The worst-reviewed actors and actresses in Hollywood
April 12, 2016 11:26 AM Subscribe
Vox attempts to take a scientific look at the actors and actresses who most consistently appear in terrible movies.
According to Vox's look at Metacritic ratings of major Hollywood releases, the number one poorly reviewed actor is Rob Schneider, which should surprise no one given official pronouncements by certified Pulitzer Prize winners. Adam Sandler is number two. Well, that is to say... Nah, let's just let that stand.
Jennifer Love-Hewitt is the worst-reviewed actress, according to Vox's methodology. Jessica Alba comes in second, followed closely by Katherine Heigl.
At the other end of the spectrum, the films of Carey Mulligan and Daniel Day Lewis are particularly well-reviewed.
According to Vox's look at Metacritic ratings of major Hollywood releases, the number one poorly reviewed actor is Rob Schneider, which should surprise no one given official pronouncements by certified Pulitzer Prize winners. Adam Sandler is number two. Well, that is to say... Nah, let's just let that stand.
Jennifer Love-Hewitt is the worst-reviewed actress, according to Vox's methodology. Jessica Alba comes in second, followed closely by Katherine Heigl.
At the other end of the spectrum, the films of Carey Mulligan and Daniel Day Lewis are particularly well-reviewed.
Schneider was nominated for a 2000 Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor, but lost to Jar-Jar Binks.
That may be one of the driest sentences I have ever read.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:42 AM on April 12, 2016 [37 favorites]
That may be one of the driest sentences I have ever read.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:42 AM on April 12, 2016 [37 favorites]
"Daniel Day-Lewis seems impregnable"
Well... I mean has anyone tried?
I'm sure you could greenlight the long-awaited Junior sequel with DDL attached.
posted by Cash4Lead at 11:45 AM on April 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
Well... I mean has anyone tried?
I'm sure you could greenlight the long-awaited Junior sequel with DDL attached.
posted by Cash4Lead at 11:45 AM on April 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
I was recently joking with a few friends that there should be a movie similar to The Expendables, except with an all star cast of certain actors that somehow everybody hates and yet, inexplicably, they keep coming up with funding and manage to make movie after movie somehow. A few titles were thrown around like The Intolerables and The Unbearables. The top of our list matched this one exactly: Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and Ashton Kutcher.
posted by Hairy Lobster at 11:51 AM on April 12, 2016 [17 favorites]
posted by Hairy Lobster at 11:51 AM on April 12, 2016 [17 favorites]
It's too bad they didn't do a second analysis where they corrected for genre. Once they got to the graph of critics' genre preferences, I was sure a genre-corrected analysis was what was coming next.
Do you really think that's going to help Rob Schneider?
posted by tommasz at 11:52 AM on April 12, 2016 [4 favorites]
Do you really think that's going to help Rob Schneider?
posted by tommasz at 11:52 AM on April 12, 2016 [4 favorites]
@Hairy Lobster, it's called Ridiculous Six, it's on Netflix, it's absolutely unwatchable, and it's the most watched film on Netflix currently.
posted by EtzHadaat at 11:54 AM on April 12, 2016 [24 favorites]
posted by EtzHadaat at 11:54 AM on April 12, 2016 [24 favorites]
Sio42, I think you might get some arguments about Mr. Spader's oeuvre. May I recommend: Secretary, Two Days in the Valley, Crash, Wolf, Bob Roberts, True Colors, Wall Street, and Less Than Zero. Also Boston Legal and The Black List. YMMV.
posted by spacely_sprocket at 11:58 AM on April 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by spacely_sprocket at 11:58 AM on April 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
The worst actor list seemed to be dominated by the man-boy. No complaints there.
Also, I was interested to see the worst actor list was all men. My theory was that there are so few roles for women that the chaff got sifted out ... of the industry altogether.
And then, I scrolled down and saw the actress list. Oh, they used actors in the gender specific sense, not the universal sense. I am ridiculously outraged by how well this illustrates the ambiguity (and othering) created by using the same word to mean men/masculine and universal/including women, depending only on context.
