Robert De Niro Should Stop Making Movies

I really can't wait until Dirty Grandpa finally comes out, and that's not because I look forward to seeing it in theaters. It's because I'd rather not continue to watch the ridiculous, over-the-top previews that have come along with it. Zac Efron, Aubrey Plaza, and the legendary Robert De Niro are the "stars," and judging from the previews, the movie is reliant upon innuendo, sexual jokes, and acts of depravity.

Can De Niro just stop making movies already? As my friend Alex points out, every band, television show, artist reaches its bliss point. Well, I reached mine with De Niro a long time ago. Every new movie he puts out is like white noise to me. Maybe for 10 seconds after I see the first preview I think to myself 'Oh, another shitty one...' and then I move on with my life.

He's an acting legend, and he's often been considered the crown jewel of mobster movies. But what the hell is he doing nowadays? Has he put out a decent, not good, not great, but a decent movie since Meet the Parents? Silver Linings Playbook? Maybe? I know he got an Oscar nomination for that, but that movie belonged more the Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence than it did to him.

Here are just a few of his latest showings: Grudge Match, The Intern, The Family, Little Fockers... should I go on, or have I made my point? This is a guy who played Jimmy Conway, Jake La Motta, Al Capone, and Vito Corleone. He is responsible for perhaps the most imitated and repeated scene in movie history. Did I mention that the entire "You talking to me" scene in Taxi Driver was improvised? And now he's settling for the constant smut that only has one targeted audience: immature teenagers.

The sad part about this is that nobody will say a thing. The movie will open and pass without anyone giving it any attention, and it's truly a shame. He has earned a lifetime pass for his work prior to 1996, and it's certainly well-deserved, but my God, I can't stand seeing De Niro lower himself to do movies with Zac Efron.

I can't imagine he needs the money. Maybe after years of playing serious, Oscar-worthy roles, De Niro wants to let loose and finish his career in light-hearted comedies. He's earned that right. But while De Niro will go down as one of the great actors in history, I feel like the latter part of his choices will affect his career legacy.

Say he stopped acting after Heat in 1995. Not only would his last two movies have been Casino and Heat, but between 1990 and 1995, he put out 14 movies, 10 of which were both commercially and critically successful, including Goodfellas and A Bronx Tale. That's a stretch unmatched by any of his peers.

Look, I'm sure Dirty Grandpa will have it's fans, and I know people will go to see it because it is De Niro in a non-traditional role. But I'd rather drink turpentine than sit through one hour and 42 minutes of this trash.