# Bad actors who show up in good movies with surprising frequency **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 16, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853 "2008-09-16T16:29:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/1 "2008-09-16T16:29:40Z")
(Or, the flip side of [this thread on actors who are always good](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=483592).) Passing by the tv a few weekeends ago, I noticed that Groundhog Day was on. Stopping to watch, it occurred to me that, though Andy McDowell is by no means an actress of skill or talent, she is a major player in no less than three of my favorite movies: Michael, Four Weddings & a Funeral, and the aforementioned GD. Which brings me to the thread question: what awful performers show up regularly in good movies, and, incredibly, manage not to stink up the joint? Bonus points if your nominee actually finds his or her performance elevated by the cinematic environment. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/2 "2008-09-16T16:40:33Z")
Holy crap, before I opened the thread I was ready to nominate Andie MacDowell. With almost anyone else in her role, I would have found Four Weddings and a Funeral perfect. The exception is Short Cuts where she manages to not stink up the joint. However that’s because her character is dealing with the death of her son and her catatonic monotone actually works for the role. But when I hear the line that is heartbreaking even coming from her something like There will be no more birthdays I wish it had been someone really good. ETA: Does Al Pacino’s chewing the scenery these days make him a bad actor, or does his acting history rule him out? ---
**Author:** ![TheMerchandise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b487fb/32.png) [@TheMerchandise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMerchandise)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/3 "2008-09-16T17:30:10Z")
I thought of Bill Paxton, who is the Worst Actor Ever. He’s in a string of stinkers, but he’s also in _The Terminator_, _Aliens_, _Boxing Helena_, _Tombstone_, _Apollo 13_ and _A Simple Plan_. I really enjoy all those movies… except for him! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/4 "2008-09-16T17:39:31Z")
> [@TheMerchandise](#): > > I thought of Bill Paxton, who is the Worst Actor Ever. He’s in a string of stinkers, but he’s also in _The Terminator_, _Aliens_, _Boxing Helena_, _Tombstone_, _Apollo 13_ and _A Simple Plan_. I really enjoy all those movies… except for him! I’ve been enjoying him in **Big Love** (just finished Season Two on DVD), but that may just be a good fit between the character and his rather wooden style. And I’m rather fond of Pacino’s gusto, so don’t want to vote for him either. Andie McDowell, though, really ain’t much of an actor, though she is a gorgeous human being. ---
**Author:** ![Stormcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@Stormcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormcrow)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/5 "2008-09-16T17:41:42Z")
> [@TheMerchandise](#): > > I thought of Bill Paxton, who is the Worst Actor Ever. He’s in a string of stinkers, but he’s also in _The Terminator_, _Aliens_, _Boxing Helena_, _Tombstone_, _Apollo 13_ and _A Simple Plan_. I really enjoy all those movies… except for him! Not to mention Titanic, the biggest film of them all… ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/6 "2008-09-16T17:43:05Z")
I was going to say Steve Guttenberg, but then I noticed the OP specified “good movies”, so nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/7 "2008-09-16T17:55:38Z")
Not a movie, but Steve Guttenberg had a key role during the second season of _Veronica Mars_ and was actually pretty good! ETA: Not that I want to become a SG apologist (shudder), but he also did well in _The Boys From Brazil_. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/8 "2008-09-16T18:11:00Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > ETA: Does Al Pacino’s chewing the scenery these days make him a bad actor, or does his acting history rule him out? Anyone who doesn’t love Al Pacino chewing doesn’t love life. From the just released on DVD 88 Minutes: [QUOTE=Al Pacino] Oh man, I can’t believe this! Well what did I do Frank? Did I send myself a tape? Did I blow up my car? Did I set my apartment on fire? Did I fire bullets at myself? [/QUOTE] I’ve only seen that line in the trailer, but it’s pure Pacino. I don’t care that 88 Minutes is supposed to blow, I can’t wait to see it. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/9 "2008-09-16T18:14:46Z")
No one has mentioned Michael Caine yet??? Miss Congeniality… On Deadly Ground… He did a Steven Seagal movie for the love of God. ETA… OK - I am an idiot. I read this as good actors in bad movies. I was a little disturbed at who people thought was a good actor, but there you go. I’ll leave quietly now. ---
