Reply #22: Tom is a lousy actor

[Xithras]

Tom Hanks doesn't act. Acting is the art of assuming the role and personality of another. What Hanks does is play HIMSELF in every movie. From Bosom Buddies to Saving Private Ryan, Hanks always plays the same semi-comical, moderately introspective "everyman" character. That doesn't mean that he isn't good at what he does...John Wayne did essentially the same thing and is still famous today, long after his death, but there is no real creativity to his talent.

Think about it, could you EVER see Hanks in a role playing Hitler, giving a believable order to execute the Jews? Could you EVER see Hanks playing an autistic savant with even half of the believability that Hoffman pulled off in Rain Man? Would you be able to suspend your belief long enough to buy Hanks as an action movie hero?

Hanks reads lines well, but he doesn't act. He plays himself, and as long as America likes him, he'll continue to enjoy a great career out of that. But he'll never make the ranks of histories truly great actors.