18 Actors Who Always Make Bad Movies Better
- 128 VOTESPhoto: New in Town / Lionsgate
J.K. Simmons won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for 2015's Whiplash. It made him, if not a household name, at least something close to it. Now, he's an in-demand character actor who makes multiple movies per year.
While Simmons starred in some fine films both before and after his Oscar win, he's also helped perk up some that were disappointing. His brief cameo is the sole high point in Uwe Boll's controversial and offensive video game adaptation Postal. His joy of performance also proved to be a benefit to the otherwise drab Renée Zellweger rom-com New in Town, the flat Bradley Cooper drama The Words, and the botched Steve Jobs biopic Jobs. Because he always shows up with an abundance of enthusiasm, Simmons automatically improves any movie he's in.
- 237 VOTESPhoto: The Country Bears / Buena Vista Pictures
Christopher Walken is one of those guys who loves to act and will cheerfully turn up in just about anything he's offered. His presence makes a great film, like Pulp Fiction or True Romance, even greater. Without a doubt, he's got big-time acting skills.
At the same time, Walken can always enliven a bad movie with his unusual presence and quirky way of delivering dialogue. He provides a spark of joy in otherwise drab pictures like Gigli, The Country Bears, Nine Lives, Kangaroo Jack, and The War with Grandpa. Oftentimes, filmmakers give him some kind of weirdo monologue to deliver, and he never fails to ace it. That's because he delivers 100% in anything he does.
- 334 VOTESPhoto: The Bonfire of the Vanities / Warner Bros. Pictures
Morgan Freeman is one of the most highly respected actors working today. He achieved that status through beautifully nuanced performances in movies like The Shawshank Redemption, Seven, Driving Miss Daisy, and his Oscar-winning turn in Million Dollar Baby. Those are merely a few of his career highlights.
But as wonderful and talented as he is, Freeman does turn up in a flop every once in a while. When that happens, he still brings his commanding presence, as he did playing a no-nonsense judge in the botched screen adaptation of Tom Wolfe's The Bonfire of the Vanities and as an FBI agent in Transcendence. There's something comforting about seeing him play an authority figure, even in a lemon.
Other times, he taps into his comedic side. Zach Braff's remake of Going in Style may not have had many laughs, nor did the old-guys-in-Sin-City romp Last Vegas, but Freeman was charming in them anyway. He's incapable of being anything less.
- 435 VOTESPhoto: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone / Warner Bros. Pictures
If we had to describe Steve Buscemi in one word, that word would be "game." He's game to take on eccentric characters (as he did in Fargo), he's game to take big roles or do small cameos, and he's game to do unapologetically silly comedy on occasion. His choice of projects often seems to be based on what he thinks would be fun for him to do as an actor, and that makes him entertaining to watch in literally everything.
"Literally everything" includes Transformers: The Last Knight and several of pal Adam Sandler's lesser movies (The Cobbler, The Ridiculous 6). What makes Buscemi special is his absolute commitment to the material. Just look at his performance in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, in which he plays half of a cheesy Las Vegas magic duo alongside Steve Carell. No one will ever accuse that material of being brilliant, but the way Buscemi dives into his glitzy character is hilarious.
The actor never gives less than his full effort, ensuring that even if the movie stinks, he doesn't.
- 542 VOTESPhoto: The Spirit / Lionsgate
Everybody loves Samuel L. Jackson in the Marvel movies and anytime he works with A-list directors like Spike Lee and Quentin Tarantino. He's forged some important alliances in the movie business, working with those key collaborators repeatedly to give audiences smart, ambitious, entertaining work. He also played fan-favorite Mace Windu in the Star Wars prequels.
It's a testament to how popular Jackson is that everybody loves him in duds, too. There's a lot to criticize about that recent Shaft remake, as well as stuff like The Spirit, The Man, White Sands, Life Itself, and other misses. No one will come away from them complaining about Jackson, though. He's always got a sense of charm in his performances that transcends the weak material.
Plus, it's entertaining to hear him cuss up a blue streak, as has become his trademark.
- 636 VOTESPhoto: King Ralph / Universal Pictures
John Goodman doesn't look like a typical movie star. He looks like a guy who would work at the local hardware store. That down-to-earth quality has long endeared him to audiences. His performances in the Coen Brothers movies Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski are beloved, and his turn as a William Castle-esque director in Joe Dante's Matinee is a cult favorite. Let's not forget that he earned a big ol' box-office hit playing Fred in the live-action version of The Flintstones.
Goodman's warm presence and everyman appeal also light up pictures that are, shall we say, less satisfying than any of those titles. Remember King Ralph, in which he plays a working-class American who suddenly becomes the king of England? Or that ill-advised Stella Dallas remake, Stella, he did with Bette Midler? Or Blues Brothers 2000? Even in those and other misfires, Goodman is a jovial presence, making viewers smile with his abundance of energy.
