Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg

During his acting career Mark Wahlberg has mixed and matched his role moving from drama to war movies from action to the biopic picture.

But this weeks he takes on his first major comedy lead role as he branches out even further having appeared in Date Night earlier in the year.

The Other Guys sees him star alongside Will Ferrell, Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson in the Adam McKay directed movie. Two mismatched New York City detectives seize an opportunity to step up like the city's top cops whom they idolize -- only things don't quite go as planned.

So to celebrate the release of the film we take a look at some of the Mark Wahlberg movies that should be in your collection.

Boogie Nights: is the film that made Mark Wahlberg a star as he took on the role of Dirk Diggler in the Paul Thomas Anderson directed movie.

A dark comedy following the rise and fall of Eddie Adams, a handsome, uneducated teenager who works in the kitchen of a popular San Fernando Valley nightclub.

Back at home, Eddie has to face the oppressive company of a passive father and a domineering mother who keeps reminding him he's stupid and a failure.

But when he's spotted at the club by Jack Horner, a successful porn producer, Eddie is instantly lured to a promising career in the adult entertainment industry.

The movie was met with critical acclaim and Wahlber'g career was on the rise.

Three Kings: brought Wahlberg's first collaboration with David O Russell in 1999 as he starred alongside George Clooney and Ice Cube.

Its the end of the Gulf War and the United States has just signed a ceasefire when four wise-cracking U.S. soldiers come across a potential jackpot: a rolled up treasure map to Saddam Hussein's stashes of confiscated gold hidden between the buttocks of a captured soldier.

Immediately a selfish plan is drawn up for the men to infiltrate the bunkers and share the jackpot of luxury cars, televisions, cell phones and gold bars found underneath the war torn desert -- that is until they collide with the Iraqi civilian population and experience a different side of the war.

It was another critical hit for Wahlberg as he showed that he was not a one hit wonder.

The Italian Job: while the Michael Caine still remains one of the best British movies of all time 2003 saw an all star cast, led by Wahlberg, come together for a twenty first century remake.

The movie also starred Charlize Theron, Edward Norton, Jason Statham and Donald Sutherland and was directed by F. Gary Gray.

The plan was flawless... the job was executed perfectly... the escape was clean. The only threat mastermind thief Charlie Croker never saw coming was a member of his own crew.

After pulling off an amazing gold bullion heist from a heavily guarded palazzo in Venice, Italy, Charlie and his gang -- inside man Steve, computer genius Lyle, wheelman handsome Rob, explosives expert Left-Ear and veteran safecracker John Bridger - can't believe when one of them turns out to be a double-crosser.

Enter Stella, a beautiful nerves-of-steel safecracker, who joins Charlie and his former gang when they follow the backstabber to California, where they plan to re-steal the gold by tapping into Los Angeles' traffic control system, manipulating signals and creating one of the biggest traffic jams in LA history. Now the job isn't the payoff, it's about payback.

While the movie had nothing to do with the original in any way The Italian Job was a great, fast paced movie and was a solid box office performer, a sequel is still rumoured to be in the pipeline.

Invincible: it was back the biopic picture back in 2003 when Wahlberg took on the role of Vince Papale in the somewhat low key movie Invincible.

When the coach of Vince Papale's beloved hometown football team hosted an unprecedented open tryout, the public consensus was that it was a waste of time--no one good enough to play professional football was going to be found this way.

Certainly no one like Papale--a down-on-his-luck, 30 year-old, substitute teacher and part-time bartender who never even played college football.

But against these odds, Papale made the team and soon found himself living every fan's fantasy--moving from his cheap seats in the upper deck to standing on the field as a professional football player.

The Departed: is Wahlberg's most famous role in recent years as he took on the role of the no nonsense, foul mouthed cop Staff Sgt. Dignam in a great performance.

Bearing in mind that Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson were considered the supporting actors in the movie it was Wahlberg's hilarious turn that earnt a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.

Set in Boston young undercover cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is assigned to infiltrate the mob syndicate run by gangland chief Costello (Jack Nicholson).

While Billy is quickly gaining Costello's confidence, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), a hardened young criminal who has infiltrated the police department as an informer for the syndicate, is rising to a position of power in the Special Investigation Unit.

Each man becomes deeply consumed by his double life, gathering information about the plans and counter-plans of the operations he has penetrated.

But when it becomes clear to both the gangsters and the police that there's a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin are suddenly in danger of being caught and exposed to the enemy -- and each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself.

The film was the most successful of Martin Scorsese's career as it took over $289 million at the box office as well as going on to win the Best Picture Oscar and Best director for Scorsese.

The Other Guys is released 17th September,

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw


 


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