Sellers in The Mouse That Roared
Pleasance in The Great Escape
Fonda in Klute
Spacey in LA Confidential
Thought of one, Clifton James. He was annoying as sheriff J.W. Pepper in two Bond movies, but good in Cool Hand Luke, Silver Streak, and (from what I remember) The Untouchables. I’m sure he wasn’t a southern lawman in all his roles. 94 years old, married to the same woman since '51, and IMDb shows him with a movie in pre-production. More power to ya, Clifton.
And for that matter, Roger Moore. His Bond doesn’t really work for me, but he’s been good in a lot of other stuff.
I don’t care for Nick Cage in just about anything, but Raising Arizona wouldn’t have been the same without him. Go figure.
Reeves does dumbass well: see also Parenthood and of course the Bill and Ted films. And then there’s Little Buddha… It’s bad enough that they cast a white guy as the Buddha but Keanu Reeves???
On the Tom Cruise front I’m gonna add Tropic Thunder to the “good” column. Holy crap I love him in that. The Mission: Impossible films…eh, not so much.
ETA that I also liked Reeves in the original Point Break. Again - bit of a dumbass, but that scene where he jumps out of the plane without a parachute nearly made me swallow my tongue.
Gene Hackman was pretty bad as Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski in “A Bridge Too Far” (why choose Hackman to play a Polish Colonel?? Alright, they wanted star power to finance an expensive war picture but still), pretty fine in other roles such as Popeye Doyle “French Connection”.
Ty Burrell.
I first saw him in some crappy sitcom that I had to google in order to remember the name of: Out of Practice. He played some kind of smarmy, arrogant, womanizing plastic surgeon or some such thing in that. He was supposed to be somewhat unlikable, I think, but in that sitcom-ish way where he’s actually kinda funny and likable. But I just thought he was horrible and should never, ever try to act again, especially in comedy.
Now he’s one of my favorite sitcom characters ever as Phil Dunphy on Modern Family.
In 1936’s Flash Gordon, Charles Middleton (playing Ming the Merciless) is one of the worst actors in the cast.
In 1940’s Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, he is much better.
Roger Moore is much better as the anti-Bond in ffoulkes than he ever was as Bond.
Loved: Jack Black as himself on Yo Gabba Gabba
Hated: Jack Black in anything else
I think mine have already been mentioned. They’re essentially actors who are known for a comedy shtick that isn’t really my cup of tea, but have a director or producer really do something interesting with their specific talent.
So we have Jim Carrey where I can’t really stand his regular comedies, but his particular touch of insanity was really appropriate in the Truman Show, and I thought pretty well integrated. Its hard to imagine anyone else doing as good a job with that.
And we have Adam Sandler, who in general I really despise. But Punch Drunk Love was pretty good, and his otherwise man-child persona was put to good use.
I don’t think Jack Black appeals to me in general, but he was perfect in Bernie. Also, I really liked his segment in the Documentary Now! parodies.
Tom Cruise looks like he is a complete git in person, but films like Edge of Tomorrow actually convince me that he brings a lot to the table to justify his big salary. The blend of humor and convincing stunt work added a lot to the film, and I think he is a big part of carrying that.
Zoe Deschanel in the Tin Man was a wooden, monotone mess and not any better in Hitchiker’s Guide but was hilarious in Weeds and I adore New Girl.
Couldn’t stand Crystal Bernard as Howard Cunningham’s niece at the end of the Happy Days run, but I liked her in Wings.
Hmm, I did like him in Analyze This (Analyze That was nowhere near as good) and Meet the Parents but that’s about it.
Halle Berry was great in Monster’s Ball, and has unerringly sucked ever since.
Liam Neeson: excellent in Schindler’s List and okay in Taken, but is just awful in most everything else.
Steve Martin sucked in his early films, but at about “All of Me,” he started putting it together and has been consistently good ever since.
His 5-minute cameo in Young Frankenstein was terrific, and probably the only comedic role I can think of that he was good in. Get Shorty, not so much.
Sandy Dennis. GAWD I hated her character in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf…whiny and obnoxious. And for that she won an Oscar? Really? Hmm…not sure I can think of a movie I liked her in. She was at least somewhat less obnoxious in The Out-of-Towners. But I love Jack Lemmon, so it didn’t matter so much anyway.
Eddie Murphy: Beverly Hills Cop was outstanding, the rest not so much.
Huh. And I’ve liked her in everything I’ve seen her in except Bates Motel.
I haven’t liked Peter Facinelli in anything…except Fastlane. In that he was awesome.
I preferred 48 HRS to Beverly Hills Cop myself.
Personally I think BHC has dated badly, but I loved Murphy in Bowfinger and Dreamgirls (I also like Coming to America for various reasons but I wouldn’t call it a “good” movie). I find a lot of big stars can be overbearing and insufferable in movies they have to carry themselves, but when the focus isn’t all on them they can put in excellent performances.
I think that was the only role where the lil fella was just being himself.