Worst Performances By Good Actors

[Asr]

In no particular order:

SLJ in 1408
Kurt Russell in Poseidon
Frank Langella in Superman Returns
Kirsten Dunst in Spider-Man 1, 2, and 3 (she can be good when she wants to)
Nic Cage in Ghost Rider
Gene Hackman in Superman: The Movie
Gwyneth Paltrow in Iron Man
Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Dark Knight
Claire Danes in Stardust
Morgan Freeman in Wanted
Michael Keaton in The Last Time
Charlize Theron in Aeon Flux
Ed Norton in The Italian Job
Kevin Bacon in Hollow Man
Jude Law in Sky Captain ATWOT

 

[Octoberist]

In no particular order:

SLJ in 1408
Kurt Russell in Poseidon
Frank Langella in Superman Returns
Kirsten Dunst in Spider-Man 1, 2, and 3 (she can be good when she wants to)
Nic Cage in Ghost Rider
Gene Hackman in Superman: The Movie
Gwyneth Paltrow in Iron Man
Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Dark Knight
Claire Danes in Stardust
Morgan Freeman in Wanted

I can't see why Gwyneth Paltrow was bad in Iron Man. in fact, I think she was actually decent. Samething with Gyllenhall.

 

[Asr]

I view Paltrow and Gyllenhaal's instances a lot more as "wasted potential" than a "bad performance" per se. Any number of other actresses could have done their roles better as delivered - hence, their "worst performances" as good actresses.

 

[Figs]

I liked him in Frailty, U-571, Tropic Thunder and even Reign of Fire.

Same here. I don't think he's a great actor but I think he's alright and I really liked him in those films.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Wilson would of been so much better in TT. You can clearly tell that role was written for him.

 

[Bunker]

How can people consider Nic Cage a good actor?

 

[Carmine Falcone]

He's either ****ing awful or ****ing great. Absolutely nothing in between.

 

[Octoberist]

How can people consider Nic Cage a good actor?

Have you seen his older movies? It's like basing De Niro's career on his current films only.

 

[That-Guy]

How can people consider Nic Cage a good actor?

Well, considering that the guy has an oscar, I don't think it's only people on the net that think he's a good actor. He's been really great in quite a few films (Leaving Las Vegas, Adaptation, The Weather Man).

Cage is a talented guy, he just (as of late) tends to pick roles that he's not suited to (Ghost Rider) and in some cases, movies that should have never even been made (Bangkok Dangerous, NEXT). I'm not sure if he's just getting bad advice, or if he's the type of guy who will just sign onto anything that looks fun. I hope that he makes better choices in the future so that people will stop acting like he's the worst actor in the world.

 

[That-Guy]

Same here. I don't think he's a great actor but I think he's alright and I really liked him in those films.

Exactly. He's not Brando, but he can be enjoyable with a good script.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

Cage did Ghost Rider because he was a fan. I still to this day haven't seen the movie. I also don't get why people think he's a bad actor. Yes, he has had is "bad" movies, but he's also had some good ones. I really don't consider him a bad actor.

 

[Octoberist]

well, i have to admit after watching "Knowing" Nic is on the verge of just phoning in his performances. He's now predictable and no longer the 'fearless' actor that he was once was.

Ghost Rider btw, was the worst movie I've seen in a while. Terrible.

 

[Bunker]

I haven't seen Adaptation, but I liked him in Leaving Las Vegas and Raising Arizona. I guess I'm just jaded by his choice of roles the last 10 or years.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

In no particular order:
Morgan Freeman in Wanted

I thought Samuel L Jackson would've been much more suited for that role as Sloan. Freeman just didn't cut it.

 

[dude stannis]

Freeman was the best thing about Wanted.

"Otherwise shoot this mother ****er!"

Edward Norton in The Italian Job was poor.

 

[Octoberist]

norton wanted to get out of his 3 picture contract with Paramont quickly and at the time, The Italian Job was available which would be his third (last) pic. So he just did it for the cash and to get out of the studio.

 

[dude stannis]

norton wanted to get out of his 3 picture contract with Paramont quickly and at the time, The Italian Job was available which would be his third (last) pic. So he just did it for the cash and to get out of the studio.

Yeah, he tells the whole story in the commentary on the Fight Club DVD. He didn't need to be such a *****e about it though, everyone else looked like they where having fun.

 

[dark_b]

Yeah, he tells the whole story in the commentary on the Fight Club DVD. He didn't need to be such a *****e about it though, everyone else looked like they where having fun.

this wad done after 2003 right?

 

[gwynplaine]

Harrison Ford in What Lies Beneath. An otherwise enjoyable movie.

 

[Doctor Jones]

That's a good film actually.

And Pfeiffer. Mmmm.

 

[kayla_jorel]

In no particular order:
Gene Hackman in Superman: The Movie

That was a great performance - Hackman's Luthor was brilliant in that film and balanced the (rightly) reverential treatment they were giving Superman.

I'm surprised that no-one's mentioned Halle Berry as Catwoman in this thread. She's widely panned for that one.

 

[dude stannis]

this wad done after 2003 right?

The Special Edition came out in 2006 according to the back of my DVD.

 

[CGHulk]

Dennis Quaid in Dragonheart.

 

[That-Guy]

I'm surprised that no-one's mentioned Halle Berry as Catwoman in this thread. She's widely panned for that one.

It's probably because that would mean that Halle is a good actress on some level and just had a misstep with Catwoman.

But after suffering through her boring-to-awful performances in other films such as the X-Men movies, Swordfish, Die Another Day, Perfect Stranger, Gothika, BAPS, The Flintstones and more, I'd have to conclude that she's pretty f**king terrible.

She was decent in Monster's Ball, but giving her an Oscar was bullsh**.

 

[dark_b]

It's probably because that would mean that Halle is a good actress on some level and just had a misstep with Catwoman.

But after suffering through her boring-to-awful performances in other films such as the X-Men movies, Swordfish, Die Another Day, Perfect Stranger, Gothika, BAPS, The Flintstones and more, I'd have to conclude that she's pretty f**king terrible.

She was decent in Monster's Ball, but giving her an Oscar was bullsh**.

brilliant post.

the girl is hot.was in some fun movies. but a really good actor? come ooooooooooooon guys. it also explains why she was so crying.even she knew that she didnt deserve it.