Unfairly slated actors

krudler

As a spinoff from the worst sucessful actors, what actors do you think get unfairly slated when they have in fact delivered great performances?

for me:

Kevin Costner: has been somewhat of a joke for years, but go back to the early 90's and he was knocking it out of the park, yeah his turn in Robin Hood was beyond silly, but look at Dances With Wolves, which is a true masterpiece. Or JFK, his near 20 minute speech at the end is staggering. He's been under the radar for the past few years, but Open Range is one of the best westerns ever, and although I havent seen it Mr Brooks is meant to be very good, its on my must watch list.

Sylvester Stallone: Has an immortal,iconic character in Rocky, and while the series turned into comic book style fantasy hokum with the 4th movie, the last film was fantastic, and its a crying shame Sly didnt get an Oscar nomination for it. A much smarter and more accomplished actor and director than he'll ever be given credit for, in fact Rocky Balboa has my favourite moment of that years movies in the end credits, after the footage of real people running up the iconic steps in Philadelphia plays, theres a shot of Rocky standing alone with his back to the camera, arms behind him, looking out over the Philadelphia skyline while a beautifully melancholy version of the Rocky theme tune plays over it, its a truly moving farewell to one of cinemas most likeable characters.
With Rambo, which again turned into almost a parody of the movie with the sequels, again he gave a great performance as a man who was abandoned by the country he almost died fighting for. To call the original First Blood a mindless action movie is an insult, its anything but. After all only one person is killed in the entire film, and Stallones portrayal of a deeply affected man just trying to go home is a far better performance than he's ever been given credit for.

ziedth

I couldn't agree more with sly,

My pick would he Tom Cruise:
sure he's nuts and more then likely a knob but he makes good movies which is all I care about. Over the years I could easily pick 5 very very good movies he has done and double very watchable ones.

krudler

ziedth wrote: »

I couldn't agree more with sly,

My pick would he Tom Cruise:
sure he's nuts and more then likely a knob but he makes good movies which is all I care about. Over the years I could easily pick 5 very very good movies he has done and double very watchable ones.

I'm a big fan of Cruise the actor, whatever he does in his personal life has no bearing on the quality of his performances for me, there are very few actors in hollywood who throw themselves into a role like him,and he's one of the few actors whose name alone can sell a movie.

speedboatchase

Tom Cruise was first person I thought of. Amazing back catalogue, have about 6-7 dvds of his. Worked with all the best directors (Kubrick, Spielberg, Scorcese, Stone, Mann, Anderson, Reiner, Redford), gives huge performances even if he's just in blockbusters, does his own stunts and spends hours signing autographs at premieres. Nice guy, don't care about the scientology

Also Angelina Jolie gets a lot of stick in tabloids and from Jennifer Aniston fans - even a few girls ago they were running a bogus story that Jolie was "worried" Megan bloody Fox (RIP career 2007-2009) was taking the roles she wanted. Those roles of course would be Jonah Hex and Jennifers Body. I think people forget she's the only bankable female action star out there (Wanted, Salt) and has worked with Clint Eastwood and won herself an Oscar.

Nicolas Cage too. He takes some terrible roles because he's broke but he's still got plenty of great films people forget about (Leaving Las Vegas, The Rock, Face/Off, Kick-Ass, Adaptation, Matchstick Men, I even liked National Treasure) and doesn't deserve to be a punch line.

Lastly, Mel Gibson. Great actor and probably even better director

krudler

Tom Cruise was first person I thought of. Amazing back catalogue, have about 6-7 dvds of his. Worked with all the best directors (Kubrick, Spielberg, Scorcese, Stone, Mann, Anderson, Reiner, Redford), gives huge performances even if he's just in blockbusters, does his own stunts and spends hours signing autographs at premieres. Nice guy, don't care about the scientology

there arent many stars who would hold up their own premiere for hours as they wanted to make sure everyone standing around the red carpet area got an autograph. He even rescued a little girl from being crushed in the crowd at the Mission:Impossible 2 premiere and brought her and her family in with him, classy guy despite all the scientology mumbo jumbo.

