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I dunno guys. Some people apparently find this guy attractive, but here at Frock Flicks, Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t leave us panting for more. He leaves us scratching our heads and wondering why on Earth he’s considered a heartthrob.
Unlike our previous Man Ick Monday from 2016, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who with rare exceptions makes us wonder if he needs to be checked into a detox center, Leo is just kind of meh. He’s not a bad actor, but he was cast in all these historical roles that just seemed wrong for him. So, let’s revisit a few of his more bewildering appearances in historical film.
The Quick and the Dead (1995) – Billy the Kid
Total Eclipse (1995) – Arthur Rimbaud
Titanic (1997) – Jack Dawson
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) – Louis XIV/Phillipe
Gangs of New York (2002) – Amsterdam Vallon
Confession time: I actually liked this movie, and it’s one of the few Leo films where I thought he was pretty good (mostly because Daniel Day-Lewis was infinitely more annoying), but still.
Catch Me If You Can (2002) – Frank Abignale, Jr.
The Aviator (2004) – Howard Hughes
We’re getting into the era where Leo is starting to break out of the heartthrob mold and doing some SERIOUS ACTING SHIT.
J. Edgar (2011) – J. Edgar Hoover
Django Unchained (2012) – Calvin Candie
He is pretty damn evil in this film, but suddenly, I’m way more attracted to him.
The Great Gatsby (2013) – Jay Gatsby
And last but not least, the movie that FINALLY earned him the Oscar for Best Actor because he had to murder a fucking bear before anyone took him seriously…
The Revenant (2015) – Hugh Glass
Where does Leo rate on your ick meter?
UGH. The weedy facial hair!!
Weedy! That’s the word I was looking for!
“Weedy” — the official adjective of Man-Ick Monday.
SRSLY
Always WANT to love him but could never shake the feeling that Kate Winslet could stomp him intellectually and physically. And of course the oh so painful dialogue on the ship’s deck. I know, it’s just one role, but sometimes it sinks in and you’re stuck with it. Can’t really watch him without that UGH. Best in Unchained but always a lightweight to me.
Kate crushes him in every way. Love her.
Not impressed, never have been. He’s a big fat meh for me too. Particularly dire in Man in the Iron Mask. Gah.
I actually liked Titanic the first six times I saw it. But I agree with Susan Kate Winslet’s Rose was smarter than him.
The other two I liked were Aviator with Cate Blanchett as Hepburn and J Edgar Hoover.
He was good in The Aviator, but Cate was AWESOME. (I admit, I’m a Blanchett fangirl but when even my unimpressed parents go OMG, you know she freaking nailed it.)
LOL “the first six times”
I finally saw it when it came back around for the second go in the theaters in the run up to the oscars in ’97. My friends dragged me kicking and screaming. It was ok, the costumes were fabulous, Kate Winslett was far better than that film deserved, but Leo… UGH NO THANKS. I couldn’t see why Rose would ditch Mr Rich Hotness for Jack.
I know, think of the angry sex she could have had with what’s-his-face (ok if he wasn’t abusive)…
Ummm, did you forget that Mr. Rich Hotness had no qualms with smacking Rose around when she pissed him off? I know Billy Zane is cuter, but let’s not make excuses for abusers (even if they are rich and fictional.)
Umm, yeah I did. Because it’s been 20-fucking-years since I was strapped to a chair and forced to watch the fucking film. Thanks for implying I support abuse because all I remembered was the guy was cuter than Leonardo DiCaprio.
Sorry. Sheesh.
I just watched an old episode of Murder She Wrote (I’m away from home and the cable here sucks) with Mr. Rich Hotness in it and I think he’s actually kind of funny looking if you look at him for too long.
Titan-ICK! I was rooting for the iceberg. But beyond that, it never even registers with me when Leo is in a movie. His face just fades into whatever room he’s in.
Yes! Go iceberg!
That piece of wood had room for them both!! Much as I couldn’t stand Jack, I always thought that was the stupidest way to justify him dying.
Mythbusters tested this extensively — it would have been possible, but only if they’d thought of tying Rose’s life jacket under the board for enough buoyancy. #TheMoreYouKnow!
http://ew.com/article/2012/10/08/mythbusters-titanic-debate-jack-die/
I kept thinking of what Florence King had written about ‘Anna Karenina’ – ‘oh boy, here comes the train’. For me it was, oh boy, here comes the iceberg!
Love it, Athene–“Rooting for the iceberg!”
I love Titanic, but I admit it’s 99% costume adoration / aesthetic appeal / Thomas Andrews (history buff) and 1% Cal Hockley and his guyliner, storming around being all Evil And Stuff.
I died of boredom watching Gangs of New York once.
Actually, it was with a friend of mine. I’m not sure why we decided to watch it. Maybe we just got off “The Man in the Iron Mask” and went, “What other Leo flicks are in this library?” But… after about 36 tedious hours that crawled past like a slog on salt, while we sat there gazing at the television with nominal interest, when the DVD literally quit 14 minutes from the end, we looked at each other and said, “Thank God that’s over…”
Heartthrob, he ain’t (for me anyway). Do I hate watching him, tho? No.
