I guess he is known less for tender roles, and maybe when he tries 'em, they come off as kinda hard-bitten still (which works to a wonderful degree in Raging Bull, for instance.) However, I don't think it's a big knock on his career. I mean, he had a weird kind of anti-chemistry chemistry with Bridget Fonda in Jackie Brown, and I recall his scenes with Uma Thurman in Mad Dog working well enough (despite the limitations of the script--and Uma Thurman).