I may be unfairly influenced at the moment because I watched Fracture this weekend, but Ryan Gosling is easily the most underrated actor in Hollywood right now. Despite being nominated for an Oscar (for Half Nelson), Gosling hasn’t yet become a household name. Every movie I’ve ever seen him in, he blows me away.
I first noticed his absolute genius when he starred alongside Michael Pitt in Murder By Numbers. As an influential high school student with a plan to commit the perfect murder, Gosling goes up against Sandra Bullock’s ballsy Detective Mayweather. His performance as Richard Haywood was eerily realistic.
While I somehow missed out on The Notebook, despite starring Gosling and one of my favorite actresses, Rachel McAdams, I caught possibly his best performance ever in Stay. If I may quote myself for a moment,
One thing I must say, is that with lesser actors I might not have enjoyed this film. Ryan Gosling is a true talent. He falls into his character and becomes Henry…Gosling makes you feel for the character. Henry isn’t just dark; he’s full of deep emotions that you can see in Gosling’s face.
Just thinking about that movie gives me chills. Gosling’s performance was mesmerizing, to say the least.
He then moved on to his Oscar-nominated performance in Half Nelson as Dan Dunne, a middle school history teacher with a nasty crack addiction. While he didn’t win (Forest Whitaker won for The Last King of Scotland), just being nominated finally put Gosling’s work into the spotlight.
His follow-up to Half Nelson was to star with Oscar-winner and knight, Sir Anthony Hopkins. Fracture was a smart crime drama in the style of a really intense “Law & Order” episode. Hopkins plays an engineer/genius who shoots his wife because she’s cheating on him. Gosling is the cocky prosecutor assigned to the case. The mind games Hopkins plays are phenomenal, and Gosling plays right back at him. His character is passionate and, best of all, has an honest conscience.
After all of that, I am anxiously looking forward to Lars and the Real Girl in which Gosling stars as a “delusional young guy” (IMDb) in a very strange relationship. It hits theaters on October 19th. I recommend all of the movies in this post to anyone who likes smart, intense dramas. I will be checking out The Notebook myself, and hunting down a DVD copy of 1996’s “Goosebumps” TV series - apparently Ryan starred as Greg in the episode for “Say Cheese and Die,” one of my favorite Goosebumps books.
Anyone else have a fascination for Mr. Gosling? Share the love in the comments.
Release Date 11/28/2008 
I would have agreed for last year but I think people are starting to notice this guy. For me, I’m thrilled that I picked him out years ago on a little Canadian TV show called “Breaker High” about a group of teens that go to school on a cruise ship - it was pretty lame but he was great! It’s been great to see him rise through the ranks over the last few years.
You guys get the best TV up there in Canada, or so I hear.
I was surprised at how many people who should know who he is don’t, and yet my Mom (who doesn’t keep up with movies that aren’t starring George Clooney or Johnny Depp) did know who he was!
I’m just sad that I don’t remember him on the Mickey Mouse Club. Then again, I don’t remember much about the Mickey Mouse Club.
Amen sister! Amen! I was praying for him to take home that Oscar statue for Half-Nelson, but alas, it was not to be.
[...] believes that Ryan Gosling is the most underrated actor in Hollywood. Catch him in his Oscar nominated role in Half [...]
Thanks Andrew! Glad to know I’m not the only one bitter that Ryan didn’t win the Oscar.
yes, he is amazing. it is all about the United States of Leland, and The Believer for me. why does no one talk about these movies. now grant it, if the notebook has him making out with anyone then i will watch it, but Leland and The Believer are the shit
I agree 100%. I am not one of those women who get all giggly whenever a hot body shows up in a movie, but Ryan Gosling does give me the shivers. His acting ability is phenomenal and beyond that of other household named actors, I do believe. He has been unnoticed for far too long, but I am sure that it is only a matter of time until he is everywhere. In all honesty, I think his under-the-radar life is part of what making him truely remarkable.