And I loved the idea of top 10 worst actors (used universally) being the man boy.
posted by Measured Out my Life in Coffeespoons at 12:05 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Also, I was interested to see the worst actor list was all men. My theory was that there are so few roles for women that the chaff got sifted out ... of the industry altogether.
And then, I scrolled down and saw the actress list. Oh, they used actors in the gender specific sense, not the universal sense. I am ridiculously outraged by how well this illustrates the ambiguity (and othering) created by using the same word to mean men/masculine and universal/including women, depending only on context.
And I loved the idea of top 10 worst actors (used universally) being the man boy.
posted by Measured Out my Life in Coffeespoons at 12:05 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Surprised not to see Michael Caine on this list - I think he says yes to everything which puts him into an expectedly-high number of stinkers.
Or as he put it, about Jaws 3 -- "I have never seen it, but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific."
posted by Mchelly at 12:13 PM on April 12, 2016 [25 favorites]
Or as he put it, about Jaws 3 -- "I have never seen it, but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific."
posted by Mchelly at 12:13 PM on April 12, 2016 [25 favorites]
And then, I scrolled down and saw the actress list. Oh, they used actors in the gender specific sense, not the universal sense. I am ridiculously outraged by how well this illustrates the ambiguity (and othering) created by using the same word to mean men/masculine and universal/including women, depending only on context.
The article also starts out the best women actors section by referring to several of them as 'starlets', FFS. If several of the men were relatively new to acting or still coming up, they'd no doubt be 'rising powerhouses' or the like.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 12:21 PM on April 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
The article also starts out the best women actors section by referring to several of them as 'starlets', FFS. If several of the men were relatively new to acting or still coming up, they'd no doubt be 'rising powerhouses' or the like.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 12:21 PM on April 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
it's called Ridiculous Six, it's on Netflix, it's absolutely unwatchable, and it's the most watched film on Netflix currently.
My faith in humanity might be tattered, but there's still enough of it left that I believe this is because Netflix auto-launched the movie for two weeks straight whenever anyone finished a different movie/TV show.
posted by haileris23 at 12:24 PM on April 12, 2016 [5 favorites]
My faith in humanity might be tattered, but there's still enough of it left that I believe this is because Netflix auto-launched the movie for two weeks straight whenever anyone finished a different movie/TV show.
posted by haileris23 at 12:24 PM on April 12, 2016 [5 favorites]
Surprised not to see Michael Caine on this list - I think he says yes to everything which puts him into an expectedly-high number of stinkers.
While I agree that the films he has chosen to appear in in his later years have been generally uninspiring (and yeah, sometimes just plain bad), I think MC appeared in enough good films in the first 2/3 of his long career that he can pretty much coast on those fumes until he hangs it up. My two cents.
posted by mosk at 12:25 PM on April 12, 2016 [5 favorites]
While I agree that the films he has chosen to appear in in his later years have been generally uninspiring (and yeah, sometimes just plain bad), I think MC appeared in enough good films in the first 2/3 of his long career that he can pretty much coast on those fumes until he hangs it up. My two cents.
posted by mosk at 12:25 PM on April 12, 2016 [5 favorites]
There's a kind of famous quote from Michael Caine when asked about being in some stinker he starred in. I'm paraphrasing: "Oh yeah that film was terrible. But the house it bought is fantastic!"
posted by elendil71 at 12:30 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by elendil71 at 12:30 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
this quote maybe?
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:32 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:32 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
De Niro is working really hard to switch lists.
posted by Etrigan at 12:32 PM on April 12, 2016 [10 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 12:32 PM on April 12, 2016 [10 favorites]
Buried lede: John C Reilly is the third best reviewed actor.
I guess people live Dr. Brule more than I knew...
posted by rock swoon has no past at 12:32 PM on April 12, 2016 [4 favorites]
I guess people live Dr. Brule more than I knew...
posted by rock swoon has no past at 12:32 PM on April 12, 2016 [4 favorites]
It would be interesting to see what would happen in the top if automatic critic pleasers and Oscar bait like bio/historical dramas were removed. Harder to do that on the bottom (considering action, rom-coms and comedies are the most common genres.
posted by lmfsilva at 12:35 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by lmfsilva at 12:35 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
That may be one of the driest sentences I have ever read.