Smokin_Aces

Ben Affleck. Sure he has made some duds but he has also done some decent movies. He will be a better director than as an actor I think.

indough

tom cruise, nic cage and the likes are capable of great acting but sure its fashionable to dismiss certain actors/films which is the only reason i can think of that some people seemto do it so off hand

the people who dismiss stallone as being pure action movie with no skills are likely those whove never sat down and watched his movies, first blood was certainly not a dumb action flick and i dont see that some of the rocky movies were mindless either

MonicaBing

Definitely agree about Nic Cage, the man's a legend in my eyes. Mel Gibson has Been slated quite a lot in the last few years again mainly due to personal reasons as has Tom Cruise. Costner's turn in Open range was just awesome, am not a huge western fan, but that and the 3.10 to Yuma is in my collection..
Probably going out on a limb here, but, Martin Sheen, Michael Douglas, Alec Baldwin would be some of mine, oh and Aidan Quinn and Gabriel Byrne?

SRFC90

MAATTT DAAAMMON.

krudler

MonicaBing wrote: »

Definitely agree about Nic Cage, the man's a legend in my eyes. Mel Gibson has Been slated quite a lot in the last few years again mainly due to personal reasons as has Tom Cruise. Costner's turn in Open range was just awesome, am not a huge western fan, but that and the 3.10 to Yuma is in my collection..
Probably going out on a limb here, but, Martin Sheen, Michael Douglas, Alec Baldwin would be some of mine, oh and Aidan Quinn and Gabriel Byrne?

I wouldnt say any of them have been slated per se, certainly not Martin Sheen, hes a legend after The West Wing.and Gabriel Byrne is a very respected actor.

Douglas i do like, he was great in Romancing the Stone and his role in The Game was excellent. and who can forget his everyman gone mental turn in Falling Down?

MonicaBing

krudler wrote: »

MonicaBing wrote: »

Definitely agree about Nic Cage, the man's a legend in my eyes. Mel Gibson has Been slated quite a lot in the last few years again mainly due to personal reasons as has Tom Cruise. Costner's turn in Open range was just awesome, am not a huge western fan, but that and the 3.10 to Yuma is in my collection..
Probably going out on a limb here, but, Martin Sheen, Michael Douglas, Alec Baldwin would be some of mine, oh and Aidan Quinn and Gabriel Byrne?[/QUOTE]
I wouldnt say any of them have been slated per se, certainly not Martin Sheen, hes a legend after The West Wing.and Gabriel Byrne is a very respected actor.

Douglas i do like, he was great in Romancing the Stone and his role in The Game was excellent. and who can forget his everyman gone mental turn in Falling Down?

Yep sorry my bad, i went off thinking underrated as opposed to slated! Douglas was brilliant in Falling Down tho!

SB-08

speedboatchase wrote: »

Tom Cruise was first person I thought of. Amazing back catalogue, have about 6-7 dvds of his. Worked with all the best directors (Kubrick, Spielberg, Scorcese, Stone, Mann, Anderson, Reiner, Redford), gives huge performances even if he's just in blockbusters, does his own stunts and spends hours signing autographs at premieres. Nice guy, don't care about the scientology

Also Angelina Jolie gets a lot of stick in tabloids and from Jennifer Aniston fans - even a few girls ago they were running a bogus story that Jolie was "worried" Megan bloody Fox (RIP career 2007-2009) was taking the roles she wanted. Those roles of course would be Jonah Hex and Jennifers Body. I think people forget she's the only bankable female action star out there (Wanted, Salt) and has worked with Clint Eastwood and won herself an Oscar.

Nicolas Cage too. He takes some terrible roles because he's broke but he's still got plenty of great films people forget about (Leaving Las Vegas, The Rock, Face/Off, Kick-Ass, Adaptation, Matchstick Men, I even liked National Treasure) and doesn't deserve to be a punch line.

Lastly, Mel Gibson. Great actor and probably even better director

Firstly how on earth is Nic Cage broke? Are you being sarcastic?;) He earns a bloody foture - even now - he earned $40M last year for example, and has been paid $20m each for loads of films over the past 20 years.

