Robert De Niro is one of the most respected actors in Hollywood. Sure, he might be doing some questionable comedies these days for the fat paychecks, but he’s earned it!
The best Robert De Niro movies, as a result, are hard to pin down. How do you choose between Martin Scorcese pictures, some of Netflix‘s greatest new movies, and the many classics he has shown up in? Being in lots of the best movies of all time… it’s a nice problem to have.
Well, one of his most revered roles is now new on Netflix in September for users in the US, and The Deer Hunter is well worth seeking out if you haven’t already seen it. If you have, now’s a great time for a rewatch.
Newly restored in 4K by Studiocanal, The Deer Hunter returned to cinemas in 2018, which introduced a younger generation to the thriller movie and gave those who hadn’t seen it in decades an opportunity to revisit it. Suffice it to say, it’s the kind of film people celebrate the chance to experience in the magical liminal space of a dark theater.
There’s something special about getting to see one of your favorites in a room full of other people who love it just as much as you do. You can check out the trailer for the restoration above. But let’s get into the details of what is now one of the best Netflix movies (while it lasts on there, anyway).
If you’ve not seen it, the plot is as follows: In the late 1960s, lifelong friends Michael (De Niro), Nick (Christopher Walken), and Steven’s (John Savage) dreams of military laurels are quickly ruined by the trauma of war. Haunted by their experience overseas, the story sees the men and their loved ones shaped by it. Part war part drama movie, Michael Cimino’s 3 hour epic took home multiple Oscars.
In 1979, Roger Ebert wrote that The Deer Hunter “is one of the most emotionally shattering films ever made,” in his four-star review, going on to note that “the lyrics of ‘God Bless America’ have never before seemed to me to contain such an infinity of possible meanings, some tragic, some unspeakably sad, some few still defiantly hopeful.”
You can jump directly to the movie here. Otherwise, check out our lists of the best Netflix series or best Netflix anime. For a bit of contrast, find out which one of Robert De Niro’s worst movies is in the Netflix top 10. And you can also check out where he ranks on our best actors of all time list.