Quick Top Five: Robert Downey Jr.

Day is now breaking in America over the 44th birthday of Robert Downey Jr. An actor, musician and part-time mad man, Downey has fitted a lot of living into four decades of life. In honour of this, I present to you my Quick Top Five RDJ performances.

5. Weird Science: His contribution to 80’s smart/casual fashion has never been equalled. Upturned collars, cropped jackets and khaki Bermuda shorts ““ the campest preppie bully in John Hughes history.

4. Natural Born Killers: Say what you like about Oliver Stone’s Marmite movie, Robert Downey is a babbling, scheming revelation.

3. Only You: This sadly underrated romantic comedy is Downey at his most charismatic as he chases and woos Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler) around Florence and sabotages her search for the man she believes is her destiny.

2. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: Perfect, funny, dry and as twisty as a twisty thing. RDJ gets to babble like a maniac and accidentally solve a little crime on the side!

1. Home for the Holidays: This film has it all ““ Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft, dysfunctional families, sparkling dialogue and Mr Downey Jr. It is by far my favourite festive movie and, although we don’t do Thanksgiving here, I watch it every November and give thanks that someone had the common sense to make it. An absolute gem.

It was hard to limit the list to just five films and I must reserve the right to change my mind as often as I like. With a career that began thirty-nine years ago, there are dozens of spellbinding performances to choose from, and he shows no signs of slowing down yet. Sherlock Holmes is currently in post-production and due to hit cinemas this Boxing Day ““ just when I though Rupert Everett was as close a contender to Jeremy Brett as we were going to find along comes RDJ to fight him for the crown. He has been a busy boy and deserves a birthday break, however he chooses to spend his day let us hope he doesn’t wear himself out”¦Iron Man II begins shooting on Monday!