That smackdown is a classic, but there are a couple more chapters in that story: A bouquet arrives and One act of kindness.
posted by effbot at 12:37 PM on April 12, 2016 [21 favorites]
That smackdown is a classic, but there are a couple more chapters in that story: A bouquet arrives and One act of kindness.
posted by effbot at 12:37 PM on April 12, 2016 [21 favorites]
Even math knows Adam Sandler sucks.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:42 PM on April 12, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:42 PM on April 12, 2016 [7 favorites]
effbot - I had not read that pair of articles about Rob Schneider and Roger Ebert and now I'm experiencing a genuinely new thing - admiration for Rob Schneider. I still don't much like his movies or his politics, but he seems like he has a good heart.
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:49 PM on April 12, 2016 [14 favorites]
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:49 PM on April 12, 2016 [14 favorites]
Interesting that the highest and lowest scores both go to men, fitting the general pattern that you shouldn't mention if you want to be president of Harvard.
posted by dgaicun at 1:05 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by dgaicun at 1:05 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Going against his trend, Judd Apatow's little-known Adam Sandler movie Funny People is really good, much better than the 60-something percent it gets on review sites.
The methodology used here is a little crude - they should weight results by date, and by prominence of the role (not just whether they were in the movie).
That would reveal the true horror of Johnny Depp's recent career. It's an unprecedented run of flops for a leading man to go through and still get work.
posted by w0mbat at 1:06 PM on April 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
The methodology used here is a little crude - they should weight results by date, and by prominence of the role (not just whether they were in the movie).
That would reveal the true horror of Johnny Depp's recent career. It's an unprecedented run of flops for a leading man to go through and still get work.
posted by w0mbat at 1:06 PM on April 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
Going against his trend, Judd Apatow's little-known Adam Sandler movie Funny People is really good, much better than the 60-something percent it gets on review sites.
Punch Drunk Love is pretty good too. For that matter, his early career, while proudly low-brow, at least involved some effort. Sandler's greater crime is just giving the fuck up and taking whatever role will let him go somewhere nice.
posted by Etrigan at 1:13 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
Punch Drunk Love is pretty good too. For that matter, his early career, while proudly low-brow, at least involved some effort. Sandler's greater crime is just giving the fuck up and taking whatever role will let him go somewhere nice.
posted by Etrigan at 1:13 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
For this to be actually significant, VOX should have investigated who represents these actors. Chances are very good that the agency (or management company) is to blame for the bad choices.
posted by Ideefixe at 1:17 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Ideefixe at 1:17 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
That would reveal the true horror of Johnny Depp's recent career.
Sandler picks roles because they might give good vacations. Depp picks movies where he can wear funny costumes, wigs, or shave his hair.
posted by lmfsilva at 1:29 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Sandler picks roles because they might give good vacations. Depp picks movies where he can wear funny costumes, wigs, or shave his hair.
posted by lmfsilva at 1:29 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
That would reveal the true horror of Johnny Depp's recent career.
Tusk is what it is, but it has one of Depp's best performances ever.
posted by P.o.B. at 1:29 PM on April 12, 2016
Tusk is what it is, but it has one of Depp's best performances ever.
posted by P.o.B. at 1:29 PM on April 12, 2016
I wish the lists were longer because I'm most interested in actors toward the bottom of the bad lists that have roughly equal numbers of good, bad, and mediocre films (Halle Berry, Mila Kunis, Christian Slater).
posted by straight at 1:34 PM on April 12, 2016
posted by straight at 1:34 PM on April 12, 2016
The article also starts out the best women actors section by referring to several of them as 'starlets', FFS.
I hate the word starlet. It's such a patronising sexist way of referring to a young actor. They're really adding insult to injury when they use it for Oscar-nominated or Oscar-winning stars.
I'm interested in the number of non-Americans in the best actor lists - three of the top five men and four of the top five women.
posted by Azara at 1:39 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
I hate the word starlet. It's such a patronising sexist way of referring to a young actor. They're really adding insult to injury when they use it for Oscar-nominated or Oscar-winning stars.
I'm interested in the number of non-Americans in the best actor lists - three of the top five men and four of the top five women.
posted by Azara at 1:39 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
Sandler's greater crime is just giving the fuck up and taking whatever role will let him go somewhere nice.
