HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE DE NIRO?: BACKDRAFT, GUILTY BY SUSPICION
The 70's is commonly known as one of the best decades ever for film, and the primary reason given is that many talented directors were given relatively free reign to do ambitious, risky films. What is less commented on is the 70's were also fruitful for actors coming of age in that time, who helped make those risky films successful. Jack Nicholson, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, and Al Pacino all became major stars from the late 60's through the mid-70's because of ambitious films like, respectively, FIVE EASY PIECES, THE CONVERSATION, STRAW DOGS, and THE GODFATHER I&II. For many people, however, the most talented of these actors was Robert De Niro.
De Niro had done a few underground movies until his breakthrough in MEAN STREETS (1973), playing the psychotic Johnny Boy. It also began one of the most fruitful partnerships in movies, teaming him with director Martin Scorsese. Where Scorsese was hyper and well-spoken, De Niro was reserved and, off-screen and often on, spoke carefully and slowly. Yet these two New Yorkers fit together tremendously, especially with the landmark films TAXI DRIVER (1976) and RAGING BULL (1980). The latter, of course, cemented De Niro's reputation as a meticulous actor, since Scorsese shut down production so De Niro could gain weight for his role as Jake La Motta. This won him the Oscar for Best Actor.
De Niro's collaborations with Scorsese since then have remained interesting and challenging, regardless of their quality. However, as with other actors of that decade, he's had to suffer from the fact that the scripts offered him have no longer been as good, and neither the roles nor the movies are as good. When that happens to any good actor, you of course feel disappointed for him. What makes it especially disappointing in this case is De Niro originally seemed to be the choosiest of actors. Even in the 80's, considered one of the worst decades of films, he only made a few bad films (ANGEL HEART, WE'RE NO ANGELS) or weak films (TRUE CONFESSIONS, FALLING IN LOVE), and even in those, you could see the potential for a good film, just poor execution. 1991 brought his seventh collaboration with Scorsese, the excellent CAPE FEAR, but it also brought two failures - Ron Howard's BACKDRAFT and Irwin Winkler's GUILTY BY SUSPICION - and in both cases, you had to wonder, "What the hell is De Niro doing?"
BACKDRAFT is especially hard to fathom. This movie serves as the paradigm of 90's Hollywood movies - great special effects to hide a so-so story. What's even more amazing - besides the fact that De Niro agreed to do this movie - is that Howard directed this film. After all, whatever faults you may have with him as a director, he's always been more concerned with story, even in his special effects films (SPLASH, COCOON). But while the fires in this story are pretty (the title refers to a certain kind of fire), the rest of the movie sure isn't.
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