Agree with Jolie and Cruise (just watching an excellent video of the highlights of his career on ITV now - he has a seriously impressive amount of modern classics where he was excellent), but not with Cage and certainly not with Gibson. Gibson's attempt at serious acting is beyond appauling - I was laughing my arse off at how bad it was in his beyond silly and at times downright embaressing attempt at bringing a truly excellent TV series to the big screen 'Edge Of Darkness' - it was truly laughable and I wasnt the only one in the cinema laughing at moments that most certainly were not meant to be funny. He is a FAR better director than actor to put it mildly - but I will admit both when it certain roles suit are good at what they do - but in terms of genuine acting ability I think it's pretty obvious why both get slagged off so much.

Kevin Costner is an excellent actor and director though - so underrated and is often laughed at due to some bad choices (ie. Waterworld) but some cracking films such as 'The Untouchables, No Way Out, Bill Durham, Field Of Dreams, Dances With Wolves, JFK, A Perfect World, Wyatt Earp, Thirteen Days, Open Range and Mr Brooks. And IMO unlike Cage and Gibson who have also had their fair share of great films, he is a geniunly great actor and a diverse one at that.

Agree with Michael Douglas as well - an amazing actor and one of the all time greats in my view. Falling Down remains one of my all time favourite performances by an actor - the fact he wasnt even nominated for Best Actor for that is beyond a joke. 2010 looks to be his big comeback year - his latest film Solitary Man has been getting excellent reviews and of course Wall Street 2 will be out later on in the year. But then again I don't think he gets flack does he?

If we're talking about under-rated actors it has got to be Gary Oldman, but unfairly slated - I think Kevin Bacon has to be up there. I have hear lots of people over the years sayin he is awful. If you ask me he is an excellent actor and is easily one of the best actors to have never been nominated for an oscar.

speedboatchase

SB-08 wrote: »

Firstly how on earth is Nic Cage broke? Are you being sarcastic?;) He earns a bloody foture - even now - he earned $40M last year for example, and has been paid $20m each for loads of films over the past 20 years.

Agree with Jolie and Cruise (just watching an excellent video of the highlights of his career on ITV now - he has a seriously impressive amount of modern classics where he was excellent), but not with Cage and certainly not with Gibson. Gibson's attempt at serious acting is beyond appauling - I was laughing my arse off at how bad it was in his beyond silly and at times downright embaressing attempt at bringing a truly excellent TV series to the big screen 'Edge Of Darkness' - it was truly laughable and I wasnt the only one in the cinema laughing at moments that most certainly were not meant to be funny. He is a FAR better director than actor to put it mildly - but I will admit both when it certain roles suit are good at what they do - but in terms of genuine acting ability I think it's pretty obvious why both get slagged off so much.

Kevin Costner is an excellent actor and director though - so underrated and is often laughed at due to some bad choices (ie. Waterworld) but some cracking films such as 'The Untouchables, No Way Out, Bill Durham, Field Of Dreams, Dances With Wolves, JFK, A Perfect World, Wyatt Earp, Thirteen Days, Open Range and Mr Brooks. And IMO unlike Cage and Gibson who have also had their fair share of great films, he is a geniunly great actor and a diverse one at that.

Agree with Michael Douglas as well - an amazing actor and one of the all time greats in my view. Falling Down remains one of my all time favourite performances by an actor - the fact he wasnt even nominated for Best Actor for that is beyond a joke. 2010 looks to be his big comeback year - his latest film Solitary Man has been getting excellent reviews and of course Wall Street 2 will be out later on in the year. But then again I don't think he gets flack does he?

If we're talking about under-rated actors it has got to be Gary Oldman, but unfairly slated - I think Kevin Bacon has to be up there. I have hear lots of people over the years sayin he is awful. If you ask me he is an excellent actor and is easily one of the best actors to have never been nominated for an oscar.

