Bad/Cheesy actors that carry a good movie

[nelsonmuntz]

Rules: The actor in question has to be mediocre or bad in everything else they have done, has to not be an actor at all, or has to be best known for cheesy roles.

Ricardo Montalban, Star Trek II - He was a pretty big star in the 40's and early 50's, but by the late 70's he was a lifer TV guest star, not even getting recurring characters. Fantasy Island was a career saver for him, and that show actually did pretty well (it is amazing what people watched in the 70's), but critically garnered little respect. Then he carries Star Trek II, which was not exactly a lock to be the major hit it became. He ended up making Shatner and Nimoy millions as a result of saving their careers with that movie.

Courtney Love, The People vs. Larry Flynt - this is a great movie for a lot of reasons. Love essentially plays herself, but she does a fantastic job. She is a junkie sl**, but also has to be appealing and intelligent enough to make Larry's deep love of her seem realistic, and also play out a severe physical decline over the course of the movie which is difficult to pull off for the best actors. I was surprised she didn't get more roles like this one.

Who else?

 

[Fishy]

Haing S. Ngor - he was a doctor in Cambodia before the Khmer Rouge.

Came to America, wrote a book about his experiences and then won an Academy Award for The Killing Fields.

Some marginal acting roles after that, but he was mostly a social activist until he was murdered five or six years after TKF.

 

[August_West]

Rules: The actor in question has to be mediocre or bad in everything else they have done, has to not be an actor at all, or has to be best known for cheesy roles. Ricardo Montalban, Star Trek II - He was a pretty big star in the 40's and early 50's, but by the late 70's he was a lifer TV guest star, not even getting recurring characters. Fantasy Island was a career saver for him, and that show actually did pretty well (it is amazing what people watched in the 70's), but critically garnered little respect. Then he carries Star Trek II, which was not exactly a lock to be the major hit it became. He ended up making Shatner and Nimoy millions as a result of saving their careers with that movie. Courtney Love, The People vs. Larry Flynt - this is a great movie for a lot of reasons. Love essentially plays herself, but she does a fantastic job. She is a junkie sl**, but also has to be appealing and intelligent enough to make Larry's deep love of her seem realistic, and also play out a severe physical decline over the course of the movie which is difficult to pull off for the best actors. I was surprised she didn't get more roles like this one. Who else?

I thought Courtney was pretty good in man on the moon too, she just might have some acting chops.

 

[meyers7]

Bakhad Abdi who played the lead Somali pirate in Captain Phillips. First acting role. Prior to that had been a limousine driver and sold cell phones. Got Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for his role.

Made $65K for his role.

 

[meyers7]

Nicolas Cage. I think we can all agree he's seen as mostly a cheesy actor. Valley Girl, Con Air, National Treasure, Ghost Rider, etc. However he did do Leaving Las Vegas for which he won a Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Actor, and carried a pretty good movie.

 

[SubbaBub]

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper

/thread

 

[Dogdeacon]

Rules: The actor in question has to be mediocre or bad in everything else they have done, has to not be an actor at all, or has to be best known for cheesy roles.

Ricardo Montalban, Star Trek II - He was a pretty big star in the 40's and early 50's, but by the late 70's he was a lifer TV guest star, not even getting recurring characters. Fantasy Island was a career saver for him, and that show actually did pretty well (it is amazing what people watched in the 70's), but critically garnered little respect. Then he carries Star Trek II, which was not exactly a lock to be the major hit it became. He ended up making Shatner and Nimoy millions as a result of saving their careers with that movie.

Courtney Love, The People vs. Larry Flynt - this is a great movie for a lot of reasons. Love essentially plays herself, but she does a fantastic job. She is a junkie sl**, but also has to be appealing and intelligent enough to make Larry's deep love of her seem realistic, and also play out a severe physical decline over the course of the movie which is difficult to pull off for the best actors. I was surprised she didn't get more roles like this one.

Who else?

I think you are describing Sylvester Stallone's entire career but since he somehow carried many 'good' or at least box office successful movies I guess he's disqualified. Really only Rocky I and Rambo I were good movies.

Is Mark Hamill your poster-boy here?

 

[WestHartHusk]

Dolph Lundrin, Rocky IV. I am not sure if he carried it, but he was perfect for that role.

 

[G0UCONN]

Julius Erving in The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh

Richard Dawson in Running Man

 

[Dove]

Brian Bosworth did a surprisingly good action flick with "Stone Cold" in 1992ish.

He has been quite active since but have no clue if he is bad or cheesy.

 

[Husky25]

What is the definition of a good movie?

Does it have to be nominated for or win the Academy Award or Golden Globe (Which are more or less fixed anyway)? Matt Dillon in Crash...Though he had help.
Can the flick be a secretly enjoyable bad movie. Almost anything Keanu Reeves does, but Speed, The Replacements, and The Matrix, in particular.

