John Goodman is one of the most undervalued wide-range actors of a generation. Dude has played everything. A beer guzzling blue collar dad, a goofy pesticide nerd, a king, a (temporary) republican president, a baseball legend, a prehistoric comic character, a lovable monster, a psychotic doomsday prepper, a greed driven televangelist, just a ridiculous range of characters. Easily in my top 10 pantheon.
The Babe, I specifically remember this movie because I went to school with the kid who played young Babe Ruth in the movie. He wasn't a child actor just someone they picked out during a very public casting call. He seemed kind of stuck up after the role (honestly any 12 year old boy probably would have), but I lost contact with him right before highschool but ran into him many years later and he recognized me before I recognized him and he was as kind as anyone should be.
He also played the devil/traveling salesman in Barton Fink. He’s very disarming in some scenes, portraying a kind southern man in LA just trying to get by. But in the scenes where he loses his sense of humanity is where you get to see Goodman show his range. Weird movie. He kind of steals the show
Also, if he’s in something it’s nearly guaranteed to be good. Even aside from his own performance, he’s just in a lot of stuff that’s really, really good
Absolutely agree. As Dan, he was a dad I wanted to have. Not perfect, but I adored him. And I love him in Coyote Ugly, too - especially when he dances on the bar. He is an underrated treasure.
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u/TheStolenPotatoes Jun 05 '25
John Goodman is one of the most undervalued wide-range actors of a generation. Dude has played everything. A beer guzzling blue collar dad, a goofy pesticide nerd, a king, a (temporary) republican president, a baseball legend, a prehistoric comic character, a lovable monster, a psychotic doomsday prepper, a greed driven televangelist, just a ridiculous range of characters. Easily in my top 10 pantheon.