Very few would argue that Robert De Niro is one of the greatest actors to have ever graced the big screen.
He has played some iconic characters such as Travis Bickle, Michael, Jake La Motta and James 'Jimmy' Conway in iconic movies such as Taxi Driver, The Deer Hunter, Raging Bull and Goodfellas.
But when was the last time that Robert De Niro took on a great lead role?
This was a question that was put to me in the office and, when you think about it, it's been many a year.
De Niro has enjoyed a career that has spanned over fifty years but in more recent times the roles haven't quite been what they once were.
You have to go back to 1998 and the role of Sam in the excellent Ronin to find the last time De Niro took on a great lead role.
Over the last decade he may have taken on roles as such as Paul Vitti in Analyze This, Jack Byrnes in Meet The Parents and Bill Sullivan in The Good Shepherd but not one of these parts lives up to the glory days of his past.
In fact his best role of the last few year has come in a supporting capacity when he took on the part of Captain Shakespeare in Stardust.
He was beautifully cast as the rather camp Captain hiding behind a tough exterior - let's face it how many other A-list Hollywood actors would have taken this on?
Never again will we see him dancing in front of a mirror dressed in a corset and feather boa!
But surely there are some hard hitting roles that De Niro can get his teeth into? You could say the same for Al Pacino - who too hasn't had a great lead role in many a year.
So it's time for Robert De Niro to leave this supporting roles behind and studios to give him the hard hitting and gritty roles that his talent deserves!!!
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Robert De Niro