Columbus Dispatch: As actor, Pitt’s a curious case

If one facet of Brad Pitt could be considered obscure, it might be — oddly enough — his acting career.

For much of his two decades in the spotlight — since his breakthrough as a sweet-talking grifter in Thelma and Louise (1991) and even more so since Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005) — Pitt has been a star first and an actor second. His every move — often with a hard-to-miss entourage that includes his partner, Angelina Jolie, and their six children — provides endless fodder for the tabloids.

But the Brad Pitt on-screen remains elusive.

The contradiction can be summed up like this: Pitt is a superstar who also happens to be a wild card. He has steered clear of action franchises and romantic comedies. Although he hasn’t shied from big roles — they don’t come much bigger than Achilles (Troy) or Death (Meet Joe Black) — he has often sought the cover and camaraderie of ensembles, as in the Ocean’s movies and Inglourious Basterds (which are among his highest-grossing hits).

People seldom talk about his range, but he’s equally capable of flamboyance (12 Monkeys) and restraint (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). And some of his most intriguing films (Fight Club, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) are self-referential comments on his obvious magnetism.

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