Ryan Gosling Vs. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Is this not why you are here? Are you not entertained?
By James Brady Ryan
The Contestants
Ryan Gosling and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are both young actors poised to make it to the A-list if they play their cards right. Both have established indie cred, both are considered thinking person's sex symbols, and both had... less than fantastic beginnings, let's say. Is there room for two at the top of Hollywood? Sure. But let's pit them against one another anyway.
The Best
Mysterious Skin
“The kid from 3rd Rock From the Sun did what?” That was the general reaction when Joseph Gordon-Levitt broke out from his sitcom roots with an unexpectedly sober Gregg Araki drama about two victims of molestation. Gordon-Levitt brought a sinewy sexuality to Neal that probably made a lot of people both turned-on and uncomfortable, and rightly so. The obvious parallel between Neal's attraction to older men and the psychic trauma inflicted by the hands of his little-league coach could have seemed ham-handed if JGL hadn't sold Neal's bravado quite so well. And the final scene between Gordon-Levitt and Brady Corbett is quietly heartbreaking.
Brick
In lesser hands, the unwieldy dialogue of Rian Johnson's teen-noir whodunnit would have landed with Juno levels of unreality. But even if we didn't get every word — they talk really fast in this movie — JGL sells it well. (Plus, this time you didn't feel at all conflicted about finding him sexy.) Brick could have played as ridiculous, or just emptily clever, but Gordon-Levitt's world-weary performance gives it real gravity.
Inception
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is obviously an attractive guy — but his looks haven't really changed since 10 Things I Hate About You. Yet somehow, people who’d thought he was “cute” for a decade saw him in Inception and called him “hot.” Arthur is a small role, but Gordon-Levitt makes the most of it, with a smoldering cool that seems straight out of the 1950s. If that was the first glimpse into what we’ll see from grown-up Gordon-Levitt, he’s going to have an amazing career.
Half-Nelson
“The kid from The Mickey Mouse Club did what?” If Gosling showed promise in The Believer — which he did as a Jewish neo-Nazi — then he delivered on it in Half-Nelson, as an inner-city teacher who's also a drug addict. Gosling's fantastic chemistry with Shareeka Epps, who plays the one student who knows of his habit, is complicated, natural, and downright arresting. Gosling was nominated for an Oscar for his work in this film, in a rare Academy nod to moral ambiguity, and he earned it.
Blue Valentine
I have friends who actually swear that Ryan Gosling's work in this film changed their life, or at least massively affected them, and it's not hard to see why. Gosling here delivers the opposite of The Notebook, a painful picture of a man falling in and inexorably out of love. Cry as you see his deeply depressing sex scene! Swoon as you watch him play the ukulele! Cringe as you get to witness a future in which his hairline recedes like the waters before a tsunami! Movies where characters jump from one stage of their life to another can be jarring, but Gosling keeps his performance utterly grounded and painfully believable.
Drive
Gosling may be doing his best Marlon Brando here — he's even admitted that he made himself talk more like the man — but god damn, he does it well. His character — never given a name in the film — is a compressed piece of rock, rarely showing emotion and speaking only when necessary. It's in the silence that Gosling shines, imbuing emotion where others might just clench their jaw and call it a day.
Commentarium (90 Comments)
maybe i'm too drunk, but the sub-caption to this had me cracking up for way too long
Me too! Best part of the article.
Agreed.
JGL no contest. Been a fan of his for a long time, since 3rd rock. I think he's a very talented actor who is always taking on new and different projects while challenging both himself and we the audience, and has a knack for picking very thoughtful roles.
Gosling? I don't hate the guy or have anything against him, I just have yet to see him do something where I'm like "Yeah! He's awesome/so great in this yeah!." Drive has been getting good reviews and I've been meaning to see it. Ides Of March does look promising. And I gotta say, every article about Gosling and the way everyone talks about the guy, it's always smoke blown up his ass as if he was the second coming. He's just a dude people. I'm sure a good dude,but just a dude.
Watch The Believer. His true beast performance. I know he has more ranger than JGL, but both are character actors. They're not movie stars. Gosling has yet to hit big in the box office, well, The Notebook, but that was fodder for teenage girls. If you ask me, Both will be greta for years to come.
JGL. just watch his snl appearance.
He didn't have to do that musical number, but he did and now I love him.
I have to throw in another vote for JGL for pulling off that zero gravity fight scene in Inception.
It should also be said, I've seen more of JGL's stuff than Goslings, but what little of Goslings I have seen, just not seeing it/feeling it folks, he may be suffering from a little bit of overhype too soon.
Gosling is infinitely more attractive but I may be more impressed with JGL's acting abilities. I swooned over Blue Valentine though. Tough!
I think JGL is more attractive/cuter, love his dimples ~~
JGL
JGL
JGL...
Ryan Gosling.
