As Daniel Day-Lewis Retires, a Look at His Four Best Performances

(continued from previous page)

2.) “Gangs of New York” (2002). This was an ambitious film, to say the least. It won plenty of awards and attention from critics, but even some of the most ardent fans admitted there were flaws.

Due to behind-the-scenes strife between director Martin Scorsese and producer Harvey Weinstein, the movie felt unfocused, especially its third act. That said, Day-Lewis proudly walked across the screen, none of the film’s problems bleeding into his performance.

His presence and his work in this film is actually the biggest reason to watch it even now about early gangs in New York during the 1800s.

The Englishman pulled off a wonderful American accent as nativist Bill the Butcher, a villain of sorts whose passion and dedication had him running circles around Leonardo DiCaprio’s protagonist. No matter who was in a scene with Day-Lewis in this film, it’s difficult for a viewer’s eyes to leave his face. Though it was not one of the better movies of his career, it’s arguably his greatest performance — and Bill the Butcher was, by far, his greatest onscreen creation, a man with sometimes despicable views, questionable methods, and a ruthless cunning for manipulating people and power.

[lz_third_party align=center width=630 includes=https://youtu.be/Oro4ph7yTmc]

However, through all of this, Day-Lewis made a man named Bill the Butcher one that viewers partly understood and found themselves rooting for in some ways. He was mesmerizing in this film. (go to page 4 to continue reading)[lz_pagination]