in a movie side by side, but for much of this movie they weren’t so it kind of worked. Plus there’s the fact that since Quaid is literally inside Short as a miniaturized version he can control just about anything Short says, does, or feels. That would be kind of a creepy feeling don’t you think? Some folks have to worry about their own inner voices bothering them, this would take that to a whole new level.
2. Any Given Sunday
This is something that just about every NFL star quarterback worries about when they start getting older and banged up on a regular basis. Being replaced by the younger guy is a natural progression, but it still kind of hurts a person’s pride since it means that they’re getting ready to be put out to pasture so to speak and need to keep producing in the same way they used to. In the NFL however time is the one thing you can’t bargain for since there’s no one that can pay you any such thing as bonus years to your life or bring back the feeling in your knees or back once you get hit too many times. It’s a business, and if you can’t produce then you’re not considered a wise investment.
1. The Rookie
Dreams are what make life worth living. Okay, that was from Rudy admittedly, but it’s as true in this movie as it was there. Jim is perhaps the oldest rookie to ever enter into the MLB in the movies, but he’s still one of the best. The only problem is that he has a family to support and the low pay in the minors isn’t nearly enough to pay the bills. When he tries to quit and go home however his wife reminds him that this is his dream, and that he can’t back out of it now. Jim then plays for two more seasons before retiring. It’s an inspiring movie really.
Dennis Quaid is that guy that is just as reliable now as he was back in the day.
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