Anyone feel like discussing his work behind the camera?

I've liked all the films he's directed. The Crossing Guard and The Pledge contain some of Nicholson's best work. The Indian Runner was uneven, but a well directed debut. Into The Wild was a gut punch. He consistently gets great performances from his actors.

I realize a lot people here don't like his politics, personality etc...but he definitely has some talent behind the camera.

To make a comparison to somewhat of a contemporary, he's obviously a far superior actor than Affleck, but he's also every bit the director BA is IMHO. His movies have certainly underperformed at the box-office, granted they aren't blockbuster type fare, but it's a shame he hasn't directed a film since 2007.

Anyway...flame on.

The Pledge has been on my to-watch list for at least a decade, but I didn't realize he had directed it.

I'm not a Sean Penn (the actor) fan, with the exception of Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Ben Affleck, regardless of the flack he gets all the time, is someone I enjoy watching.

From the films he's directed I've only seen Into the Wild which is a really great film. In general though I'm not a huge fan of him.

Sean Penn is 4 for 4 as a director and his next film as director starring Javier Bardem, Charlize Theron and himself sounds good. His films tend to be more artsier and focused on the characters than trying to cash in at the box office. This most likely comes from Penn's love of Hal Ashby and John Casavettes. IMO Penn is a better actor & director than Affleck. In my book Affleck directing is 2 for 3, sorry folks I thought The Town wasn't all that.

The Pledge is another movie that deserved a better fate than it got in theaters; the last ten minutes probably form the best work Nicholson ever did.

Sean Penn on His Serial-Killer Fan and the State of Hollywood

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...-killer-779987

Good article. I'll watch the clip later.

I'm disappointed that "The Comedian" never came together. A script by Jeff Ross about an aging insult comic starring Robert De Niro as the title character and directed by Sean Penn. It was up on imdb for a good year before it disappeared.

Also, I figured Sean Penn probably spent a night or two in county during his life but I never knew he did over a month. Crazy. Loved the note he sent back to Ramirez.

THE PLEDGE is an awesome film. The fact that I still can't forget the ending all these years later (and having only seen it once) tells you how great it is. That said, I've never watched it again, just because it's so darn depressing.