* slug on salt, darn no-editing posts
I’ve never really seen his appeal either, but I thought it worked well with him as Rimbaud. I mean, this is Rimbaud at seventeen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Rimbaud#/media/File:Rimbaud.PNG
Good point. Still creepy!
His head is too big for his body, and until very recently is was very blank. I think he MIGHT finally be growing into it, but why we had to suffer through 20 years of bad movies ..l.
THIS!
Thank you! I never understood the appeal either!
Never appealed to me, but I had classrooms full of 6th grade girls who would lose it by the mention of his name.
Mehr Mehr Mehr. I stopped seeing his movies because I found him so unappealing that it was irritating that others supposedly thought he has sex appeal. I feel better now with this post and comments. Maybe I’ll see The Revenant. The coat looks warm.
That was supposed to be Meh, meh, meh! Grrr.
I only liked him when he looked his age: Gilbert Grape, Romeo + Juliet. I also nver understood the TitanICK hype and James Cameron was a much better director when he was married to Kathryn Bigelow.
So many people rave about his performance in “Gilbert Grape” that were seriously confused when he turned out to not be mentally challenged.
I can’t help thinking of this scene in “Tropic Thunder.”
Hahahaha!
Definitely the worst part of Titanic (I admit loving the costumes, sets, etc), which made me dislike him for yeeeeaaaars. I’ve come to appreciate him more as an actor the more I’ve watched of him…but as a heartthrob?? NOPE. Never understood that.
I think a large part of it was the fact that he was shoved down our throats so hard when Titanic came out that there was no escaping him for years after.
I probably would have just thought he was an ok actor in a visually pretty movie and not gone on to develop this total revulsion towards him had the studios not hyped him so hard during the mid-90s
That’s it. He’s too young looking STILL. And the facial hair is so sparse, it’s like he’s a young’un who can’t quite grow the beard. I kind of feel bad for him, but I’ve not missed anything by not seeing most of his movies.
I don’t think DiCaprio is amazingly handsome, he’s definitely not ugly.
But he acted his ass off in J. Edgar, and I think he should’ve gotten the oscar that year, not colin firth.
I definitely agree that he’s aged into being a pretty good actor (as well as aged into his weird head). I’m far more likely to watch him in current films now than I was 15-20 years ago.
This past few years I’ve thought his acting craft has improved considerable. However, the dishwater blond hair always looks like it’s a week past wash day, and yes, the patchy facial hair is annoying. I think the ‘baby face’ thing is because of the very heart-shaped face he has going on. Not much jawline. I thought he looked decent in Django though.
He’s getting too old for the ingenue roles now- where to go now?
What ingenue roles? DiCaprio hasn’t done any “ingenue roles” in years. Come to think of it, aside from “TITANIC”, I don’t recall him being in those kind of roles.
The Beach?
That was at least two years after “TITANIC”, when he was still in that stage of his career. The guy moved on over a decade ago.
So true. I previously mentioned that I liked the Aviator and Hoover, also I forgot that I liked him Catch Me if You Can. Tom Hanks was in it too. Need I say more??
I’ve been a major Leonardo DiCaprio fan ever since I saw him in that Sharon Stone Western called “The Quick and the Dead”.
And unlike others, I can tell that he has aged over the years. And rather well, as far as I’m concerned. I have never demanded that DiCaprio be some cover boy for GQ magazine. He is too damn talented to waste his career being some beefcake poster boy.
You forgot his reteam with Kate Winslet in the 1960s era Revolutionary Road!
DiCaprio is hit or miss with me. But I like him in most things even Titanic. I really loathed his Great Gatsby. Not because of him but because the Baz decided to cover the story with technicolor vomit and completely missed the point of the story.
I loathe everything about that Gatsby (click the link to see my hate!) — he’s so smarmy & gross & unappealing & unlike Jay Gatsby. Also, Carey Mulligan, but wait for it, we’ll get to her later this week ;-)
I completely agree. Her Daisy comes off as dimwitted.
I wasn’t even going to mention Mulligan. Because she makes steam blow from ears and my eyes turn red with that simper of hers. I try to avoid any movie that she appears in. Can’t wait for that snark.
I love Baz’s “THE GREAT GATSBY”. It was the only time I actually understood a screen version of the story without falling asleep.
Well, Luhrman got the story wrong on all accounts. This is what comes when a non-American tries to film the most American story written.
One thing I don’t understand is why filmmakers push the parties. The parties were the least important events in the book.
I kinda liked him in “Catch Me If You Can.” As for “Titanic”, it’s in the same category as cartoons of the 80’s—the best thing since sliced bread at the time, but kind of an embarrassment now.
The only time I’ve found him remotely attractive was in The Great Gatsby, but it might just have been me in a swoon for Carey Mulligan’s fabulous costumes and the overall swervy setting. He does look pretty hot, sitting there in a pique wearing that excellent white suit in the displayed picture.