Cage ---> http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2272927/nicolas_cage_going_bankrupt_he_owes.html

Kevin Bacon - great shout! Can't believe he's basically doing direct to tv or dvd stuff lately

DazMarz

Barry Pepper... Tho he is probably more underrated than slated... A few more high-profile roles and he could easily become a big leading man... Not to sound gay or anything, but I think he would have the looks to be a leading man more than most leading men!!! Lol

Jako8

speedboatchase wrote: »

Nicolas Cage too. He takes some terrible roles because he's broke but he's still got plenty of great films people forget about (Leaving Las Vegas, The Rock, Face/Off, Kick-Ass, Adaptation, Matchstick Men, I even liked National Treasure) and doesn't deserve to be a punch line.

I agree with Cage. I think he's a fantastic actor.

pasta-solo

I'll put Keanu Reeves forward - sure he's a bit of a one-trick pony, but he's damn good at that one trick! Morgan Freeman gets oodles of respect for playing very similar characters regularly, but Reeves gets slated for doing the same, despite that they both do what they do very well.

take everything

krudler wrote: »

and who can forget his everyman gone mental turn in Falling Down?

Arguably his best performance IMO.

Edit: I agree with the Tom Cruise thing actually.
OK he can be a bit "Tom Cruise" in some films but i'm thinking films like:
Collateral: Brilliant in that- he played that intense, single-minded hitman really well.
Risky Business: What can you say, great performance, great film.
Minority Report: Another decent movie, decent acting from him (the scenes with his wife and son for example).
Even stuff like "A few good men" with himself and Jack chewing up the scenery- always worth a watch.

MonicaBing

Ooh and Gary Sinise, cant believe he's gone on to tv shows, i adore Christopher Walken but where's he gone? John Malkovich is another, he tends to chew the scenary in most movies he's in, but i think he's excellent!

TonyD79

SB-08 wrote: »

Firstly how on earth is Nic Cage broke? Are you being sarcastic?;) He earns a bloody foture - even now - he earned $40M last year for example, and has been paid $20m each for loads of films over the past 20 years.

He has had recent property and tax problems;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Cage

His Bel Air home, which had six loans totaling $18 million on it, sold at a foreclosure auction on April 7, 2010, for nearly $25 million less than Cage's original asking price.[40] Another home in Nevada also faces foreclosure auction

If he has spent his 20 million a movie on property it doesnt take a genius to figure out he is having financial problems in the current climate.Dont think he is broke myself but he has certainly had his financial problems maybe a few movies might sort out. Perhaps we should stop NAMA and get the banks here to start producing movies instead! :rolleyes:

Renn

Smokin_Aces wrote: »

Ben Affleck. Sure he has made some duds but he has also done some decent movies. He will be a better director than as an actor I think.

Name these films plz.

bonerm

Christian Slater is unfairly slated.

Handsome Bob

Not so much slated, but always dismissed, and that is Jake Gyllenhaal. Thought he was the best thing about Brothers but barely gets a mention in reviews. I was moved just as much by Gyllenhaal's performance in Brokeback Mountain as I was by Ledger's. Same deal in Zodiac, I was impressed by Gyllenhaal but all the praise was focused on RDJ.

I always enjoyed Cruise's 90's work. A Few Good Men, Interview with the Vampire, Mission Impossible and Born on the 4th of July are all excellent films. I don't know what happened with him, he shows a more erratic side and all of a sudden he's box office cancer. Thoroughly enjoyed his Tropic Thunder cameo too, but don't like the look of Knight & Day it has to be said.

James Franco would be another one, I think he gets easily dismissed like Gyllenhaal. He doesn't get the props he deserves. His performance in S-M3 was one of the few enjoyments I got out of that film. He was the best thing about Pineapple Express. I thought his performance in Milk deserved an Oscar nom nod more so than Brolin's.

I think Sam Worthington would be another one. I like the guy, I think he has great presence on screen and has an every man quality about him. But for the most part critics don't seem to dig him. To be honest I don't think there's enough actors around in Worthington's mould; just a man's man with none of the pretty boy ****.

take everything

bonerm wrote: »

Christian Slater is unfairly slated.