I thought almost all of Sandler's films from the past 10 years were generated from within his own production company, Happy Madison. It's not that he's given up, it's that he's created his own self-indulgent creative venue where nobody can challenge him to grow.
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:47 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
I thought almost all of Sandler's films from the past 10 years were generated from within his own production company, Happy Madison. It's not that he's given up, it's that he's created his own self-indulgent creative venue where nobody can challenge him to grow.
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:47 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
When I was a much younger lad, pretty much anything with John Saxon in it meant it was likely to be a terrible film.
posted by juiceCake at 1:59 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by juiceCake at 1:59 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
The inclusion of Jason Statham in the bad list implies that he isn't delivering to his fans, but I'm not sure that's correct. I watch a lot of his movies and they tend to do exactly what I want them to. Critics are just too harsh on action films like the article says.
I was certain for some reason that Willem Dafoe would be on the most acclaimed list. When I think of actors who I can count on to be in interesting things, he's tops.
posted by heatvision at 2:00 PM on April 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
I was certain for some reason that Willem Dafoe would be on the most acclaimed list. When I think of actors who I can count on to be in interesting things, he's tops.
posted by heatvision at 2:00 PM on April 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
I was VERY surprised not to see Jennifer Anniston on the "Worst Actress" list....
posted by JenThePro at 2:08 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by JenThePro at 2:08 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Adam Sandler (and Don Cheadle's) Reign Over Me(2007) is my antidote to any sweeping Sandler criticism. Film is collaborative and I infer expectations from many criticisms as though it were music and a "lead singer" has adopted a wildly dissimilar style or genre. I often think about what Flannery O'Connor wrote when I read the expectations of "fans":
The great novels we get in the future are not going to be those that the public thinks it wants, or those that critics demand. They are going to be the kind of novels that interest novelists. And the novels that interest the novelist are those that have not already been written.
I don't mean people don't have a right to dislike anything, but the basis of that dislike is often How-I-Think-It-Should-Be without much examination of what is there.
I'm amazed at how many titles Michael Caine and Gene Hackman have completed, just workin' away, finding a delivery, some little moment to nail down, and seemingly never tire of it.
What people expect? Yeah, yeah.
posted by lazycomputerkids at 2:10 PM on April 12, 2016
The great novels we get in the future are not going to be those that the public thinks it wants, or those that critics demand. They are going to be the kind of novels that interest novelists. And the novels that interest the novelist are those that have not already been written.
I don't mean people don't have a right to dislike anything, but the basis of that dislike is often How-I-Think-It-Should-Be without much examination of what is there.
I'm amazed at how many titles Michael Caine and Gene Hackman have completed, just workin' away, finding a delivery, some little moment to nail down, and seemingly never tire of it.
What people expect? Yeah, yeah.
posted by lazycomputerkids at 2:10 PM on April 12, 2016
May I just take this opportunity to say that the Razzies suck? Because they really suck.
posted by brundlefly at 2:17 PM on April 12, 2016
posted by brundlefly at 2:17 PM on April 12, 2016
I hate the word starlet. It's such a patronising sexist way of referring to a young actor.
Brown dwarf would be gender neutral.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 2:30 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Brown dwarf would be gender neutral.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 2:30 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
The inclusion of Jason Statham in the bad list implies that he isn't delivering to his fans, but I'm not sure that's correct. I watch a lot of his movies and they tend to do exactly what I want them to. Critics are just too harsh on action films like the article says.
I enjoy Jason Statham movies. And recent Liam Neeson movies.
I call them Jason Statham and Liam Neeson movies because I can't remember titles, plots, names or much else.
I just enjoy them.
Acting isn't a part of it at all. I want Jason and Liam to just be Jason and Liam.
posted by srboisvert at 2:34 PM on April 12, 2016 [8 favorites]
I enjoy Jason Statham movies. And recent Liam Neeson movies.
I call them Jason Statham and Liam Neeson movies because I can't remember titles, plots, names or much else.
I just enjoy them.
