Bill Murray

Fresh off a win at Cannes for his latest movie, Broken Flowers, can there be any doubt that Bill Murray is making a strong play for Most Underrated Actor Of All Time? Check out his imdb.com page. The guy’s filmography is amazing (Ghostbusters II being the exception that proves the rule). His movies not only connect with audiences, but receive almost universally high marks critically. The best part of it? He has done this not by suppressing his natural comedic gifts a la Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting, but by refining them to the point of being able to carry a movie on their strength alone. In other words, he’s being himself. I’m not taking anything away from Williams’ performance in Good Will Hunting (a movie that gets better and better every time I see it, by the way) but the general reaction was, “Amazing! Robin Williams isn’t bouncing off the walls!” But with a film like Lost In Translation, the remarkable thing was how comfortable the naturally-funny Bill Murray was in the lead. So when the day is over, what does Murray bring to the screen? Honesty. And as George Burns once said (about sincerity, actually), if you can fake that, you’ve got it made.

P.S. My dream role for Bill Murray: villain in a Quentin Tarentino movie. Think of a cross between Dr. Evil and Elle Driver. Awesome. Both with eyepatches by the way. Hmm, didn’t even notice that till right now. Bill should wear an eyepatch too.

P.P.S. OK. Dr. Evil doesn't have an eyepatch. But he does have a flesh monocle, which is almost like an eyepatch.