Ashton Kutcher’s Best Serious Film Roles

Ashton Kutcher taking a selfie

Ashton Kutcher is best known for his roles as fun-loving characters in some of TV and films most popular comedic productions.  Kutcher rose to mainstream fame in the late 90s for his role on FOX’s funny retro-themed sitcom That 70s Show.  Kutcher’s character on the show, Michael Kelso, was somewhat of a “local idiot” who often got laughs by due to his odd behavior.  However, by the time That 70s Show ended in 2006, Kutcher, who refuse to be typecast, had already starred in several roles that were contrary to his character Michael Kelso.  Although Kutcher worked hard, many viewers had a hard time taking him seriously due to the fact that the overwhelming majority of his roles relied so heavily on comedy.

Although Kutcher continued to try, his best attempts to be seen as something other than a funny guy, have still been somewhat unsuccessful. For the last several years Kutcher has taken on mostly romantic-comedy films and only time will tell if he will ever decide to take another chance at strongly pursuing his more serious side. Even though Kutcher is very good at making people laugh, he has proven that he also has the ability to evoke other emotions as well.  Here are Ashton Kutcher five best serious film roles.

5. Texas Rangers

In the 2001 western drama film Texas Rangers, Kutcher played the role of George Durham, a man living in Texas during the height of the Civil War.  Unfortunately, with an extremely odd list of cast members, Texas Rangers flopped at the box office and critics also gave the film poor reviews.  However, Kutcher performed surprisingly well, and one viewer who initially had doubts about the film stated: “When I seen ‘Dawson’ from Dawson’s Creek & Ashton Kutcher in a western I thought there was no way that this would be good.” He then went on to say that Kutcher “gave the film a breath of ‘real life’ beyond the typical Hollywood edge.”

4.The Guardian

Released in 2006, The Guardian is an action-adventure drama film, in which Kutcher plays the role of Jake Fischer.  Kutcher’s character is a young member of the United States Coast Guard who opted to join the service instead of pursuing a career as a collegiate swimmer. The film follows Fischer as he attempts to become an Aviation Survival Technician (AST). Viewers get a chance to see Kutcher in rare form as his character struggles to handle the intense physical and mental training he must undergo in order to reach his goal. Although the film received only moderate reviews, Kutcher’s performance was described as “brilliant” and fans enjoyed his on-screen chemistry with co-star Kevin Costner.  The film also continued to show the world that Ashton Kutcher had the ability to play a wide range of roles.

3.Personal Effects

The 2008 drama film, Personal Effects, was made up of an all-star cast which included Kutcher in a starring role.  In the film, Kutcher’s character, Walter, is deeply effected by his sister’s murder and embarks on a journey to find her killer.   However, on his quest for vengeance, Walter ends up falling in love with Linda (Michelle Pfeiffer).  While many had doubts that Kutcher would be able to handle such a serious role, many were pleasantly surprised.  One reviewer noted that Kutcher “delivers” and that it was a joy to watch his character’s growth throughout the film.  Although Personal Effects was originally planned to be released as a big-screen motion picture;  a lack of studio offers, caused the film to  be released straight to televisions and DVD.  Due to the films lackluster promotion and poor distribution, the film never reached the large number of viewers that were originally intended. Unfortunately for Kutcher, the film’s lack of popularity means that one of his best serious roles has gone unnoticed.

2. Jobs

The 2013 biopic on the late Steve Jobs is one of Kutcher’s most famous roles.  Kutcher portrayed jobs throughout the entire film and through his strong acting skills fans were able to see several sides of, both Kutcher and his on-screen persona.  During an interview. Kutcher said that playing Steve J0bs just may have been his biggest role ever. Kutcher stated “The idea of playing the role terrified me. I’ve found that the greatest rewards I’ve received in my life have come from jumping at the opportunities to take on things that scare me. The chance to portray someone who not only lived but  who is still very relevant and alive in the zeitgeist seemed to be a once-in-a-lifetime challenge. ”  Although the film itself received mixed reviews, Kutcher’s performance was met with mostly positive feedback and he stated that the film “was a perfect convergence in my craft and my interests.”

1.The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect is probably Kutcher’s most popular non-comedic film. Kutcher’s leading role allows viewers to see how much one small change in a person’s past could severally alter the course of his/her future. Throughout the film, Evan (Kutcher), a college student who suffers from severe and chronic blackouts, travels back in time to various points of his life where he makes minor yet life altering decisions.  Although the film negative reviews from most critics, the legendary Robert Ebert stated that there were parts of the film he enjoyed.  However, because the film was shot while Kutcher was still working on That 70s Show, many people overlooked the fact that he was actually capable of being a serious actor.

(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

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