My continuing countdown of the Top 5 Most Underrated Actors Today

Number 2: Ryan Gosling

So this one is a little hard to explain why I believe he belongs on this list. My main reason is because everyone assumes all he should be, and is known for is the movie The Notebook. Well that is what got him into mainstream cinema. It is what officially launched his career, but it is not at all what shows his skills as an actor. He has done many movies that are very diverse, and very interesting. Most of his movies make you use your head more than anything, and are very cerebral.
I am going to start this list with one of my favorite movies Ryan Gosling has done, and also probably his most controversial film. It is a movie called The Believer. What it is essentially about is a man who is in his 20s who is a rabid anti-semite. But the real kicker to that isn't just that he is anti-semitic, but he is also Jewish himself. He plays this angry, confused, and torn young man. He constantly explains his hatred of the Jews, and wants to prove he hates them and wants nothing to do with them. At the same time, as we delve more and more into Goslings troubled figure we begin to see that his hatred may not be as complete as we first supposed. He begins to be forced to face who he is, and why his hatred may be wrong. I can't explain much more as to why this movie is a great film without giving away quite a lot, but trust me when I say it is worth watching. Gosling shows his acting chops in this one in a big way.

The next movie I'd like to showcase in his diverse career is a film called Lars And The Real Girl. This one is an interesting movie, and can, at times, make you downright uncomfortable but at the same time makes you truly love it for that very reason. Lars (Gosling) is a quiet, private man who works a very menial job, he lives in the garage outside of his brothers house where his brother and his pregnant wife live, and he is essentially very alone, but by his own design. Everyone in the town tries to bring him into their world and to try and get him out of his own little world, but he fights it, and finally, in an act of desperation to get people to leave him be, he orders a mail order life like woman doll. He gives her a name, backstory, and even has conversations with her. So what does everyone in town do? They accept it, and try and help Lars continue to keep his act up without missing a beat. Everyone welcomes her with open arms, and with the help of the town doctor, Lars begins to change and open slowly to the idea of people being in his life. This one is a wonderful and ultimately uplifting movie. Ryan Gosling is a delight as Lars, and a huge surprise that you want to like his character so much.

So those are the two main movies I recommend watching with Ryan Gosling in them. He has done a few others worth a brief mention though. They are, Fracture (great main stream movie with Gosling as a hot shot lawyer trying to put Anthony Hopkins in jail for murder), Stay (an interesting movie that is hard to explain and best left to be said that it is worth watching), Half Nelson (a fantastic little independant movie that almost got Gosling an Oscar nod with his wonderful performance as a teacher/basketball coach in the inner city and also a drug addict), and Blue Valentine (a new movie he is in with Michelle Williams basically a disection of a courtship and marriage that seems destined to fail despite its wonderful beginnings). So check out these films, and enjoy the great underrated actor that is Ryan Gosling. Honestly, do not see The Notebook if you haven't already unless you have a wife or girlfriend who just loves romantic movies. If you do have one of those though, get her to watch it with you, guaranteed points in her book. One other thing to keep in mind, The Believer and Half Nelson are NOT for the faint of heart. They are dark movies that have strong themes in them that honestly if you aren't keeping an open mind and trying to think as you watch them, you won't enjoy them. So hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. Tomorrow, number 1.....