Gosling for the win. His three best are far better than JGL's three best. For Blue Valentine alone he should walk this
JGL. Because Gosling has had a nose job.
Ryan Gosling has a nose job?
Yah, check out awful plastic surgery sites. He's wonderful in Blue Valentine, though.
There's a special place in hell reserved for 500 Days of Summer, one of the most horrible films I've ever seen.
I agree. I like JGL but 500 days of summer is pure crap. Watched it thrice (because of friends). First two times I fell asleep halfway through the film. Third time I was wearing a look on my face that says "this is of Justin Bieber quality".
"(500) days of Summer" is listed as worst? What's the matter with you?!!?!
And listing "Inception" above "The lookout".... :|
JGL. Talking about JGL's career without "The lookout" and the recent "50/50" is such shortcomings. His three best should be "Mysterious skin", "50/50" and "Brick". I like Ryan Gosling too, but JGL is still my fav.
PS: "(500) Days of Summer" is really good, just not everyone's type, but people love it. While choosing "the worst", I think you shouldn't use your unpopular option.
It's not an unpopular opinion, there are a lot of people that recognize that 500 Days of Summer tries to hide that it is a trite, cliched movie with weak characters by throwing a lot of gimmicks on the screen.
JGL knocked Brick out of the park. He also burned up the screen, laid down a marker, and three other cliches for giving a great performance.
More people really need to see Brick. One of his best performances and a very unique film.
Also almost no one saw "Hesher", pretty limited release I think, but JGL played a borderline deranged but totally believable metalhead in that to great effect. Check it out if you haven't seen it. All told the movie had a somewhat cheesy conclusion but his performance is very strong. Here's a scene from it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_rCbd7LDdo
How can Drive be on the good list? It was 2 hours of people staring at each other, interspersed with ultra-violence. I've never known ultra-violence to be so boring.
No Lars and the Real Girl? That's one of Gosling's best.
For real.
girl.
It was
Fourthed.
Definitely!
Both the guy are really good. But I must choose Joe, my most favourite.
JGL's best movie is Hesher by a mile. Also, Half-Nelson sucks (moral ambiguity? I'd call it narrative ambiguity), but I'll agree to disagree since at least you didn't drink the Kool Aid on 500 Days of Summer. The last 15 minutes almost ruined the entire thing (which I'd mostly enjoyed up until that point).
Gosling wins hands down because he's got Dead Man's Bones.
Not a JGL fan. A little too smug, and too much overacting for my taste. Seems too theater for cinema. Gosling is guilty of overacting as well, but he can nail subtlety in his quieter scenes, even in a movie like Crazy Stupid Love. JGL's quieter scenes feel a bit too contrived.
Oh well, they're both hot and trying to maintain integrity, nothing wrong with that.
JGL, "50/50" won me, never cry so hard at a movie like this.
Have people seen Stay with Gosling?
It wasn't that great but I liked him in it.
I thought this Gosling guy was the ugly guy with 8 kids or something on that old reality tv show?
That was JOHN. And that guy is Asian or something.
JFC! That sounds so racist when I wasn't trying to be...my point was that this John dude has ethinicity to him and Ryan doesn't, so it's obvious that they aren't the same people. Oy!!
JGL and RG sandwich, please.
Hells yes.
I don't know why I don't love JGL more...he's got fantastic cheek bones as well as decent movies under belt. I personally love (500) Days of Summer. But alas, I've been sucked in by Ryan Gosling's fabulous abs from Crazy Stupid Love. Not to mention that ~the Gos~ also has a few decent movies under belt as well. He could be the lamest D-lister, and I'd still be voting for those abs. Sorry JGL.
It's always the abs.
They are both deeeelicious. I'm currently using this article's photo for my computer background...how am I ever going to get anything done?
Do I have to choose? I want both!
Looks like most people are finally realizing (500) Days of Summer sucked horribly. Only took two years.
You forgot about The Believer. His best performance to date. No question.
I like JGL but he should stick with indie films, his best work. He was also superb in The Lookout, but I gotta give the edge to Gosling only because he has done well enough to get a ton of buzz this past few months.
Can't choose.
Also 550 Days of summer is good.
You forgot about Hesher. It's really brilliant.
JGL because of "Manic", one of my favorite movies of all time.
You missed a lot of JGL's films.
Films of his he is excellent in:
50/50
Hesher
(500) Days of Summer
Stop-Loss
The Lookout
Brick
Mysterious Skin
Manic
Also, Joseph has not really become fully mainstream yet, he's 75% there. Gosling has come to "the mainstream" (whatever you define that as) already.
2012 will be the completion of JGL's shift to mainstream actor because of the two leading roles, one main supporting role and another supporting role, all in wide-release films as opposed to independent.
Ryan Gosling. I love JGL as well, but it's no competition. Joseph isn't anywhere near as great as Gosling
Have you seen his best films? "50/50" even won over "Drive" for me.
