Sean Penn‘s Flag Day (UA Releasing, 8.13) has opened in Cannes to pretty good reviews. These Cote d’Azur tributes led me to a realization that the 40th anniversary of Taps, in which Penn gave his first significant (if supporting) performance, isn’t far off. And so…
Am I a bigger fan of Penn’s acting than his efforts at directing? Yes. How many of his performances over the past 40 are serious keepers? By my count, 16. The stellar award-worthy perfs mixed with the likable, even-toned mezzo-mezzos. Here’s my list:
1. Jeff Spiccoli (stoner) in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (’82)…certainly.
2. Daulton Lee (drug dealer, seller of CIA intelligence reports to Russians in Mexico City) in The Falcon and the Snowman (’85)…no question.
3. Brad Whitewood, Jr. in At Close Range (’86)…Chris Walken owns this film, but Penn was a close second.
4. Officer Danny McGavin in Dennis Hopper‘s Colors (’88).
5. Sgt. Tony Meserve in Brian DePalma‘s Casualties of War (’89).
6. Terry Noonan in Phil Joanou‘s State of Grace (’90)…not a towering performance but an abovep-average one.
7. Frizzy-haired David Kleinfeld in Brian DePalma‘s Carlito’s Way (’93).
8. Death row prisoner Matthew Poncelet in Tim Robbins‘ Dead Man Walking (’95).
9. Eddie in Anthony Drazan‘s Hurlyburly (’98) — a better play than a film, but Penn was exceptional.
10. Sgt. Welsh in Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line (’98).
11. Emmet Ray in Woody Allen‘s Sweet and Lowdown (’99) — Django Reinhardt meets La Strada.
12. James “Jimmy” Markum in Clint Eastwood‘s Mystic River (’03).
13. Paul Rivers in Alejandro G. Inarritu‘s 21 Grams (’03).
14. Tobin Keller in Sydney Pollack‘s The Interpreter.
15. Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant‘s Milk (’08).
16. Joseph Wilson in Doug Liman‘s Fair Game (’10).
What films, if any, have I unfairly omitted? I’ve tried to be tough here — strictly doubles, triples and homers…no singles or bunts.