# Does Denzel ever stink in a movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434 "2003-12-17T01:06:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/1 "2003-12-17T01:06:32Z")
While not a big fan, I happened to watch ‘Training Day’ yesterday and ‘John Q’ today and it made me think - ‘he’s always good’ Is he? Has he ever stunk? Are there actors who never stink? (lead actors I guess) Has William H Macy ever turned in a stinker? You decide ---
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/2 "2003-12-17T01:15:24Z")
Well, I’ll be honest and say, while Denzel didn’t stink, he also didn’t make the character any better in ‘Much Ado about Nothing’. IMHO- the character was weak and not as regal as he should have been. But to his defense, he was way better than Keanu, who played his villanous brother, Prince John. ---
**Author:** ![MrSarcasticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@MrSarcasticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSarcasticus)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/3 "2003-12-17T02:57:04Z")
It also doesn’t help that virtually _every_ thriller he’s been in has been an utter piece of shit. ---
**Author:** ![greenphan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c37758/32.png) [@greenphan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenphan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/4 "2003-12-17T06:01:46Z")
I do recall a little gem of a movie called “The Preacher’s Wife”… It’s not that Denzel was bad it’s just the his close proximity to bad made him bad by proxy. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/5 "2003-12-17T06:05:33Z")
That thing with the demon that went from person to person was kind of lame and had a silly ending. They had “script problems” ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/6 "2003-12-17T12:02:56Z")
I guess you’ve never seen “Ricochet”… ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/7 "2003-12-17T13:11:02Z")
Nope - I’ve seen him in some stinkers but not seen him bomb. Don’t think Ive even heard of Ricochet The one where he’s paraplegic?? Still acts Angelina Jolie of the screen - poor example I guess… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/8 "2003-12-17T13:30:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Made in Macau \* > \*\*Nope - I’ve seen him in some stinkers but not seen him bomb. Don’t think Ive even heard of Ricochet > The one where he’s paraplegic?? Still acts Angelina Jolie of the screen - poor example I guess… \*\* That was _The Bone Collector_, a dopey movie about a supergenius serial killer who leaves miniscule clues for Washington and Jolie. _Ricochet_ was slightly better; Washington as a former cop/current District Attorney who gets a _Gaslight_ number pulled on him by John Lithgow, who is actually quite entertaining as the revenge-minded con sent to prison by Washington years earlier. Hmm, a check of Washington’s [imdb.com](http://imdb.com) entry says he’s filming a remake of _The Manchurian Candidate_, updated to involve brainwashed Gulf War veterans, which raises the questions: [ul][li]How will the movie have any tension without all the topical red-baiting of the original, and[/li][li]What the hell does the Gulf have to do with Manchuria? Aren’t they, like, 10000 miles apart?[/ul][/li] Personally, I think this movie has an _excellent_ chance of being Washington’s career worst, but I’m naturally biased against pointless remakes of classic movies. The upcoming Robin Williams/Will Smith remake of _Kind Hearts and Coronets_ has me cringing in anticipation. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/9 "2003-12-17T14:20:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrSarcasticus \* > \*\*It also doesn’t help that virtually _every_ thriller he’s been in has been an utter piece of shit. \*\* Kooky talk. _Crimson Tide_ an utter piece of shit? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/10 "2003-12-17T15:15:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > \*\*That thing with the demon that went from person to person was kind of lame and had a silly ending. They had “script problems” \*\* Do you mean **Fallen** , with John Goodman? Pretty poor film, but he wasn’t poor in it. I think it’s safe to say that he doesn’t mail performances in, as some actors do if they think the movie sucks anyway. ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/11 "2003-12-17T15:22:52Z")
The Pelican Brief - One of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Glad it was so long. :rolleyes: Virtuosity - stunk! The Bone Collector - stunk! ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/12 "2003-12-17T15:53:18Z")
I liked Fallen! aside from the fact someones stolen my DVD of it. Virtuosity is the most dogshit film ever, not helped by Russ Le Roqs ‘acting’. Denzels alright in almost everything i reckon. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/13 "2003-12-18T13:44:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*I think it’s safe to say that he doesn’t mail performances in, as some actors do if they think the movie sucks anyway. \*\* As I ponder the OP’s question, it occurs to me that as much as I love the guy (Denzel, not the OP… though I’m sure the OP’s a swell person), and as much as he’s always riveting to watch… he doesn’t have the widest _range,_ does he? Is his Easy Rawlins from _Devil in a Blue Dress_ all that removed from the father in _John Q_? The noble-but-saddled-with-personal-problems Army guy in _Courage Under Fire_? I’d like to see him play a total wuss, in other words. Not that I’d enjoy seeing Denzel as a wuss, but… show me you can. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/14 "2003-12-18T14:09:37Z")
His character was pretty much a twat in Mo Better Blues and he was a git in Training Day - but I know what you mean. Maybe he’s an honest actor with a lazy agent… only joking William Morris or whoever. BTW Moody, it’s kind of you to think the best of me, but I’m a bastard too. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/15 "2003-12-18T14:15:17Z")
You have a point, **Moody Bastard**. Perhaps his greatest challenge so far hasn’t been his role but the script; he can ably rise above poor scripts, bringing them up to his level. But he doesn’t play characters that aren’t from the same general mold. That might be something he’d tackle in the future as a way to challenge himself. Who knows? Maybe he’ll get tired of playing the hero roles. Bruce Willis did for a while, too; so did Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and others who played the same type character for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/16 "2003-12-18T14:18:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*The upcoming Robin Williams/Will Smith remake of _Kind Hearts and Coronets_ has me cringing in anticipation. \*\* NO NO say it isn’t so!!! ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/17 "2003-12-18T14:35:35Z")
Two words: Carbon. Copy. Two more: Heart. Condition. Other than that, he’s made great decisions in his career. Having talent, charisma, good looks, and range helps out a lot too. My personal favorite: Mighty Quinn. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/18 "2003-12-18T14:44:28Z")
He played a fairly non-heroic character in _Glory_, actually. That scene with him breaking down in front of Mathew Broderick (his officer) was a great piece of work. And showed depth and wussiness (for lack of a better word). ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/19 "2003-12-18T14:50:44Z")
**Made in Macau** - If you’re a bastard, you’re a friend o’mine. **dantheman** - Exactly what I mean. I had so much more respect for Stallone after _Copland._(Not that Denzel’s career should be compared to Sylvester Stallone’s!) ---
**Author:** ![prisoner6655321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@prisoner6655321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prisoner6655321)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434/20 "2003-12-18T18:42:10Z")
I’m sorry, but I thought he was really terrible in Training Day. WAY overacted his part. And he was equally bad in Bone Collector. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-denzel-ever-stink-in-a-movie/219434.md?page=2)