# Who's the worst actor in a truly great movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945 "2016-08-15T19:44:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/101 "2016-08-18T01:01:28Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > _Thank you._ I mean, how can you take a role like Emma Frost a.k.a. The White Queen and cast someone with all the sex appeal of a moldy bologna sandwich? I cannot stand January Jones. Why this woman gets work is beyond me. > > * * * > > F/X is one of my favorite movies, but I have to stifle cringes every time his assistant played by Martha Gehman shows up. Every line she reads (calling it “acting” is an insult to the profession) is like a lead brick to the skull. Truly awful. :smack: Her weird, offputting, stillted mannerism came across well in Mad Men, where she was supposed to be kind of a withdrawn, sullen housewife. But she apparently can’t turn it off, since she does the same thing in every role. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/102 "2016-08-18T03:20:11Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I have an unexplained fondness for Fraser, even though pretty much every film I’ve seen him in has been popcorn-munching fare at best (the Mummy series) and truly execrable at worst (Encino Man, Bedazzled). I even liked Monkeybone. But I’d be hard-pressed to name a “truly great film” he’s been in. I’ll have to check out School Ties, I guess. I think _[Gods and Monsters](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120684/reference)_ is as close as you’ll get. His work opposite Sir Ian McKellan was not bad at all, rather sweet. ---
**Author:** ![Greathouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greathouse/32/2992_2.png) [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/103 "2016-08-18T15:27:06Z")
I’d like to nominate Minnie Driver in Goodwill Hunting. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/104 "2016-08-18T15:46:04Z")
> [@Greathouse](#): > > I’d like to nominate Minnie Driver in Goodwill Hunting. I’ll second Minnie Driver in damn near _anything_ she’s been in. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/105 "2016-08-18T16:25:21Z")
Moving it to big-budget miniseries: Cuba Gooding, Jr., was a sour note in an often excellent _People vs. OJ Simpson_. I don’t know how much was the fact he was sorely miscast; being black and middle aged is about the only thing he has in common with 1990s OJ- but he brought down every scene he was in. The Juice needs an actor of great charisma and presence- doesn’t particularly matter if he looks like Simpson so long as he conveyed the same aura- and Gooding either didn’t or couldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/106 "2016-08-18T21:57:53Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > I’ll second Minnie Driver in damn near _anything_ she’s been in. I had no problems with her in _Owning Mahoney_. Richard Doofus er I mean Dreyfuss in _The Goodbye Girl_. Rick Moranis does a better job than Dreyfuss at being Dreyfuss. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/107 "2016-08-18T22:41:54Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > …Richard Doofus er I mean Dreyfuss in _The Goodbye Girl_. Rick Moranis does a better job than Dreyfuss at being Dreyfuss. He did great at portraying a neurotic actor…probably not too much of a stretch, but whatever. His performance won the Oscar that year. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/108 "2016-08-18T22:49:09Z")
Dreyfuss was also excellent in Inserts [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073172/?ref\_=nv\_sr\_1](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073172/?ref_=nv_sr_1). ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/109 "2016-08-18T22:51:00Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > The first one that comes to mind is John C. Reilly in _Magnolia_. Love that movie, but man he was way out of his element. I do like him in dumb comedies like _Step Brothers._ > > Brendan Fraser, whom I don’t dislike, probably has one of the worst filmographies ever. But apparently he’s good at playing a student because _With Honors_ and _School Ties_ were a couple really good movies in which he was actually pretty great. I thought Brendan Fraser was very good in _The Quiet American_. 'Course, I also liked John C. Reilly in _Magnolia_. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/110 "2016-08-18T23:59:06Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > 'Course, I also liked John C. Reilly in _Magnolia_. Agreed. I think it’s easily one of the film’s best performances. The film is a high-wire, over-the-top cavalcade of operatic emotions (not a bad thing), which encourages a lot of scenery chewing (in this case, also not necessarily a bad thing). But his is, along with PSH, perhaps the most grounded and compassionate performance–funny, real, completely authentic and believable. And a complete departure from the cliche-driven ways police are always portrayed in movies. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/111 "2016-08-19T01:43:00Z")