Acting isn't a part of it at all. I want Jason and Liam to just be Jason and Liam.
posted by srboisvert at 2:34 PM on April 12, 2016 [8 favorites]
I think the recent Adam Sandler movies are almost his way of punishing people for not falling all over themselves to praise his performances in Punch Drunk Love, Funny People, Reign Over Me, etc. I think part of him wants his career to look like that of Tom Hanks but who cares about art or prestige when Grown Ups makes $200M more than Funny People?
posted by kat518 at 2:58 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by kat518 at 2:58 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
I guess Christopher Lambert's day is over. Time was when seeing his name on the credits for a movie meant it was going to be so-bad-it's-good.
Even he had his limits; he refused to appear in the second Mortal Kombat movie after chewing the scenery in the first one.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 3:21 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Even he had his limits; he refused to appear in the second Mortal Kombat movie after chewing the scenery in the first one.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 3:21 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
I guess Christopher Lambert's day is over. Time was when seeing his name on the credits for a movie meant it was going to be so-bad-it's-good.
I dunno, Highlander 2 didn't quite get to the it's-good part. But apparently I missed him in Hail, Caesar!
posted by Existential Dread at 3:30 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
I dunno, Highlander 2 didn't quite get to the it's-good part. But apparently I missed him in Hail, Caesar!
posted by Existential Dread at 3:30 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
I call them Jason Statham and Liam Neeson movies because I can't remember titles, plots, names or much else.
I'm starting to feel this way about Melissa McCarthy, although the difference is that they tend to be either very enjoyable (Spy, The Heat) or very avoidable (Identity Thief, Tammy, The Boss).
posted by psoas at 3:44 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm starting to feel this way about Melissa McCarthy, although the difference is that they tend to be either very enjoyable (Spy, The Heat) or very avoidable (Identity Thief, Tammy, The Boss).
posted by psoas at 3:44 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Buried lede: John C Reilly is the third best reviewed actor.
When I saw this, I was like: "Oh really, even over Tom Hardy? I can't think of anything he's been in that didn't get great reviews" and somehow HE'S NOT EVEN ON THE LIST. I call shenanigans.
posted by psoas at 3:51 PM on April 12, 2016
When I saw this, I was like: "Oh really, even over Tom Hardy? I can't think of anything he's been in that didn't get great reviews" and somehow HE'S NOT EVEN ON THE LIST. I call shenanigans.
posted by psoas at 3:51 PM on April 12, 2016
"Oh really, even over Tom Hardy? I can't think of anything he's been in that didn't get great reviews"
Star Trek: Nemesis and This Means War.
posted by brundlefly at 3:53 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
Star Trek: Nemesis and This Means War.
posted by brundlefly at 3:53 PM on April 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
val kilmer val kilmer val kilmer val kilmer val kilmer val kilmer val kilmer val kilmer val kilmer val kilmer val kilmer val kilmer
posted by Shepherd at 4:52 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Shepherd at 4:52 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
O RLY? Two words:
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 5:05 PM on April 12, 2016 [9 favorites]
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 5:05 PM on April 12, 2016 [9 favorites]
We're all arguing for Val Kilmer's greatness, right? TOP SECRET.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 6:09 PM on April 12, 2016 [11 favorites]
posted by everybody had matching towels at 6:09 PM on April 12, 2016 [11 favorites]
Also, 'Wonderland'.
Here's a trickier one: Pauly Shore. Is bud necessary? Perhaps.
posted by mr. digits at 6:11 PM on April 12, 2016
Here's a trickier one: Pauly Shore. Is bud necessary? Perhaps.
posted by mr. digits at 6:11 PM on April 12, 2016
Real Genius
posted by valkane at 6:12 PM on April 12, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by valkane at 6:12 PM on April 12, 2016 [8 favorites]
Batman Whichever The Fuck One It Was I Can't Even Be Arsed To Remember
posted by Etrigan at 6:18 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 6:18 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Batman Forever is actually pretty enjoyable guys.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 6:26 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by everybody had matching towels at 6:26 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
For a while there in the oughts I kept confusing Aaron Eckhart and Val Kilmer.
It was a weird time.
posted by pxe2000 at 6:35 PM on April 12, 2016 [4 favorites]
It was a weird time.
posted by pxe2000 at 6:35 PM on April 12, 2016 [4 favorites]
Two words:
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Four words, in fact, but top-notch latter era Kilmer.