- 723 VOTESPhoto: Rings / Paramount Pictures
Everyone agrees that Vincent D'Onofrio is a versatile actor. He has a way of disappearing into character that makes every performance he gives unique and interesting. In the best cases - playing Edgar the bug in Men in Black, for instance - he's unforgettable.
Look at him in a bad movie like the sequel Rings, though. Unlike everyone else in the picture, he seems aware that he's appearing in junk, so he plays the role of a blind cemetery caretaker with a sly tongue-in-cheek quality. That willingness to have fun with subpar material also made him a highlight in Feeling Minnesota, Chips, and Escape Plan. As a performer, he's simply too fascinating to ever be boring.
- 826 VOTESPhoto: Arthur / Warner Bros. Pictures
Helen Mirren is such an esteemed actress that you might reasonably think, "Wait, does she even make bad movies?" Winchester, Collateral Beauty, and Teaching Mrs. Tingle would like to answer that with a resounding "yes." And let's not forget 1979's all-time atrocity Caligula. If you don't know the story behind that particular movie... well, just Google it, because we're not going down that avenue.
Here's the thing, though: Mirren oozes class. You could plunk her down in Paul Blart: Mall Cop 9 and she would bring elegance and grace to it. There's also something to be said about her willingness to play. She often visibly enjoys working with other actors, even if the material is terrible. That remake of Arthur was abysmal, but boy, did she ever generate sweet chemistry with co-star Russell Brand.
- 926 VOTESPhoto: Speed 2: Cruise Control / 20th Century Fox
Willem Dafoe is unafraid to go for broke. Whereas many actors might hold back, he fearlessly charges forward, rarely - if ever - giving a performance that is anything less than electrifying. For that reason, on those occasions where he does end up in a bad movie, he still survives unscathed.
Out of the Furnace, Odd Thomas, John Carter, and xXx: State of the Union are some of the less satisfying works in which he's appeared. Let's look at Speed 2: Cruise Control, though. This notoriously lousy sequel may have lacked the pulse-pounding excitement of the original, yet Dafoe, playing the villain, is undeniably intense. He's working hard to be a world-class cinematic bad guy, even if everything around him is half-baked.
If there's a Willem Dafoe movie where Willem Dafoe isn't the best thing in it, we haven't seen that movie.
- 1029 VOTESPhoto: Like a Boss / Paramount Pictures
Jennifer Coolidge was a member of the famed improv troupe the Groundlings, so she's highly trained in comedy. Her skills have been put to perfect use in Legally Blonde and American Pie, as well as many of Christopher Guest's movies. With a unique voice that improbably sounds like the combination of a baby doll and someone's great-grandma, her delivery of a punchline is like no one else's.
Despite some classics, Coolidge has popped up in a few very bad movies. Nevertheless, her comedic skills always prove a highlight. Plump Fiction, Pootie Tang, Date Movie, Like a Boss, and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip have all benefited from the lovably ditzy screen persona she's spent years perfecting. That she keeps finding new angles to approach that persona is all the more impressive.
- 1118 VOTESPhoto: This Is Where I Leave You / Warner Bros. Pictures
Kathryn Hahn is easily one of the funniest people working today. Despite that - and the fact that she's been around for two decades - it wasn't until the comedy Bad Moms that she really broke out. After that box-office hit, many more people knew her name.
Comedy is such a hit-or-miss thing. You can always count on Hahn to earn laughs, though. Her comedic timing is impressively precise, as is her ability to play characters who are either super uptight or hilariously ditzy. This allows her to shine even when the material isn't as strong as she is. Some of the movies the actress has spruced up are This Is Where I Leave You, The Dictator, A Lot Like Love, How Do You Know, and She's Funny That Way. In every case, she holds her own against major stars and provides a sparkle in all her scenes.
- 1220 VOTESPhoto: Life of the Party / New Line Cinema
Stephen Root is a quintessential "that guy" actor. Even if you don't know his name, you definitely recognize his face, especially if you're a fan of Office Space, in which he hilariously plays Milton. He works constantly and has turned up in just about every genre of film that you can imagine.
If there's one thing that stands out about Root, it's his specialty of playing characters who are either extreme authority figures or real weirdos. He seems to like those extremes, and he plays both ends well. Often conveying a lot with just a look, the actor has spiced up duds including Robocop 3, Krippendorf's Tribe, Surviving Christmas, Imagine That, Life of the Party, and Three Christs.
Root is, in every way, one of those rock-solid performers who can perpetually be counted on to do something entertaining.
