Nick Cage vs Jeff Daniels..

My other star vs star thread is still going, so I thought this would be worth discussing.

This week, ION-TV has been running a movie called Adaptation. It stars Meryl Streep and Nicholas Cage...in a double role, no less. While the movie seems to alternate between being a snooze-fest and vaguely interesting (tho only when Ms. Streep is "on-stage"), I thought "whoever came up with the idea of Nicholas Cage as two brothers in one film is an idiot. 1 Nicholas Cage per movie, is 1 too many. But this film (luckily for Mr. Cage) makes him look really bad as an actor....and thankfully no one will sit through it.

ION-TV is also running a movie called Blood Work, with Clint Eastwood and Jeff Daniels. So I got to thinking....and here is where the Cage vs Daniels part FINALLY comes in, is there any movie role where Jeff Daniels COULD NOT do a better job than Nicholas Cage?

I like Nicholas Cage. So to answer your question: yes.

The only Nicholas Cage movie I like is Raising Arizona, if only for this scene:

Mr. Cage with with Huggies, in hose, police in pursuit. Perfect.

I liked Adaptation. I thought he played the schizo part (he doesn't actually have a brother) well. I also liked matchstick men.

Oh no, not the bees! Not the bees! Argh! Oh no, my eyes! They're in my eyes! Aaaaarrrrgh!

Nicholas Cage can be a very good actor...when he wants to be. For every "good" Nicholas Cage role (Matchstick Men, Lord of War, Raising Arizona) there are at least two other very, very bad ones (Knowing, Bangkok Dangerous, Ghost Rider, The Wicker Man, The Weather Man, The Family Man...)

His role in "Kick Ass" as Big Daddy was a tossup. He was SUPPOSED to be bad, so it was actually good.

Meanwhile, I think Jeff Daniels is very underutilized. He's an actor that can play a wide variety of roles, but always ends up in some small, less significant or supporting role (with a few exceptions).

I think Nicholas Cage is a creepy looking dude who can't act.

I think Jeff Daniels is awesome in everything I've seen him in, from Gettysburg to Midnight in Escanaba.

Hmm, I wasn't watching Adaptation closely enough to pick up on the fact that Nicholas Cage's character was really 1 schizo personality. Unfortunately, I was only able to notice that Mr. Cage should have visited "The Hair Club" about 25 years ago (really bad "comb-overs" in this movie) and that he wasn't at all an attractive character/characters even Ms. Streep's character kept jumping into the sack with the "Orchid Man".

Here's my take on it:

Adaptation was directed by Spike Jonz.

Raising Arizona was directed by the Coen Brothers.

There's the answer to the "Nick Cage was good in a couple of movies" anomaly. A talking pile of bellybutton lint could've nailed either of those roles with the proper direction.

I may not like everything Jeff Daniels has done, but I love a lot of stuff he's done.

zomby woof wrote: I liked Adaptation. I thought he played the schizo part (he doesn't actually have a brother) well.

Yes.

"You are what you love, not what loves you."

integraguy wrote: Hmm, I wasn't watching Adaptation closely enough to pick up on the fact that Nicholas Cage's character was really 1 schizo personality. Unfortunately, I was only able to notice that Mr. Cage should have visited "The Hair Club" about 25 years ago (really bad "comb-overs" in this movie) and that he wasn't at all an attractive character/characters even Ms. Streep's character kept jumping into the sack with the "Orchid Man".

If you cared enough to follow the movie, I might be inclined to consider what you have to say about it.

We got no food, no jobs... our PETS' HEADS ARE FALLING OFF

poopshovel wrote: Here's my take on it: Adaptation was directed by Spike Jonz. Raising Arizona was directed by the Coen Brothers. There's the answer to the "Nick Cage was good in a couple of movies" anomaly. A talking pile of bellybutton lint could've nailed either of those roles with the proper direction. I may not like everything Jeff Daniels has done, but I love a lot of stuff he's done.

I am not sure I agree with that. Cage's natural "droning" style was put to very good use in Raising Arizona (or maybe it was Utah?). What most people don't like about his acting, was the high point of his performance.

"I'll take these Huggies, and whatever you got there in the register..."

Of course, I would have to say Goodman kind of stole that movie.

Gale: All right, ya hayseeds, it's a stick-up. Everybody freeze. Everybody down on the ground.

Feisty Hayseed: Well, which is it, young feller? You want I should freeze or get down on the ground? Mean to say, if'n I freeze, I can't rightly drop. And if'n I drop, I'm a-gonna be in motion. You see...

Gale: Shut up!

Feisty Hayseed: Okay then.

Gale: Everybody down on the ground!

Evelle: Y'all can just forget that part about freezin' now.

Gale: Better still to get down there.

Evelle: Yeah, y'all hear that, don't ya?

[Everybody lays down. Gale looks at the now-empty teller windows]

Gale: S#%t! Where'd all the tellers go?

Teller's voices: We're down here, sir.

Evelle: They're on the floor as you commanded, Gale.

aircooled wrote:

poopshovel wrote: Here's my take on it: Adaptation was directed by Spike Jonz. Raising Arizona was directed by the Coen Brothers. There's the answer to the "Nick Cage was good in a couple of movies" anomaly. A talking pile of bellybutton lint could've nailed either of those roles with the proper direction. I may not like everything Jeff Daniels has done, but I love a lot of stuff he's done.

I am not sure I agree with that. Cage's natural "droning" style was put to very good use in Raising Arizona (or maybe it was Utah?). What most people don't like about his acting, was the high point of his performance. "I'll take these Huggies, and whatever you got there in the register..." Of course, I would have to say Goodman kind of stole that movie. Gale: All right, ya hayseeds, it's a stick-up. Everybody freeze. Everybody down on the ground. Feisty Hayseed: Well, which is it, young feller? You want I should freeze or get down on the ground? Mean to say, if'n I freeze, I can't rightly drop. And if'n I drop, I'm a-gonna be in motion. You see... Gale: Shut up! Feisty Hayseed: Okay then. Gale: Everybody down on the ground! Evelle: Y'all can just forget that part about freezin' now. Gale: Better still to get down there. Evelle: Yeah, y'all hear that, don't ya? [Everybody lays down. Gale looks at the now-empty teller windows] Gale: S#%t! Where'd all the tellers go? Teller's voices: We're down here, sir. Evelle: They're on the floor as you commanded, Gale.

Agreed on all counts. I suppose he was sort of "right" for that role. See also: Good casting.

is there any movie role where Jeff Daniels COULD NOT do a better job than Nicholas Cage?

yes, Jeff Daniels would not have been better in Valley Girl.

I think Cage was good in Face/Off. I couldn't see Daniels doing that role.