I tried, really, really tried to like him as Gatsby, but I couldn’t stop comparing him to Robert Redford. The way Redford looked in that pink suit ruined everyone else in that role for me.
I couldn’t stand him in Titanic and when he finally went under – I almost clapped – lol. I liked him in Catch Me If You Can and in Romeo and Juliet. He was tolerable in The Quick and the Dead. Couldn’t stand him in anything else I’ve seen him in – though I haven’t seen Revenant yet – not sure I will
I saw Titanic in theaters on a date when it first came out. We (and everyone else) in the theater were snickering at about the 1/3 point, including someone yelling “Jump, jump!” when Rose climbs over the railing. I don’t recall but applause when he sinks would not have been out of keeping with the situation.
I won’t see Revenant as subject matter doesn’t interest me.
Great movie. He really deserved that Oscar.
I thought he should have gotten it for Hoover. Will watch 2ND Kate Winslet film Revolutionary Road.
I remember reading someone describing LDC as “unattractively veiny.”
So Veiny, with a straggle of Weedy.
“Where does Leo rate on your ick meter?”
10 icks out of 10.
yisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
I thought I was the only one who loved Titanic for the sets, costumes & the beautiful ship! Thank you x
I thought the sets and costumes amazingly in Titanic. It’s one of the reasons I love the film. I thought Ms Winslet brilliant as Rose.
I thought he was a pretty standard looking Hollywood teen (even if he was pushing 25!) – not my speed but I get why girls like him – but as he’s gotten older, he still has that same baby face on a man’s head and it’s just getting freaky looking.
I was always confused why people found Leo attractive in Titanic. Since about 10th grade I prefer men who have gone through puberty. But what gets me is the head. How does it go from too small to pumpkinesque? Same thing with Robert Wagner. I don’t understand this physical phenomenon and it deeply disturbs me.
I don’t see him as heartthrob material either, but his acting has gotten better. I liked him in Gangs of New York and The Revanent. I don’t know what Rose saw in him in Titanic, maybe because he was supposed to be a sweet boy next door kind of character.
One of my favorite memories:
Me: Mom, do you want to watch Titanic with me?
Mom: I saw that movie already, what was it called? A Night to Remember?
Me: No, this is a new movie, it’s got a love story, it’s supposed to be really good.
Mom: But I know how it ends.
Oy….
Okay, I will preface this with: I have come to appreciate he is a very talented actor. Even in Titanic (where I have grudgingly admitted it’s a very PRETTY movie and I will give Cameron props for technical accuracy) I can see that Leo is doing his damndest to work with a really shitty script and he does pretty well.
That said. Ugh. I just don’t get the appeal. He’s too baby-faced for me, even in ye olde days like Titanic when I was in the target demographic. In fact back then, I must have been 20 or 19, I don’t remember, but my brother was still in 4-H and I was at the county fair. Two of the “young” girls in our club were cooing over Leo who was THE hearthrob for the tweenyboppers in the 11-14 set. One of them was like “You’re old enough to DATE him” and I was like “No thank you, not even if I were remotely hot enough to date a Hollywood actor.” They just could NOT grasp that I did not think Leo was just the most smoking hot ticket.
To be fair, I have very odd taste in men. My current movie crushes are the Mikkelsen brothers (yes, both, in fact yes especially Lars, yes, even when he’s stuck with English-language roles like “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Putin” on “House of Cards”, it’s that sharp-featured, blue-eyed, tall Nordic thing, I can’t help it. However rough scruffy chronically nobly doomed Mads is great, too.) So obviously I have a thing for much more sharp-featured, mature-looking men. But even when I know he’s OLDER than me, I just cannot help feeling Leo is like this perpetual baby-face. It’s like Channing Tatum, his face just doesn’t solidify.
Poor Leo… I actually think he’s a really good actor, it’s just that romantic lead parts don’t suit him at all, and that’s all filmmakers wanted to put him in when he was younger (sort of like how the music industry tries to make lead singers out of young musicians just because they’re cute and popular with tweens, and not because they can actually sing–looking at you Justin Bieber). Even in his hey-day, I thought his best roles were in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (as a slow kid) and Basketball Diaries (as a drug addict). You can keep Titanic (he was so out of his league next to Kate Winslet, it was embarrassing) and Romeo + Juliet (ugh–but likewise with Claire Danes).
Oh well, at least he finally got an Oscar. I almost feel a little sorry for him sometimes, and then I remember that he’s filthy rich and dates models.
Leonardo DiCaprio is hit and miss for me. He’s gone on to become a good actor but I can never buy him as a romantic lead especially not in his younger days.
My high school English teacher had Romeo and Juliet on vhs and whenever she had to look after a class whilst another teacher was out or if it was raining during break she would have us watch it. Gah! To this day Romeo and Juliet is my least favourite Shakespeare.
Though his character in the quick and the dead is not called billy. He presumably has a name (pretty sure someone calls him fee in one scene) but because of how young he is everyone mostly just refers to him as the kid. Somehow DiCaprio doesn’t annoy me in this film despite it being early in his career and I kinda like his character but he isn’t a romantic lead or even a lead so that’s probably why.