I think Cuba Gooding Jr. deserves some recognition for being the only Oscar-winning actor in the bottom ten.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:36 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Four words, in fact, but top-notch latter era Kilmer.
I think Cuba Gooding Jr. deserves some recognition for being the only Oscar-winning actor in the bottom ten.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:36 PM on April 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
= The dark night of soul that finds me defending Adam Sandler's choices =
What if Adam Sandler doesn't enjoy acting?
Say you're a brilliant mathematician, and you're able to write the most elegant proofs, but you don't enjoy math itself? If math's just a tool, a means to get the answers you seek? Acting is a just another profession. There are some certifiable movie stars are also fine actors, but it doesn't always shake out that way. What if he's a movie star with no real interest in acting itself?
Sandler makes terrible (to most of us in this thread) movies and those movies earn shocking (to most of us in this thread) amounts of money. He travels to tropical paradises, pals around with his long-time friends, has several people on retainer to remember to turn the cameras on, and goes home tan and successful. Sandler started out as a stand-up comedian, and those people have brutal work schedules and take years to break even (much less achieve Sandler-level stardom).
He's proven he can act. With the right director/script/motivation/astronomical event, he's a talented, interesting actor. But if it's not something he enjoys, I can still respect he's opting to keep an awful lot of people (including some of those old friends from his comedy-circuit days) employed. His movies are not for me, but his work seems to please a hell of lot of other people.
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:04 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
What if Adam Sandler doesn't enjoy acting?
Say you're a brilliant mathematician, and you're able to write the most elegant proofs, but you don't enjoy math itself? If math's just a tool, a means to get the answers you seek? Acting is a just another profession. There are some certifiable movie stars are also fine actors, but it doesn't always shake out that way. What if he's a movie star with no real interest in acting itself?
Sandler makes terrible (to most of us in this thread) movies and those movies earn shocking (to most of us in this thread) amounts of money. He travels to tropical paradises, pals around with his long-time friends, has several people on retainer to remember to turn the cameras on, and goes home tan and successful. Sandler started out as a stand-up comedian, and those people have brutal work schedules and take years to break even (much less achieve Sandler-level stardom).
He's proven he can act. With the right director/script/motivation/astronomical event, he's a talented, interesting actor. But if it's not something he enjoys, I can still respect he's opting to keep an awful lot of people (including some of those old friends from his comedy-circuit days) employed. His movies are not for me, but his work seems to please a hell of lot of other people.
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:04 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Man, how long did I have that window open? Yeah, Kilmer kills it in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Not only in the fantastic delivery of some of his lines -- he's always been such an underrated physical comedian.
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:08 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:08 PM on April 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
But apparently I missed him in Hail, Caesar!
I'm beginning to think Christopher Lambert actually is immortal, because in Hail, Caesar!, he looked like he had covered himself in liquid latex to do that fake old age effect.
The wrinkles were just too perfect, y'know?
posted by Katemonkey at 2:25 AM on April 13, 2016
I'm beginning to think Christopher Lambert actually is immortal, because in Hail, Caesar!, he looked like he had covered himself in liquid latex to do that fake old age effect.
The wrinkles were just too perfect, y'know?
posted by Katemonkey at 2:25 AM on April 13, 2016
When I was a much younger lad, pretty much anything with John Saxon in it meant it was likely to be a terrible film.
Same old Roper.
posted by Mocata at 2:48 AM on April 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Same old Roper.
posted by Mocata at 2:48 AM on April 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Not the right criteria here, I realize, but still, I'm always a little disappointed by "worst actors" lists when they don't feature the inexplicable Andie MacDowell.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 4:57 AM on April 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Short Attention Sp at 4:57 AM on April 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
De Niro is working really hard to switch lists.
