# Good or Great Performances from Actors You Usually Can't Stand **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183 "2016-08-18T16:30:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/21 "2016-08-19T20:09:46Z")
I can’t help but get my hate on for Marcia Gay Harden. I don’t know what it is about her, but typically, I’d like to punch her in nads (because I’m sure she has some). However, I think she absolutely nailed the shrill, zealotty shrew screaming about how to prevent the apocalypse in _The Mist_. Doesn’t mean I want to watch her ever again though. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2016, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/22 "2016-08-20T00:22:35Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Sam Rockwell in _Moon_. I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t stand the guy. I’m not sure it’s anything to do with his acting; he just bugs me. But I really liked him in _Moon_. The excellent story certainly didn’t hurt. Have you seen Galaxy Quest? He should have been nominated for an Academy Award for his acting in that. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/23 "2016-08-20T00:32:25Z")
Never cared much for Anthony Quayle but in 1979 he played Falstaff in a BBC Shakespeare Television project of Henry IV parts I and II and was quite good in it. > **[Henry IV Part I (TV Movie 1979) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079287/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_21)** > > Henry IV Part I: Directed by David Giles. With Jon Finch, David Gwillim, Rob Edwards, Robert Brown. Henry Bolingbroke has now been crowned King of England, but faces a rebellion headed by the embittered Earl of Northumberland and his son, (nicknamed... ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2016, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/24 "2016-08-20T00:43:43Z")
Kirsten Dunst cannot act her way out of a wet paper bag, but she did a great job in her role as a Midwestern hairdresser trying to ‘get actualized’ in the second season of Fargo. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2016, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/25 "2016-08-20T01:31:03Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > I can’t help but get my hate on for Marcia Gay Harden. I don’t know what it is about her, but typically, I’d like to punch her in nads (because I’m sure she has some). However, I think she absolutely nailed the shrill, zealotty shrew screaming about how to prevent the apocalypse in _The Mist_. Doesn’t mean I want to watch her ever again though. Doubly excellent because she in no way resembled the character’s description in the novella–she was sort of attractive (for a harridan). But yeah, the actress gets under my skin. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2016, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/26 "2016-08-20T06:48:36Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Not a huge fan of Steve Carrel’s comedies (live action - he does great voice acting), or his roles in Will Ferrel’s ones, but he was awesome in _Little Miss Sunshine_ and _The Way, Way Back_. I guess I should check out his other serious stuff. Check him out in _The Big Short_. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2016, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/27 "2016-08-20T13:55:39Z")
Adam Sandler in _Punch Drunk Love_. Perfectly cast for the quirky lead role, but he dials back the Sandler shenanigans, while still maintaining some of that oddness. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/28 "2016-08-20T16:58:13Z")
Richard Gere in _Primal Fear_. Normally, I can’t stand the guy- he has this cocky, greasy vibe that I can’t stand but it worked perfectly for this movie, especially since all the attributes I don’t like about him end up contributing to his comeuppance at the end of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/29 "2016-08-20T17:04:19Z")
Been listed, but those who said Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey should check out ‘Punch-Drunk Love’, ‘Reign Over Me’, ‘Man on the Moon’, and my favorite movie of all time; ‘Eternal Sunshine’. Just noticed those works haven’t been listed. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/30 "2016-08-20T21:33:12Z")
I’ll add another Tom Cruise role: Frank T.J. Mackey in _Magnolia_. Since his character just has to be hateable/punchable through 98% of the movie, it works great for me - I can’t stand that guy. > [@faithfool](#): > > I can’t help but get my hate on for Marcia Gay Harden. I don’t know what it is about her, but typically, I’d like to punch her in nads (because I’m sure she has some). However, I think she absolutely nailed the shrill, zealotty shrew screaming about how to prevent the apocalypse in _The Mist_. Doesn’t mean I want to watch her ever again though. It was interesting to hear someone with such a strong dislike of her - I think of MGH as Verna in _Miller’s Crossing_, and I like that performance. So I went to her IMDB page; \*\*turns out that I have never seen any of her other movies. \*\*Including some pretty big ones. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2016, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/31 "2016-08-20T22:07:12Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Nicolas Cage in “Raising Arizona.” > > /thread This x100. Also Leaving Los Vegas. Besides those 2 movies, I wish death upon him. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/32 "2016-08-21T00:18:30Z")
Nicolas Cage in _National Treasure_. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/33 "2016-08-21T00:30:45Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Kirsten Dunst cannot act her way out of a wet paper bag, but she did a great job in her role as a Midwestern hairdresser trying to ‘get actualized’ in the second season of Fargo. She was good in Melancholia as well. > [@ddsun](#): > > Nicolas Cage in _National Treasure_. And he’s good in Knowing. And in Bad Lieutenant. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/34 "2016-08-21T01:15:05Z")
And _Wild at Heart_. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/35 "2016-08-21T03:07:36Z")
Nicolas Cage in ‘Adaptation’ too Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/36 "2016-08-21T03:41:46Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > I think my dislike of Cruise and, by extension, any character he plays is what makes him effective for me. I like a lot of his stuff. Yeah, can’t stand the guy but I’ve hardly seen a movie of his where I didn’t find him compelling. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/37 "2016-08-21T23:04:09Z")
I’ve only enjoyed Adam Sandler in Hotel Transylvania. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/38 "2016-08-22T14:59:24Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > John revolta in\* Grease!\* I was going to name him for Phenomenon. His portrayal of a simple guy trying to cope with something strange happening to him at the same time that he is trying to court a hard-to-get girl was really good. ---
**Author:** ![BomTek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bomtek/32/21364_2.png) [@BomTek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BomTek)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/39 "2016-08-22T15:13:11Z")
I think it’s funny how so many here are saying they can’t stand Nic Cage, but naming all these movies he was great in. And I agree, I think he was excellent in many of them, but the thing about Nic Cage is that, when you look at his whole career, he seems to have only taken the very best and the very worst scripts that have come across his desk. ---
**Author:** ![BomTek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bomtek/32/21364_2.png) [@BomTek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BomTek)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183/40 "2016-08-22T15:14:18Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I was going to name him for Phenomenon. His portrayal of a simple guy trying to cope with something strange happening to him at the same time that he is trying to court a hard-to-get girl was really good. This is a good one, too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-or-great-performances-from-actors-you-usually-cant-stand/763183.md?page=3)