- 1317 VOTESPhoto: Super Mario Bros. / Buena Vista Pictures
John Leguizamo is one of those people who can do it all. He's an actor, a playwright, a stand-up comedian, a producer, and a screenwriter. Because his talents are so diverse, the movies haven't always known exactly what to do with him. On the best occasions, he lands roles in winners like Moulin Rouge!, Summer of Sam, and John Wick that utilize his particular energy well.
And then there are the other occasions, where he's stuck in movies that are not quite up to snuff. Righteous Kill, Playing with Fire, and Gamer are just a few examples. They all pale in comparison to the notorious Super Mario Bros., though. Even in these cases, Leguizamo is able to make a strong impression with the sheer force of his colorful personality. He always seems so alive onscreen that even a bad film gets a little juice just by having him enter the frame.
Seriously, imagine how much worse Super Mario Bros. would have been with someone less charismatic playing Luigi.
- 1425 VOTESPhoto: Iron Mask / Lionsgate
Arnold Schwarzenegger has starred in some of the most classic action pictures of all time. Commando, Predator, Total Recall, and the first two Terminator installments are all hallmarks of the genre. Just keeping it real, though, it's been a long time since he's appeared in anything of that caliber.
The actor has headlined his fair share of flops. End of Days, Sabotage, Escape Plan, Iron Mask, and Killing Gunther are not exactly going to go alongside True Lies as pictures that stand the test of time. Schwarzenegger nonetheless retains all the qualities people have loved about him for decades - genuine toughness, a sly sense of humor, and a larger-than-life personality. His more recent movies may not be as good as his older ones, but that doesn't mean watching him in action isn't fun, especially since he almost always gets to deliver his signature one-liners.
- 1524 VOTESPhoto: Primal / Lionsgate
An Academy Award-winner for Leaving Las Vegas, Nicolas Cage was once one of Hollywood's most revered actors. Recent years have seen both his personal and professional fortunes fall, leading to a filmography stuffed with cheapo action junk. Every once in a while, he stumbles into something good like Mandy or Color Out of Space, but his years as a leading-man type in major studio productions came to a close swiftly.
If that bothers Cage, he doesn't show it. The actor has seemingly taken delight in indulging every crazy whim he has, giving delightfully over-the-top performances in one movie after another. He was a gruff big game hunter in Primal, an alien-fighting martial artist in Jiu Jitsu, a hard-edged cop in 211, and a handyman looking to single-handedly bring down Osama bin Laden in Army of One. Cage's patented "craziness" can even spice up a dull religious thriller like Left Behind.
His willingness to chew scenery and make bold, unexpected choices has kept his fandom alive, even without blockbusters.
- 1617 VOTESPhoto: Clover / Freestyle Digital Media
Ron Perlman is an actor who brings a sense of danger to anything he stars in. He plays characters who don't suffer fools gladly and who, more often than not, are likely to emerge victorious should a fight break out. Interestingly, he has shown a willingness not only to hone that vibe, but also to turn it on its ear every so often, as he successfully did with Hellboy and Monster Hunter. Poking a little fun at his own image doesn't frighten him.
A lot of Perlman's lesser films are low-budget schlock that goes straight to VOD. Clover, The Big Ugly, Hell on the Border, and Run with the Hunted are a few recent examples. Whether it's those obscure duds or slightly more high-profile ones like Season of the Witch, The Scorpion King 3, or the Conan the Barbarian remake, his tough-guy fierceness is always a hoot to watch.
- 1714 VOTESPhoto: Mr. Magoo / Buena Vista Pictures
Stephen Tobolowsky will probably always be best known for playing super-annoying Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day. That brilliant supporting performance earned him everlasting good will from audiences. Just try not to smile whenever he pops up onscreen. It's impossible to dislike this guy.
As a character actor, Tobolowsky works frequently, usually taking smaller roles that allow him to come on, do his thing, and walk back off. His penchant for playing characters who are intelligent but clueless is often called upon - although to be fair, he has a singularly eccentric quality that puts a weird little spin on anything he does. Major turkeys like Dr. Jekyll & Ms. Hyde, Mr. Magoo, The Country Bears, Hard Breakers, and Beethoven's Big Break perk up a little bit simply from the offbeat energy he brings to them.
- 1817 VOTESPhoto: The Happytime Murders / STX Films
As a cast member on Saturday Night Live, Maya Rudolph earned a reputation for being able to enter a sketch and immediately make it funny, whether the writing was clever or not. That ability has also served her well on the big screen. She rarely has a leading role. Instead, the actress takes supporting parts that allow her to steal scenes while still working collaboratively with everyone else.
The Happytime Murders, Life of the Party, Duplex - these are the most notable examples of misfire comedies in which Rudolph managed to elevate a few scenes. The Grown Ups movies, meanwhile, have their fans but are never going to be added to the National Film Registry. Reuniting onscreen with fellow SNL alumni visibly gives her a chance to play, and she delivers the goods. Her banter with Chris Rock, in particular, is gold.