**Author:** ![TheMerchandise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b487fb/32.png) [@TheMerchandise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMerchandise)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/10 "2008-09-16T18:43:44Z")
> [@villa](#): > > No one has mentioned Michael Caine yet??? > > Miss Congeniality… > On Deadly Ground… > > He did a Steven Seagal movie for the love of God. > > ETA… OK - I am an idiot. I read this as good actors in bad movies. I was a little disturbed at who people thought was a good actor, but there you go. I’ll leave quietly now. Maybe this will help you feel less silly: I like _Miss Congeniality_. A lot. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/11 "2008-09-16T18:44:10Z")
Isn’t Keanu Reeves the poster boy for this thread? Excellent: _Speed_, _The Matrix_, _Bill and Ted_, _Dangerous Liaisons_, _My Own Private Idaho_. Good in their own way: _Little Buddha_, _Parenthood_, _Devil’s Advocate_. Bogus: _Point Break_, _Dracula_. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/12 "2008-09-16T18:47:15Z")
He’s not the worst actor in the world, but I’ve never been impressed by anything that William Hurt has done – he always seems slightly lost, and plays pretty much the same blocked-up dude in every movie – and he’s been in _Body Heat, Altered States, Gorky Park, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Big Chill, The Accidental Tourist, Children of a Lesser God, AI, Syriana, The Good Shepherd, History of Violence_ … even your aforementioned _Michael_. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/13 "2008-09-16T19:34:25Z")
> [@TheMerchandise](#): > > Maybe this will help you feel less silly: > I like _Miss Congeniality_. A lot. It’s really good of you to say that, but I don’t believe you. No one likes it. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/14 "2008-09-16T19:43:31Z")
Juliette Lewis ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/15 "2008-09-16T19:46:06Z")
> [@Ichbin\_Dubist](#): > > He’s not the worst actor in the world, but I’ve never been impressed by anything that William Hurt has done – he always seems slightly lost, and plays pretty much the same blocked-up dude in every movie See, now I _like_ William Hurt, despite the lack of a vast range. He’s not a chameleon like Gary Oldman, but then neither was Humphrey Bogart. It’s all a matter of casting - cast him properly and I think he works well. Blocked up and slightly lost is what is called for in films like _Accidental Tourist_ or _Rare Birds_. And he can twist slightly lost and vacant to slightly deranged and vacant with good effect ( IMO )as in _History of Violence_ or _I Love You To Death_. But these actor things are always so subjective - I like Nicole Kidman as well, who many seem to regard with a shudder of horror :). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/16 "2008-09-16T19:54:56Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Juliette Lewis Good Ford, is she terrible! Almost physically painful to watch. I can’t even say what it is - there’s just something about her which grates on me. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/17 "2008-09-16T19:56:35Z")
> [@Ichbin\_Dubist](#): > > He’s not the worst actor in the world, but I’ve never been impressed by anything that William Hurt has done – he always seems slightly lost, and plays pretty much the same blocked-up dude in every movie – and he’s been in _Body Heat, Altered States, Gorky Park, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Big Chill, The Accidental Tourist, Children of a Lesser God, AI, Syriana, The Good Shepherd, History of Violence_ … even your aforementioned _Michael_. Yeah, what’s up with that? Maybe he is a robot? ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/18 "2008-09-16T22:20:34Z")
[Brion James](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001397/). Most famous as the replicant Leon in _Blade Runner_. He usually plays either the villain, or one of the villain’s henchmen. Sometimes one of the hero’s sidekicks. I thought he was kind of cool in _Flesh+Blood_ and _The Fifth Element_ ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/19 "2008-09-16T22:42:22Z")
> [@villa](#): > > It’s really good of you to say that, but I don’t believe you. No one likes it. I did. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853/20 "2008-09-16T22:55:35Z")
**Kris Kristofferson** is a shitty actor with the unfortunate habit of appearing in several of my favorite movies, preventing them from being unalloyed pleasures. Instead, the pleasure is alloyed with shittiness.:mad: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-show-up-in-good-movies-with-surprising-frequency/463853.md?page=2)