No he criticizes others.
The lesser known Christian Slatee is the one who is unfairly slated.

krudler

take everything wrote: »

No he criticizes others.
The lesser known Christian Slatee is the one who is unfairly slated.

bah-dum-tsh!

bonerm

take everything wrote: »

No he criticizes others.
The lesser known Christian Slatee is the one who is unfairly slated.

I disagree. Christian Slatee may slate others, but it doesn't change that Christian Slater is unfairly slated. Christian Slatee is fairly slated but he is also slated fairly.

Cactus Colm

krudler wrote: »

Sylvester Stallone: Has an immortal,iconic character in Rocky, and while the series turned into comic book style fantasy hokum with the 4th movie, the last film was fantastic, and its a crying shame Sly didnt get an Oscar nomination for it. A much smarter and more accomplished actor and director than he'll ever be given credit for, in fact Rocky Balboa has my favourite moment of that years movies in the end credits, after the footage of real people running up the iconic steps in Philadelphia plays, theres a shot of Rocky standing alone with his back to the camera, arms behind him, looking out over the Philadelphia skyline while a beautifully melancholy version of the Rocky theme tune plays over it, its a truly moving farewell to one of cinemas most likeable characters.
With Rambo, which again turned into almost a parody of the movie with the sequels, again he gave a great performance as a man who was abandoned by the country he almost died fighting for. To call the original First Blood a mindless action movie is an insult, its anything but. After all only one person is killed in the entire film, and Stallones portrayal of a deeply affected man just trying to go home is a far better performance than he's ever been given credit for.

I would say that Stallone has been slated for a very good reason. A lot of his post Demolition Man work is terrible. Copland stood out as a great performance because all around it there were crap performances. The Specialist, Dredd, Assassins .. at best mediocre performances. Then comes Copland, shows what he's truely capable of, follows it up with Antz, good in that. What next? Awful in Get Carter, even worse in Driven and a slew of bad films follow (although I think D-Tox was pretty dang good). I saw Shade, that was pretty horrible.

Fine he's going through a resurrgence now, and its' great to see him doing well, loved Rocky Balboa and Rambo, but don't let those two fool you into thinking he has always been great (or even good).

take everything

bonerm wrote: »

I disagree. Christian Slatee may slate others, but it doesn't change that Christian Slater is unfairly slated. Christian Slatee is fairly slated but he is also slated fairly.

Fairly stated.

minister poxbottle

ziedth wrote: »

I couldn't agree more with sly,

My pick would he Tom Cruise:
sure he's nuts and more then likely a knob but he makes good movies which is all I care about. Over the years I could easily pick 5 very very good movies he has done and double very watchable ones.

one good movie RAINMAN and cruise was just support:rolleyes:

minister poxbottle

MonicaBing wrote: »

Ooh and Gary Sinise, cant believe he's gone on to tv shows, i adore Christopher Walken but where's he gone? John Malkovich is another, he tends to chew the scenary in most movies he's in, but i think he's excellent!

sinise & malkovich in OF MICE AND MEN class movie

Sir Gallagher

minister poxbottle wrote: »

one good movie RAINMAN and cruise was just support:rolleyes:

Rainman is the only good Tom Cruise film? This would be a typical anti Tom Cruise stance I suppose, trying to be controversial.

Venom

MonicaBing wrote: »

Ooh and Gary Sinise, cant believe he's gone on to tv shows, i adore Christopher Walken but where's he gone? John Malkovich is another, he tends to chew the scenary in most movies he's in, but i think he's excellent!

Malkovich has been phoning in his performances for so long now him getting slated is very fair.

Renn

Magnolia means minister poxbottle fails.

Dempsey

DazMarz wrote: »

Barry Pepper... Tho he is probably more underrated than slated... A few more high-profile roles and he could easily become a big leading man... Not to sound gay or anything, but I think he would have the looks to be a leading man more than most leading men!!! Lol

Battlefield Earth derailed a promising career.

I agree with Cruise, Stallone & Costner, they have turned in some excellent performances. The criticism seems to come from everything but their actual performance in the film in question.

