Clooney is this generation's Cary Grant. I mean, really, don't you think he looks a bit like him, can talk a bit like him? And everyone loved Cary. Why? Because he made romantic movies or Alfred Hitchcock movies. I think George needs to buy a DVD player and start renting Cary's movies and learn a lesson. That is, suspense and romance will get him a hit. FORGET the political sht. NO ONE IS INTERESTED, George or anyone else out there who is listening. Only Jason Bourne/Matt Damon gets away with it and he get away with it well.

So the Bourne films are political, huh? I had no idea I was so cerebral.

I think it's safe to say that George has seen plenty of Cary Grant films. He is reportedly quite the cinephile. Also, anyone who even remotely follows George's public comments knows that commercial success, while nice and good for paying the bills, is not his goal. He wants a body of work he can be proud of, and I'm sure he'd prefer making 10 "Good Night and Good Luck" caliber films over even one "Knocked Up" type of flick. Oh, and I for one tend to prefer the political "shit" because it makes me think, something today's mainstream media seems to avoid at all costs.

It *is* an interesting question, because I think George is easily one of the best actors working today. He's pretty transparent about why he does the work too; he knows how the system works and he works the system. That's smart! Meanwhile, he gets to have fun — what could be better than that? Sure, I think he'd love it if more people went to see the aforementioned "shit", but I think he's probably a pretty happy guy. Now, if I could only get him to be my boyfriend….

I won't pay to see a "political" film but I will watch them on cable. George's movies are too heavy for one sitting. I have to watch them in small sections. Except, of course, for the lighter fare. I'm going tomorrow to see "Burn" not because of Clooney but because of Brad Pitt and John Malkovich.

Nope - George Clooney plays the same smart ass, quick talking, condescending look-at-me character in each film he's in.

People are tired of him being bigger than the part. Never for a minute do you forget you're watching George Clooney acting in a role and not the embodiment of the film's character instead.

I can't seem to lose myself in a Clooney film like I can a Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey or Sean Connery movie.

I think it's that he doesn't give a f**k about the B.O. He did do The Perfect Storm which opened pretty darn well and Batman & Robin was crap but it did the mammoth business expected of a Batman movie. But he seems to genuinely love the small movies he does (Leatherheads being the one exception) and as long as he recovers costs and gets an Oscar nom or two, he's gonna be in business a long, long time. Good for him. I'd take him over someone like Nic Cage anyday.

@ mohdee: you statement prove that you should watch more of his films before assuming those kind of things. Michael Clayton, Solaris, Syriana amongst others are huge proofs of the opposite.

I agree with many others. Do you really believe that producers behind Good night, and good luck; Syriana, Michael Clayon (…) thought they could be some kind of blockbusters? Absolute not. But there are successful nonetheless. When a film about Murrow's fight against McCarthy, in black and white, costed $7.5 millions to make and earned more than $30 millions: that is a huge success…
And every one know the reason why he made films like Ocean's trilogy…
Finally, his filmography is far more interesting than a lot of others american actors who have a bunch of blockbusters on their own but not as many interesting films as George Clooney…

I think that George is very gifted and enjoy his movies. I think he is able to step into other peoples skin and become all the characters he is portraying. I also enjoyed his latest film, Burn after Reading……..Also loved the ending, love to see a strong woman on top! Can't wait to see what George does next!!!!!!!!!

I loved Syriana, Good Night and Good Luck, Michael Clayton, Three Kings, Oh Brother Where Art Thou, and The Perfect Storm. Clooney seems to be a very decent man and a compelling actor.
It's wonderful that so many commenters here are not defining success by how much money someone generates. Van Gogh sold one painting in his lifetime. Sojourner Truth struggled financially. There are legions of people who did not become rich, or make others rich, who contributed much more to our world, than say, Judd Apatow.

i most add that as a clooney fan i find George strength is not in his acting abilities (which at times can be on the low side) but in his smart script choices. he chooses smart script that has a messages in them. George is hardly the best actor of all time, i am more then willing to admit it, fan or not, but he chooses his work in a smart way. I personally think that every movie he did since 2001 (except for the last two oceans movies- which i liked less) were his best work ever. my favorites: Solaris and The Good German. if you actually an intelligent person you just might like these movies.

As for the rest of you, I pity you that you chose to see movie like Knocked Up or superbud (or what ever it was called). Personally I get up and left these movies less then half way into it.

Clooney knows how to kiss ass and that is why some people like him but he is not that popular amongst the hollywood crew. If he was an actress the dismal failure of the Good German would have been the end of career.

Sorry dears, but I must disagree. Clooney isn't quite Cary Grant, he's much more like Clark Gable. You should compare Clarck Gable in "It Happened One Night" by Frank Capra with Clooney's style in "Leatherheads" which is a charming, funny, feel-good romantic comedy. The chemestry between him and Zellwegger is great. Even the scene where they kiss with a yellow light behind them so they are just 2 shadows reminds you of Clark Gable taking control over Scarlet O'Hara and first kissing her when they escape from Atlanta in "Gone with the Wind".

cloony is a arrogant sob ever listen to him on interview please spare me

this guy makes a lotta $$$$$$ he could lighten up a lil

no bull

So is he a smoker or what?

I will take a political movie like George does over the mindless garbage that makes the big bucks. A film shouldn't be judged just on it's box office take. Just because it's not a blockbuster doesn't mean it's a bad movie, it just means that people are to apathetic to whats really going on in the world. They would rather stick their heads in the sand and pretend that everything is wine and roses, when it's not. We're in a war we should never have been in, our economy is tanking, Americans image around the globe is not only tarnished but completley ruined, we are no safer today then we were on 9/11, and FEMA even after Katrina can't seem to find their way out of a wet paper bag with a hole in the bottom to help the vicitims of Ike. So I commend Mr. Clooney for actually making a body of films that actually mean something. He has old fashioned principals and has stayed true to his ideals instead of selling out to the "in" crowd that pay big bucks to see movies that are in my opinion embarassing to watch.

I stumbled on to this post and got quite a chuckle. Look kiddies, here's how Hollywood REALLY works…it's business. The so called "intellectual" angle only plays for so long. Actors may be allowed to wax political for some cheap rah-rahs, but in the end, your pal George is going to eventually get a lecture from some 30 year old studio head saying "Georgie, we can't keep doing this…what have you done for us lately?" Don't believe me? Ahem, corner Kevin Costner sometime….

He comes off as smug and annoying.