Here's a few more:

Eric Roberts can't act to save his life, but he keeps getting jobs. His IMDB page is stupid long...almost impossible for someone of his "talent," but he did play a prominent role in The Specialist.
Adam Sandler is normally a terrible actor, but he was at least serviceable in Spanglish.
Heather Graham is great to look at, but she can't act. It's debatable whether she carried Boogie Nights, but everyone knows who played Roller Girl.

 

[Dove]

What is the definition of a good movie?

Does it have to be nominated for or win the Academy Award or Golden Globe (Which are more or less fixed anyway)? Matt Dillon in Crash...Though he had help.
Can the flick be a secretly enjoyable bad movie. Almost anything Keanu Reeves does, but Speed, The Replacements, and The Matrix, in particular.

Here's a few more:

Eric Roberts can't act to save his life, but he keeps getting jobs. His IMDB page is stupid long...almost impossible for someone of his "talent," but he did play a prominent role in The Specialist.
Adam Sandler is normally a terrible actor, but he was at least serviceable in Spanglish.
Heather Graham is great to look at, but she can't act. It's debatable whether she carried Boogie Nights, but everyone knows who played Roller Girl.

You're going against the rules, 25. Those are actors.

 

[Husky25]

You're going against the rules, 25. Those are actors.

I am not...

Rules: The actor in question has to be mediocre or bad in everything else they have done, has to not be an actor at all, or has to be best known for cheesy roles.

That "or" is a very important part of verbiage.. Technically, anyone who gets paid to be on film, and/or has a SAG card is an "actor (Yes, even "those" types of actors)."

For one, Sandler is a stand up comic. Second, I defy you to tell me any role that that supports Eric Roberts' classification as an Actor. He's terrible.

I have the jackpot though...Adam Carolla is a TV personality and a stand up comic. He is not an actor and when he "does act," he plays himself under a different name. The Hammer was a phenomenal sports movie.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I am not...

That "or" is a very important part of verbiage.. Technically, anyone who gets paid to be on film, and/or has a SAG card is an "actor (Yes, even "those" types of actors)."

For one, Sandler is a stand up comic. Second, I defy you to tell me any role that that supports Eric Roberts' classification as an Actor. He's terrible.

I have the jackpot though...Adam Carolla is a TV personality and a stand up comic. He is not an actor and when he "does act," he plays himself under a different name. The Hammer was a phenomenal sports movie.

Patrick Fugit - Almost Famous

I'd argue that Kate Hudson is also great in that movie and has never approached good in anything else. But she is so good and cute in Almost Famous that combined with her lineage it keeps getting her roles. Really helped that they had the great supporting cast with Frances McDormand & Phillip Seymour Hoffman (both the antithesis of this list) and Billy Crudup.

 

[Dove]

I am not...

That "or" is a very important part of verbiage.. Technically, anyone who gets paid to be on film, and/or has a SAG card is an "actor (Yes, even "those" types of actors)."

For one, Sandler is a stand up comic. Second, I defy you to tell me any role that that supports Eric Roberts' classification as an Actor. He's terrible.

I have the jackpot though...Adam Carolla is a TV personality and a stand up comic. He is not an actor and when he "does act," he plays himself under a different name. The Hammer was a phenomenal sports movie.

Ahhh...well then, I nominate Steve Guttenberg.

 

[Husky25]

Ahhh...well then, I nominate Steve Guttenberg.

First, you'll have to ID a movie of his that was good.

 

[Dove]

Cacoon for sure...but alas he did carry it. I was a big fan of Police Academy back then. Even now as a time waster.

 

[G0UCONN]

add....Gabe Kaplan in Fast Break

 

[Dove]

Cacoon for sure...but alas he didn't carry it. I was a big fan of Police Academy back then. Even now as a time waster.

 

[August_West]

What is the definition of a good movie? Does it have to be nominated for or win the Academy Award or Golden Globe (Which are more or less fixed anyway)? Matt Dillon in Crash...Though he had help. Can the flick be a secretly enjoyable bad movie. Almost anything Keanu Reeves does, but Speed, The Replacements, and The Matrix, in particular. Here's a few more: Eric Roberts can't act to save his life, but he keeps getting jobs. His IMDB page is stupid long...almost impossible for someone of his "talent," but he did play a prominent role in The Specialist. Adam Sandler is normally a terrible actor, but he was at least serviceable in Spanglish. Heather Graham is great to look at, but she can't act. It's debatable whether she carried Boogie Nights, but everyone knows who played Roller Girl.

Eric Roberts was excellent if over the top in " the pope of Greenwich village". Love that flick.

 

[August_West]

Ray Allen - He got game.

How hadn't this been mentioned yet!?

 

[G0UCONN]

Henry Winkler in Night Shift and Scream

 

[Husky25]

Scream was a good movie in its genre for sire, I don't think The Fonz carried it.

Neve Campbell may qualify though.

 

[G0UCONN]

Scream was a good movie in its genre for sire, I don't think The Fonz carried it.

Neve Campbell may qualify though.

That's true...Fonz didn't carry Scream. More of a bit part.

 

[Waquoit]

Richard Dawson in Running Man

That's a good one.

Does Dick Shawn in The Producers qualify? That guy cracked me up.