MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > Who is an actor, where no matter how bad...

Who is an actor, where no matter how bad the movie is, they are still great in it?


I could name several, but I have liked Willem Dafoe in every movie I've seen him in, regardless of if I didnt like the overall movie.

I wanna add Elias Koteas. He's been good in everything I've seen him in and yet not enough recognition as others.

Daniel von Bargen is another actor no one mentioned yet who is great in everything I've seen him in!
I remember him the most from Malcolm in the Middle, but was always pleased with his performances

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Paul Scofield.

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It's Al Pacino or Gene Hackman for me.

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Even welcome to moose port ?

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I had to look it up. I never saw Welcome to Mooseport.. But since Ray Romano is in it too, I'd probably like it with my goofy sense of humor!

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I enjoyed it

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You are making me think of Christopher Lee now

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Chris Farley

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I've liked him in every movie Ive seen him! He was contagious with his positive attitude.

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Ikr. Dude could read a shopping list and it would be hilarious.

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He was almost the voice for Shrek! He had most of his dialogue recorded before he passed. It would have been a much more emotional movie the direction they originally went.

https://youtu.be/-MCBI_K2nIw

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All Iā€™m selling you is a guaranteed piece of ā€¦

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Helen Mirren and Maggie Smith, who are both so good that they make weak scripts seem better!

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Ohhh both are wonderful choices. They exude this kind of character charisma that draws you to their presence. I would add Judie Dench as well

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I like Willem Dafoe also...he gives off such a creepy vibe to me, though, even when he's playing a good guy! šŸ˜ƒ

Some others of mine:

Bob Uecker...he's a national treasure, IMO.
Tom Berenger
Another poster mentioned Gene Hackman...I agree with that also.
A lesser-known character actor named Peter Riegert...I have enjoyed his performances in everything I've seen him in.
Robert Gunton

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Tom Berenger is a good choice!

I recognized the faces of all the character actors you listed! Another character actor, Im sure everyone will recognize upon seeing his photo, is Neal Mcdonough. He has been great in everything I've seen him in.

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I just looked up Neal McDonough, because I didn't recognize the name (even though it sounded vaguely familiar). I recognized his face in his photo and is his resume ever impressive. He has worked steadily in both movies and TVs for over 30 years. I am far from an "acting expert," but he must be very well-regarded to have worked that frequently for so long. I really admire the actors and actresses like him.

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DaFoe vs. Berenger for control of the unitā€™s moral compass in Platoon was brilliantly scripted and acted.

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A few come to mind right away:

Paul Newman
Clint Eastwood
Tom Hanks

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Clint Eastwood and Tom Hanks are actors you could just see their name on a movie and rent it. Chances are itll be a decent if not great movie! I recognize Paul Newmans face, but am unsure what movie I actually saw him in

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Paul Newman is Cool Hand Luke and a bunch of other great films.

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Great movie šŸ‘

Newman was terrific in the classic Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid as well.

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Thats it! I kept looking at the cover of Cool Hand Luke. Kept having people tell me how great it is, yet never watched it! Im sure we all have a film we still "need" to watch.

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šŸ™„

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Upset I never watched a Paul Newman film?

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UTTERLY DEVASTATED.

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lol xD

Is he your favorite actor?

One day, I will watch Cool Hand Luke

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NEWMAN & MCQUEEN ARE MY SOUL.


COOL HAND LUKE IS NEWMAN'S KEYSTONE.

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Cool Hand Luke was pretty good.
How many eggs can you eat Kowalski?

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NOT 50...MAYBE 5.šŸ™‚

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Yeah, about the same for me. I think the most I've ever eaten was 6, but they were soft boiled. On the other hand, when I make scrambled eggs, I usually eat eight. So there is that.

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Nick Nolte

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Oh he is great! I love his scruffy voice. His character in tropic thunder was pretty funny for little screen time

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I can't think of a performance that I didn't enjoy from all the following;

Humphrey Bogart
John Hurt
Michael Fassbender
Denholm Elliott
James Mason
Gene Hackman
Michael Keaton
Matthew Lillard
Alastair Sim
Michael Caine
Kevin Bacon
Stephen McHattie
Paul Bettany
Michael Douglas
Kirk Douglas
Michael Shannon
Christopher Walken
Sam Waterston
Ray Wise
Jack Cassidy
Shea Whigham
Darren McGavin
Malcolm McDowell
Ed Harris
David Warner
Mark Strong

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There are several on your list I shouldve considered myself. Michael Fassbender is someone I liked in every movie Ive seen. Centurion is my favorite of his! https://youtu.be/KOZs2_i_cDE trailer doesnt do it justice.

Paul Bettany is another, loved him in A Knights Tale. He brought that movie up several notches https://youtu.be/MBNiDwytFow

Michael Shannon, love em as well in all his roles. He was an awesome Zod. I dont care about the negativity people spew about his Zod.

Christopher Walken, WHATTTT! I gotta rank him up there with Willem Dafoe in how much I enjoy seeing him! Walken played a minor character, a homeless man, on this movie I took a chance on called "The Power of Few" it wasnt that good of a movie, but his scenes held so much power and he had this awesome monolgue after he finds a loaded gun in the trash. His minor character enchanced that film by leagues! I wanna watch it again only because of his scens in it. : )

Malcolm McDowell has one of thre best speaking voices I ever heard. Dont know if you played Fallout 3, but he voiced a character named President John Henry Eden of Enclave Radio and it still is a highlight of that game (a game where Liam Neeson is the voice of your father xD also great)

Mark Strong, love him too in all his roles! I admit though that I sometimes get him and Stanley Tucci mixed up. Can you see it too, the resemblance?

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I haven't seen The Power of Few, but based on your comments about Walken I will try to catch it! Shannon was indeed an outstanding Zod. Hadn't thought about the resemblance between Strong and Tucci, but now you say it, yes I can see it!

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https://flxt.tmsimg.com/assets/p9734050_p_v10_aa.jpg

The movie felt like a pulp fiction type of film where it keeps cutting between different characters and timelines where eventually lives intersect. Walken shined in it!

Awesome, Glad Im not the only one who can see the resemblance xD

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Some good choices there Doctor but I know of one bad performance from Mark Strong in ' Emma ' a made for TV movie from way back in 1996 where he played Mr Knightley opposite Kate Beckinsale's Emma Woodhouse. His Mr Knightley was rather gruff and tended to loom over Kate's Emma in a slightly menacing way. And Kate's Emma was so sweet and gentle it really stood out as an ill judged performance.


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Tom Wilkinson and Sigourney Weaver. Earlier today I was thinking, surprisingly I don't think Nicole Kidman has ever been bad in a movie.

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Nicole Kidman has this kind of alluring beauty, yet gentle like a spring morning. I havent seen enough of her movies but I can see why.

Sigourney Weaver was the reason I even bothered watching Marvels Defenders on Netflix the show wasnt that good :( shes a good pick too.

Tom Wilkinson is good, right up there with Stellan Skarsgard!

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