Good/Great Acting in Terrible Movies

[INACTIVESamusAranX]

Have you ever watched a movie that was just terrible, or not enjoyable to you, but there was an actor or actress in it who stole the scene for you and really did a good job despite the film's quality?

I thought of this after watching The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The movie still stunk in my opinion but Julianne Moore did a relatively good job with here role, despite the crappy plot and writing.

And in Star Wars Episode II: AOTC Christopher Lee chewed up his scenes.

Any others in your opinion?

 

[Aragorn]

Winona Ryder generated Oscar talk for her role in Mermaids.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I'm always seeing this sort of thing on TV, where there seem to be far more good actors than good writers. Any scene with Adrian Pasdar or Zachary Quinto from Heroes lately, for instance. Geezus, I hope those guys are being paid very well. Must suck to have to do your job while thinking "let's see, which of my character's fifteen personalities is he wearing today?"

 

[JNG]

I don't want to sound like an undiscriminating fan here, but I don't think Robert Forster has ever been bad in anything, despite being in more than his fair share of terrible stuff. A superb nonverbal actor in particular, he deserved better in most of his career.

While I am thinking of Robert Forster, I think of "Jackie Brown" and then of Pam Grier...and when was Pam Grier ever NOT awesome?

 

[Ben Sisko3]

Paul Dano and Christopher Walken in a lot of things.

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

I've only ever seen Walken phone it in once, and that was in A View To A Kill. Other wise, he's great no matter what the quality of the movie.

Another that comes to mind immediately: Denzel Washington in Training Day. I don't know anyone that will argue that movie is anything better than mediocre, but Washington's performance was great and he got an oscar for it.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I thought "Gangs of New York" was pretty mediocre, except for Daniel Day-Lewis' performance, which made it feel like a far better movie than it really was. The other actors in it simply were nowhere near his caliber, and it showed.

Oh, and Tobin Bell gives the Saw movies more credibility than they deserve.

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

I have to agree with that. Daniel Day-Lewis is one of those rare actors that can elevate a movie just with his presence. For another example, would There Will Be Blood have received all of the incredible praise it recieved had it not been for Day-Lewis? He honestly was that movie, and without him it wouldn't have been even close to as good as it was.

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

Jean Reno in Godzilla. The only bright spot in a miserable film.

 

[Mike Farley]

Louis Gossett Jr is a great actor, and yet in the 80's and 90's if he was in a movie nine times out of ten you could assume it was shit.

 

[T'Baio]

Jim Carrey in Man On The Moon. He was truly fantastic in a boring, maudlin snore fest.

 

[ChickenPug!]

Paul Giamatti in "Lady in the Water" and "Safe Men". Some my disagree but I think he is a great character actor.


I do agree about Daniel Day-Lewis, he elevates any film he is in.

 

[Professor Zoom]

and when was Pam Grier ever NOT awesome?

Escape from LA.

 

[LutherSloan]

For another example, would There Will Be Blood have received all of the incredible praise it recieved had it not been for Day-Lewis? He honestly was that movie, and without him it wouldn't have been even close to as good as it was.

Paul Dano??

 

[Kira's Mom]

For another example, would There Will Be Blood have received all of the incredible praise it recieved had it not been for Day-Lewis? He honestly was that movie, and without him it wouldn't have been even close to as good as it was.

Paul Dano??

Yeah, he was good in that, too, but without Day-Lewis, I don't think it would have worked as well.

Liev Schreiber is great in just about anything he does. I wish he'd get a movie that's as good as he is!

Paul Bettany is another one who is usually good even if the movie sucks.

 

[James Bond]

Frank Langella was brilliant as Skeletor in Masters of the Universe.

 

[Aragorn]

Louis Gossett Jr is a great actor, and yet in the 80's and 90's if he was in a movie nine times out of ten you could assume it was shit.

Hey now! He was in a CHUCK NORRIS movie!

I wonder if Iron Eagle V is in the horizon.

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

For another example, would There Will Be Blood have received all of the incredible praise it recieved had it not been for Day-Lewis? He honestly was that movie, and without him it wouldn't have been even close to as good as it was.

Paul Dano??

I'll agree that Paul Dano did an admirable job, but he was in the company of a giant. Daniel Plainview is destined to become an iconic film character and that is entirely owed to Daniel Day-Lewis. His performance took the character to a level that would not have been possible with a lesser actor.

I remember three specific areas of praise for the film: the cinematography (which I agree with, the film was masterfully shot) the score ( again, a wonderful score that was very sadly disqualified from an oscar) and foremost Daniel Day-Lewis. I will maintain that without him the film would have hardly been a blip on the radar.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Peter Cushing's been in a lot of crappy movies, but he always seemed to put genuine effort into even the worst material.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

Peter O'Toole in "Phantoms"...okay, he was a bit corny.

But try getting anyone else to say "This thing wiped out the dinosaurs and they were pretty tough fucking customers!" with any sense of believability.

Richard Crenna in the Rambo films. (though, at least the first two movie were enjoyable on some level).

I'm having a hard time thinking of truly terrible movies.