From a weak script and frail premise to unprofessional execution and poor editing/visual effects, many individual components make a potentially good film a bad one instead. Writing is undoubtedly one of the aspects that can make or break a movie. Acting performances, as many would agree, are also at the top of the list.
With that being said, just as bad acting makes a great film considerably worse, incredible performances make a bad movie a tad less unpleasant and less difficult to sit through. On Reddit, users share their takes on what are some of the best performances in arguably bad films.
10Guy Pearce in ‘Lockout’ (2012)
Lockout, also known asSpace Jail, centers on a man (Guy Pearce) wrongly convicted and accused of treason against the United States. Snow is offered freedom under the condition of rescuing the President’s daughter, who was captured by violent convicts.
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Although Redditorduckliondogon Reddit believes that Pearce’s performance is the best thing to come out of theJames MatherandSteve Saint Legeraction sci-fi, other users, like the userjonathanaltman, perceive the film as a “legitimately awesome cult-worthy flick,” proving the point that tastes are, in an important way, subjective. Still, there is no denying that Pearce delivered a solid performance in the movie.
9Ewan McGregor in the ‘Star Wars’ Prequels
TheStar Warsprequels, which focus on the training of the powerful Anakin Skywalker (portrayed byHayden Christensen) as a Jedi, are somewhat infamous for the quality of writing and acting they feature. Still,Ewan McGregordid a solid job bringing the iconic Obi-Wan Kenobi to life, and Redditors seem to agree.
According tothe user bonkerz1888, the actor’s heartfelt performance is “the only consistently good thing about those three films and he improved with each one.” Despite the general hatred for the trilogy, these films still managed to deliver great action sequences while shining a light on Darth Vader’s origins.
8Pedro Pascal in ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ (2020)
As it would seem, many people believe that one of the best things to come out of the most recentWonder Womaninstallment isPedro Pascal’s performance as the antihero Maxwell Lord. The superhero film based on the DC character portrayed byGal Gadotfollows the heroine on a quest to save the world after a wish-granting artifact falls into the wrong hands.
When Redditors were asked which are some great performances in bad movies, ausermentioned the actor, to which anow-deleted accountreplied, “Dude carried the entire movie.” Despite its negative reviews and obvious flaws (the film is, in fact, a lot weaker than its predecessor), the technicolorWonder Woman 1984still makes a somewhat fun, entertaining watch.
7Meryl Streep in ‘The Iron Lady’ (2011)
Loosely based onJohn Campbell’s biography “The Iron Lady: Margaret Thatcher, from Grocer’s Daughter to Prime Minister,” thisMeryl Streep-led biographical drama illustrates the life and career of the former British Prime Minister, the first woman to take such charge in the United Kingdom.
As always,Meryl Streep delivered a powerhouse performancethat elevated the film and made it worth the watch for her talents alone. Whenthe user Bouche032mentionedThe Iron Lady,another user, SailingBroat, however, argued that “Meryl Streep is someone I can never see past in terms of truly being lost in a role/or the character being bigger than her.”
6Florence Pugh in ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ (2022)
Don’t Worry Darlingwas a highly anticipated film last year (especially byHarry Stylesfans, who were eagerly counting down the days until the film came out). While a big chunk of the anticipation aroundOlivia Wilde’s feature was given to the members of its cast (and all the drama revolving around its production), its initially promisingpremise about a housewifeliving in a suspicious idyllic company town also had some people intrigued.
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At first,Don’t Worry Darlinghad undeniable potential. However, the dystopian psychological thriller’s execution ultimately left much to be desired. “Florence PughinDon’t Worry Darling,” as aRedditorsuggested, is assuredly one of the best things about the film, as the actress' acting skills are unparalleled, leading her to steal every scene she is in.
5Michael Fassbender in ‘Prometheus’ (2012)
Prometheusmay not be the best installment of theAlienfranchise, but it still delivers solid performances, namely fromMichaelFassbender, who viewers can’t help but praise on the platform. This fifth entry of the iconic saga depicts a human expedition ending in death and destruction.
Many believe thatPrometheusclearly needed polishing.Despite its stunning visuals,Ridley Scott’s film is widely believed to be poorly written with an inconsistent plot. “He was great and the rest of the movie was boring as hell,” adeleted usercommented when anotherdeleted accountmentioned the movie.
4Rami Malek in ‘Bohemian Rapsody’ (2018)
Focusing on the life and career of legendary singerFreddie Mercury, the lead of the British rock band Queen,Bohemian RhapsodystarsRami Malekin what has becomehis Oscar-winning performance. Although general audiences were very impressed with the precision and detail with which theBryan Singerfilm was made, it fell short of many expectations.
According touser peter095837, Singer’s movie is not great, but “Rami Malek’s performance was so good.” Furthermore, inRedditor SvJosip1996’s words, “it did not save the whole movie, but he really did the best he could, and was amazing.” Ultimately, what makesBohemianRhapsodya messy film is perhaps its clumsy editing and, at times, poor writing, which results in an awkward connection of events.
3Raul Julia in ‘Street Fighter’ (1994)
When it comes toSteven E. de Souza’sJean-Claude Van Damme-led low-rated action-adventure comedy that follows a couple of martial arts heroes fighting against the acts of Dictator M. Bison,Raul Julia’s performance as the bad guy seems to be a fan-favorite, with many users highlighting it on the website.
“I think the all time best answer for this is Raul Julia as M. Bison in Street Fighter,“ihavefiveofbroatsaid. “You can tell he really gave it his best even though that movie is pretty bad,“the original posterreplied. In a different post,TrickNaturalnoted that while it is not an Oscar-worthy performance, the actor brought “his A-game and charm, to a movie that just never gets on his level.” With that being said,Street Fighteris objectively a terrible movie that falls into the"so-bad-they’re-good” category.
2Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Joker’ (2019)
Jokerwas undeniably adored globally when it came out, withJoaquin Phoenixdelivering one of the most solid performances of his career by bringing the Clown of Gotham to life in this innovativeTodd Phillipstake on the character’s backstory. Nevertheless, even if it features undeniably great cinematography and even better acting, some critics believe thatJokeris pretentious and fails to understand its representation of violence and mental health.
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Although far from being the worst movie out there, Phillips' movie ended up relying on shock value a bit too much, and Phoenix’s acting is undoubtedly one of its strongest assets. “It’s rare that a single performance elevates a film so much,“Redditor hoodie92said. “That movie is like having a [two-hour] conversation with the worst person in a freshman philosophy class, but Phoenix is great,“the user Tamika_Oliviawrote.
1Daniel Day-Lewis in ‘Gangs of New York’ (2002)
Another popular pick for impeccable performances in (arguably) bad films is no one less thanDaniel Day-LewisinMartinScorsese’s somewhat poorly constructed, nevertheless engaging feature. Day-Lewis played Bill “The Butcher” Cutting in this crime drama revolving aroundLeonardo DiCaprio’s Amsterdam Vallon, who returns to New York City seeking revenge for his father’s killer, played by the actor.
“Some may disagree with the movie being bad,” aRedditorcommented. “But I was super disappointed with it. Horribly anticlimactic.” The user went on to say that the actor was “just utterly incredible as Bill The Butcher” inGangs of New Yorkand, to many’s surprise, would also argue that Day-Lewis' staggering performance was “even better” than his Oscar-winning one.
