Robert De Niro

Biography: A legendary actor revered for his searing screen portrayals of gangsters and other intense characters, De Niro became a star because of his association with three Italian-American directors: Brian De Palma, Francis Ford Coppola and particularly Martin Scorsese. In the '60s, the Stella Adler-trained actor got his start in a trio of now quite dated anti-establishment flicks helmed by De Palma: Greetings, The Wedding Party and Hi, Mom! In 1973, he earned raves as a street tough in Scorsese's Mean Streets, the first of their eight collaborations. And the next year he essayed his true breakthrough role, the young Vito Corleone in Coppola's Godfather II, a performance that snagged De Niro his first Oscar. But it was his relationship with Scorsese---a fellow native New Yorker---that would be his most fruitful. Whether playing a washed-up boxer (Raging Bull, which earned him a second Academy Award), an unhinged cabbie (Taxi Driver) or a wannabe late-night talk-show host (The King ofA legendary actor revered for his searing screen portrayals of gangsters and other intense characters, De Niro became a star because of his association with three Italian-American directors: Brian De Palma, Francis Ford Coppola and particularly Martin Scorsese. In the '60s, the Stella Adler-trained actor got his start in a trio of now quite dated anti-establishment flicks helmed by De Palma: Greetings, The Wedding Party and Hi, Mom! In 1973, he earned raves as a street tough in Scorsese's Mean Streets, the first of their eight collaborations. And the next year he essayed his true breakthrough role, the young Vito Corleone in Coppola's Godfather II, a performance that snagged De Niro his first Oscar. But it was his relationship with Scorsese---a fellow native New Yorker---that would be his most fruitful. Whether playing a washed-up boxer (Raging Bull, which earned him a second Academy Award), an unhinged cabbie (Taxi Driver) or a wannabe late-night talk-show host (The King of Comedy), De Niro inhabited these varied sociopaths with intensity and honesty. In the '80s, he branched out into more whimsical fare---his unrecognizable turn as a plumber/terrorist in the satire Brazil, a delightfully over-the-top performance as Al Capone in The Untouchables---and even tried his hand at romance (the tepid Falling in Love). Although he presumably had his pick of projects, the star didn't always make the best choices (Backdraft, Guilty by Suspicion), but his collaborations with Scorsese were always worthwhile. In the '90s he branched out into producing and directing (A Bronx Tale) and as the decade wore on, he became well-known for his comic turns. He was hilarious as a psychiatrist-dependent mobster in Analyze This, and scored a monster hit with Meet the Parents, playing a retired CIA operative who hates his daughter's boyfriend. A longtime downtown New York resident, De Niro was personally devastated by the September 11, 2001, attacks, and the next year founded the Tribeca Film Festival as a way to help his beloved neighborhood get back on its feet. Despite his involvement in the fest, De Niro always found time to act, even directing his second feature, The Good Shepherd, in 2006. Off screen, De Niro is a successful restaurateur, owning several high-end eateries in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Expand

Robert De Niro's Scores

  • Movies
  • TV
Average career score: 58
Highest Metascore: 96 Mean Streets
Lowest Metascore: 21 Dirty Grandpa
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 100
  2. Negative: 22 out of 100
100 movie reviews
Title: Year: Credit: User score:
55 Great Expectations Jan 30, 1998 Prisoner/Lustig 6.2
74 Wag the Dog Dec 25, 1997 Producer / Conrad Brean 7.3
62 Jackie Brown Dec 25, 1997 Louis Gara 8.3
64 Cop Land Aug 15, 1997 Moe Tilden / Moe Tilden tbd
67 Marvin's Room Dec 18, 1996 Producer / Dr. Wally 7.9
49 Sleepers Oct 18, 1996 Father Bobby 8.1
32 The Fan Aug 16, 1996 Gil Renard / Gil Renard tbd
76 Heat Dec 15, 1995 Neil McCauley / Neil McCauley 8.8
73 Casino Nov 22, 1995 Sam 'Ace' Rothstein / Sam 'Ace' Rothstein tbd
49 Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Nov 4, 1994 Associate Producer / Creature/Sharp Featured Man 6.9
80 A Bronx Tale Sep 23, 1993 Director / Producer / Lorenzo Anello 8.5
56 The Night We Never Met Apr 30, 1993 Producer tbd
60 This Boy's Life Apr 9, 1993 Dwight Hansen 3.9
71 Mad Dog and Glory Mar 5, 1993 Wayne 'Mad Dog' Dobie 8.5
61 Night and the City Oct 23, 1992 Harry Fabian tbd
63 Mistress Jul 24, 1992 Producer / Evan M. Wright tbd
58 Thunderheart Apr 3, 1992 Producer tbd
73 Cape Fear Nov 13, 1991 Producer / Max Cady 8.4
39 Backdraft May 24, 1991 Donald 'Shadow' Rimgale 8.0
64 Guilty by Suspicion Mar 15, 1991 David Merrill 8.3
74 Awakenings Dec 20, 1990 Leonard Lowe / Leonard Lowe tbd
92 Goodfellas Sep 1, 1990 James 'Jimmy' Conway / James 'Jimmy' Conway tbd
48 We're No Angels Dec 15, 1989 Executive Producer / Ned tbd
78 Midnight Run Jul 20, 1988 Jack Walsh / Jack Walsh 6.8
79 The Untouchables Jun 3, 1987 Al Capone / Al Capone tbd
61 Angel Heart Mar 6, 1987 Louis Cyphre 7.7
55 The Mission Oct 31, 1986 Rodrigo Mendoza / Rodrigo Mendoza tbd
84 Brazil Dec 18, 1985 Archibald 'Harry' Tuttle / Archibald 'Harry' Tuttle / Harry Tuttle / Harry Tuttle tbd
55 Falling in Love Nov 21, 1984 Frank Raftis tbd
75 Once Upon a Time in America Jun 1, 1984 Noodles 7.5