I would also like to see a "Different Drummer" category - those actors whose presence gives no indication about the quality of the movie in which they star. DeNiro would be at the top of the range, Nick Cage at the bottom.
posted by rtimmel at 7:35 AM on April 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
I would also like to see a "Different Drummer" category - those actors whose presence gives no indication about the quality of the movie in which they star. DeNiro would be at the top of the range, Nick Cage at the bottom.
posted by rtimmel at 7:35 AM on April 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
the inexplicable Andie MacDowell
She was perfectly fine as a romantic comedy lead in the '90s, and she has a magnificently showy soliloquy as a Southern Lady of a Certain Age in Magic Mike XXL (which should be up for inclusion in the New Feminist Canon, but that's a conversation for another day).
posted by psoas at 8:20 AM on April 13, 2016
She was perfectly fine as a romantic comedy lead in the '90s, and she has a magnificently showy soliloquy as a Southern Lady of a Certain Age in Magic Mike XXL (which should be up for inclusion in the New Feminist Canon, but that's a conversation for another day).
posted by psoas at 8:20 AM on April 13, 2016
Buried lede: John C Reilly is the third best reviewed actor.
I find it amazing that only he and Daniel Day-Lewis (on the male list) have been in zero negatively reviewed movies. I don't think of Reilly as being particularly selective, nor do I think of him as being able to elevate dreck all by himself (shit, if Tom Hanks has 7% bad movies...).
Also, it's odd that only two men on the list have zero bad movies, while seven women do.
posted by Etrigan at 8:31 AM on April 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
I find it amazing that only he and Daniel Day-Lewis (on the male list) have been in zero negatively reviewed movies. I don't think of Reilly as being particularly selective, nor do I think of him as being able to elevate dreck all by himself (shit, if Tom Hanks has 7% bad movies...).
Also, it's odd that only two men on the list have zero bad movies, while seven women do.
posted by Etrigan at 8:31 AM on April 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Because of the FPP, last night I dreamt I was watching an episode of Friends with special guest stars Alicia Silverstone and Christian Slater.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:03 AM on April 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:03 AM on April 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
Buried lede: John C Reilly is the third best reviewed actor.
I find it amazing that only he and Daniel Day-Lewis (on the male list) have been in zero negatively reviewed movies. I don't think of Reilly as being particularly selective, nor do I think of him as being able to elevate dreck all by himself (shit, if Tom Hanks has 7% bad movies...).
I generally like JCR, but I find it odd that Walk Hard, Anchorman 2, Cedar Rapids, Step Brothers, Cyrus, and Talladega Nights (not a one of which breaks 7/10 on IMDB) collectively generated zero negative reviews.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:16 AM on April 13, 2016
I find it amazing that only he and Daniel Day-Lewis (on the male list) have been in zero negatively reviewed movies. I don't think of Reilly as being particularly selective, nor do I think of him as being able to elevate dreck all by himself (shit, if Tom Hanks has 7% bad movies...).
I generally like JCR, but I find it odd that Walk Hard, Anchorman 2, Cedar Rapids, Step Brothers, Cyrus, and Talladega Nights (not a one of which breaks 7/10 on IMDB) collectively generated zero negative reviews.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:16 AM on April 13, 2016
I generally like JCR, but I find it odd that Walk Hard, Anchorman 2, Cedar Rapids, Step Brothers, Cyrus, and Talladega Nights (not a one of which breaks 7/10 on IMDB) collectively generated zero negative reviews.
It's not that they got no negative reviews at all, it's that they got more good than bad ones -- 74, 75, 86, 55, 80, and 72 percent "fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively.
posted by Etrigan at 10:24 AM on April 13, 2016
It's not that they got no negative reviews at all, it's that they got more good than bad ones -- 74, 75, 86, 55, 80, and 72 percent "fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively.
posted by Etrigan at 10:24 AM on April 13, 2016
[Daniel Day-Lewis] is one of the most selective actors in the industry: In a career that has spanned nearly five decades, he's participated in only 11 films.
I thought that number was low. Wikipedia says he has been in 20.
posted by Agent X9 at 12:37 PM on April 13, 2016
I thought that number was low. Wikipedia says he has been in 20.
posted by Agent X9 at 12:37 PM on April 13, 2016
IMDB likewise (plus seven TV roles and one uncredited part when he was a teenager). I have seen him in at least eleven movies.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:24 PM on April 13, 2016
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:24 PM on April 13, 2016
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posted by clawsoon at 11:39 AM on April 12, 2016 [4 favorites]