I feel as if Nerve turned a 180 and started hating 500 Days of Summer mostly because of the Zooey Deschanel hate kool aid here. And I think because Nerve, hipster as it is, is trying to become more hipster by hating one of the most popular hipster movies.
Actually, its the film that made me, for the first time, think maybe she wasn't so enchanting. I had no objection to JGL's performance. But I hated the movie.
@lh blah blah hipster blah blah nerve sucks blah blah. get something original to say or gtfo. i'm so sick of hearing that word tossed around by people that can't think of a better descriptor or insult.
But that's the only thing the Koch brothers pay me to say.
Ok, is this Gosling guy really attractive? I am straight male, but I know male beauty when I see it, and that is not male beauty. His eyes lack symmetry and the lines of his head seem disproportionate or off or something, like it's his head that loses and gains weight the most.
You're definitely gay.
Too funny.
ggg is either gay or insanely jealous of gosling.
I was thinking I was the only one that saw Gosling's face is lacking symmetry.
ggg is definitely right about it. Every time I see a picture of him I feel kinda irritated because of this uneven look.
so you're gonna suffer haha...
Heart for JGL. Gosling isn't bad though.
Simple.. Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling.
They might as well be comparing Tom Hanks to Peter Scolari.
JGL did a fine job in "Mysterious Skin" (one of the more unsettling movies ever), I found (500) Days of Summer watchable, and "The Lookout" was infinitely better than Brick. But come on: "Lars and the Real Girl", "The Believer" (WATCH THIS!), 'Half-Nelson", and it was a crime he wasn't even nominated for Best Actor for "Blue Valentine". He could even rise above horrible scripts in "Murder by Numbers" and "The United States of Leyland" (have yet to see "Drive", have heard mixed things). He's been one of the best young actor's for some time, people are just now noticing.
Also, looks-wise, Ryan Gosling. No doubt
JGL may be cuter in the looks dept, but I think Gosling is a better actor by far. I can see Gosling pulling off JGL's roles. I can't see JGL pulling off Gosling's roles.
jgl looks like heath ledger. makes me sad.
Agreed. I can't watch 10 thing I hate about you without crying. If Hedger was alive, I would to see a him and Ry Gos go head to head.
The Believer should have been on the "The Best" list. Such an amazing movie and Ryan Gosling is insanely good in it.
WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE ME CHOOSE? do not make me choose.
Not a single reference to Breaker High? This piece has zero credibility.
Ryan's Hawaiian shirts would have been been a sure win for JGL
JGL all the way. No question.
Shame on you for making a whimsical quirky ultimately pointless list without including Lars and the Real Girl. How can you sleep at night?
Should definitely bring The Believer, United States of Leland, The Notebook, Lars & the Real Girl, Manic, The Lookout, Shadowboxer, Uncertainty, Hesher and 50/50 into this discussion.
Its a no brainer. Jgl was great in those mentioned but we are talking a man vs. A boy and that's not fair to jgl.
RG....sigh.
Just engages me everytime with his "under acting." Just sucks u in so u lean closer to the screen. Jgl has a little too much of the manic robert downey or bearded robin williams to make me comfortable. Which can make for some memorable acting but I'm constntly waiting for him to jump out of character and startle me!
Moot discussion. Ryan Gosling is already A list. Hello - The Notebook catapulted career! Duh.
As GluteusMAXIMUS said! That's why I'm here. And I am entertained. Just came back from Ides of March. I think Georgie Porgie has a man-crush on Ryan there must have been hours of footage just of Ryan's asymmetrical head. Gawd the camera loves him. Great work there too. Stunning. I love them both, don't make me choose!!
Joseph's movies and Ryan's good looks, but only by a pinch.
This article lost any and all credibility whey you put 500 days of Summer in a worst category
It belongs there. If 500 Days of Summer is one of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's best films then there is no future for him.
RYAN GOSLING AND JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT
yeah!
both are the best actors born in the 80's
But..... I love them both equally!
Well, I agree that Gosling just pulled off a few more amazing films, but after watching 50/50 tonight I think JGL is on a pretty awesome way (literally, the guy made me cry in a moment in which he was alone, didn't say anything and there wasn't even any sentimental music floating around...)
These two and Michael Fassbender are the three male actors I look most forward to. Feel like they could be a generation of leading character actors as Pacino/De Niro etc once did... (maybe I'm just reeeeally optimistic. But wouldn't it be great??)
JGL. This is tough, but I have made my decision and it's JGL. I love Ryan, with all my heart, but "50/50" and "The Dark Knight Rises" are the two points that brings JGL to the top for me. I love Ryan but I prefer JGL by a long shot. And it's still waiting for "Looper". I want to see how he does a younger (creepy looking) Bruce Willis.