For Performance By The Worst Overall Actor/Actress In a Great Movie, Given Their Entire Body of Work, But In This Movie He/She Was Not As Terrible As They Usually Are I want to give an Honorable Mention to Tom Arnold in True Lies. Not for his performance in the movie but for the one scene where he confronts Arnold on why his wife is looking to fool around (Can’t search for the clip right now). Great job balancing setting his friend straight with empathy. In that one moment he was a phenomenal actor. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/112 "2016-08-19T01:58:36Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > I’ve never been impressed with his acting; I call him ‘Cardboard Boy.’ He played the stereotype alright as Bill S. Preston, but otherwise he fields a big ‘meh’ from me, even in _The Matrix_. He wasn’t Bill in that movie, he was Ted. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/113 "2016-08-19T02:21:27Z")
His best work was in “Keanu.” He voiced the eponymous kitten. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/114 "2016-08-19T13:37:14Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > For Performance By The Worst Overall Actor/Actress In a Great Movie, Given Their Entire Body of Work, But In This Movie He/She Was Not As Terrible As They Usually Are I want to give an Honorable Mention to Tom Arnold in True Lies. Not for his performance in the movie but for the one scene where he confronts Arnold on why his wife is looking to fool around (Can’t search for the clip right now). Great job balancing setting his friend straight with empathy. In that one moment he was a phenomenal actor. Actually I thought Tom Arnold was good in the entire movie. He’s quite effective in every scene, whatever is asked of him. “Boy, I remember the first time I was shot out of a cannon!” ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/115 "2016-08-19T16:35:17Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > Richard Doofus er I mean Dreyfuss in _The Goodbye Girl_. Rick Moranis does a better job than Dreyfuss at being Dreyfuss. John Belushi made a similar point on SNL when Drefuss hosted. \*[Miss Anthropic Principle, john-belushi: John & Gilda in “The Goodbye...](http://missanthropicprinciple.tumblr.com/post/43281646663/john-belushi-john-gilda-in-the-goodbye) \* ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/116 "2016-08-23T21:54:50Z")
May I put forth Rock Hudson in _Giant_. I know virtually no one that thinks this isn’t a great movie and while Hudson does the best acting of his career, he falls short of his costars, the secondary stars and even a couple of the bit players. When I watch it, I actually feel sorry for Hudson. He was just so out of his depth in this film. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/117 "2016-08-25T01:26:50Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > I think _[Gods and Monsters](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120684/reference)_ is as close as you’ll get. His work opposite Sir Ian McKellan was not bad at all, rather sweet. I thought Brendan Fraser was good in a great movie, The Quiet American. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/118 "2016-08-25T01:48:20Z")
Andie MacDowell taking a shit all over **Four Weddings and Funeral**. /piling on ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/119 "2016-08-25T02:27:07Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Jessica Alba in Sin City. Hell, Jessica Alba in _anything_. Fantastic Four might have had a chance without her. Check out her performance in _An Invisible Sign_. She actually can act. ---
**Author:** ![Saratoga\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Saratoga\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saratoga_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/120 "2016-08-28T00:45:38Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Two excellent choices, particularly Campbell. > > I’m going to throw in Brandon DeWilde from _Shane_. Among the best Westerns ever, and there’s this whiny kid running all through it. > > Perhaps the OP might consider eliminating child actors from nominations. There have been tons of kids being nothing but annoyances in really good movies. _Jurassic Park_ comes to mind. I agree with your assessment of _Shane_, definitely one of the best westerns ever made, but Brandon did a good job IMO. It didn’t quite merit the Best Supporting Actor nomination he got for that film, which really should have gone to Elisha Cook Jr. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945.md?page=7)