E.g. Costner will never be allowed to forget Waterworld because it bombed at the box office

Stallone is typecast

Cruise is a Scientologist

login1

Paris Hilton is definately unfairly slated due to her shenanigans off screen

She's no sh1ttier than any other sh1t actor in sh1tty films.

Sir Gallagher

login1 wrote: »

Paris Hilton is definately unfairly slated due to her shenanigans off screen

She's no sh1ttier than any other sh1t actor in sh1tty films.

No

krudler

E.g. Costner will never be allowed to forget Waterworld because it bombed at the box office

Waterworld made over €260 million worldwide, thats far from a bomb, it cost a fortune and took ages to recoup its budget but it did, its one of those movies thats seen as a "flop" when it wasnt really, its just an example of a difficult and expensive shoot.

bonerm

Tommy Wiseau gets a hard time as well. Most people say he's a terrible actor, but it seems to me like he is the expert!

Poly

Jako8 wrote: »

I agree with Cage. I think he's a fantastic actor.

+1 "Bringing out the dead" was one of his best (under rated) perfomances, I'd also recommend the book which was also class.

irishh_bob

krudler wrote: »

Waterworld made over €260 million worldwide, thats far from a bomb, it cost a fortune and took ages to recoup its budget but it did, its one of those movies thats seen as a "flop" when it wasnt really, its just an example of a difficult and expensive shoot.

+ 1 , one of the great movie misconceptions is that waterworld was a huge flop , in reality it was no more of a flop than the likes of peter jacksons , king kong

Dempsey

krudler wrote: »

Waterworld made over €260 million worldwide, thats far from a bomb, it cost a fortune and took ages to recoup its budget but it did, its one of those movies thats seen as a "flop" when it wasnt really, its just an example of a difficult and expensive shoot.

From imdb,

Widely considered to be one of the biggest box-office bombs of all time. Although it grossed $255 million from a $175 million production budget, this does not factor in marketing and distribution costs, or the percentage of the gross that theaters keep (which is up to 45% of a film's box office takings).

It was a box office flop

ibFoxer

Renn wrote: »

Name these films plz.

Chasing Amy, Good Will Hunting, Dogma.

minister poxbottle

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Rainman is the only good Tom Cruise film? This would be a typical anti Tom Cruise stance I suppose, trying to be controversial.

i'm not anti tom cruise and i'm not trying to be controversial i just think he's a crap actor;)

minister poxbottle

Renn wrote: »

Magnolia means minister poxbottle fails.

hey renn are you a scientologist :eek: magnolia are you joking:)

Renn

What do you mean am I joking...you're hardly saying Magnolia is a **** movie now are you?

The Pontiac

Sorry, but Sylvester Stallone just can't act.

krudler

<Ollie> wrote: »

Sorry, but Sylvester Stallone just can't act.

Copland, Rocky and First Blood disagree

Vinny-Chase

Definitely agree with Affleck not getting the credit he deserves. On top of the ones already mentioned there's also Hollywoodland. And as a directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone is fantastic!

Another I think doesn't get the respect he deserves as an actor is Brad Pitt. Always does brilliant character work, right down to the physicality. But never seems to be thought of when people think of today's great actors.

Renn

Definitely against you guys on Affleck. I've seen enough bad performances from him to make me think that he's actually an awful actor - sometimes I get the feeling that he knows this himself while he's on screen (might explain the move away to directing rather than acting). Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Pearl Harbour, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, State of Play (the worst I've seen him imo)...etc

Just a bad, bad actor.

tman

MonicaBing wrote: »

Definitely agree about Nic Cage, the man's a legend in my eyes.

Yeah, no matter what tripe Nic Cage turns out, I'll always have massive respect for him due to raising Arizona...

Vinny-Chase

Renn wrote: »

Definitely against you guys on Affleck. I've seen enough bad performances from him to make me think that he's actually an awful actor...Chasing Amy...

I would have respect alone for him for the "love confession" scene in Amy.

Renn

Well I wouldn't because he never comes across as convincing in any of the roles I've seen him play