There's an old saying that drama teachers love to tell their students: "there are no small parts, only small actors." In Hollywood's case, that might be better expressed as something along the lines of "there are no bad parts, only bad actors." The fact is we, as a movie-going audience, have to sift through a lot of weak films to find something decent, and we're not the only ones who are aware of it.
Of course, the reality is, like any profession, sometimes acting has to pay the bills. They're not going to book a Tarantino or Scorsese every time they commit to a project. Sometimes actors must grit their teeth, stand on their mark, and say their lines. What makes an actor genuinely remarkable is taking less-than-stellar material and elevating it through sheer force of will and presence.
Rami Malek — 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (2018)
In what was probably not a particularly conducive work environment given the rather sensational circumstances surrounding the departure of Bryan Singer, the fact remains this film is pretty bad. Rifled with historical inaccuracies, along with some ego-driven aggrandizing of certain band members and their contributions, Bohemian Rhapsody is remembered in part as one of the least accurate biopics of recent years.
Rami Malek is the film's saving grace, though. The rightful recipient of the Best Actor award at the Academy that year, Malek doesn't just do a Freddy Mercury impression — something that may've happened had the original casting of Sacha Baron Cohen stuck — but he commits himself entirely to the role and immerses himself to the point where the actor becomes unrecognizable.
Martin Sheen — The 'Twilight' Saga (2008-2012)
To this day, the rampant popularity of this book-turned-film series is difficult to comprehend, let alone explain in a satisfactory manner. The films vary wildly between all-out boring (Breaking Dawn: Part 1) and profoundly upsetting (Jacob imprinting on Bella's baby). With the strange mixed messages surrounding sexuality and faith, it is at best a trashy, guilty teen romance.
The other problem with the films is that the actors play their parts with very little emotion. Whether by design or choice — accounts vary — it's difficult to relate to characters that don't emote. This is what makes Martin Sheen's delightfully campy, over-the-top villain such a highlight. He realizes early on that sometimes the only way out is to keep digging, and he throws the kitchen sink into it.
Anthony Hopkins — 'Transformers: The Last Knight' (2017)
Maybe he needed to send a grandchild to college? Perhaps a new wing was to be added to what must be a magnificent house in the English countryside? Or maybe he just lost a bet. Either way, Anthony Hopkins' decision to appear in the 5th film of the Michael Bay-directed Transformers franchise remains a baffling one to this day.
Hopkins has been known to phone it in from time to time — he admitted that in reading some scripts, he'd mark certain pages with the acronym "NAR" (no acting required). But he is far from on autopilot in this film and comes out of it as the best part as an eccentric English lord whose family has known about the Transformers since Arthurian times.
Alan Rickman — Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves (1991)
If there was ever a time capsule of the late eighties, this film would be on the top of the list of items to include. From a soundtrack penned by Bryan Adams to that blonde mullet, everything about this film is very specific to its time and place. It may have made for an appealing package at the time, but it has aged rather like milk.
However, one thing that will remain evergreen about this film — and makes it worth a look on its own — is Alan Rickman's completely unhinged take on the Sheriff of Nottingham. Perpetually dressed in black, sweaty, and leering, his interactions with the captured Maid Marion make your skin crawl. "Loxley! I'll cut your heart out with a SPOON!" may be one of the greatest threats in cinema history.
Peter Dinklage — 'Pixels'/'The Boss' (2015-2016)
This is a twofer; the truth is separating the two films themselves is pretty difficult. Both go for broad comedy targeted at the lowest common denominator, which is unsurprising for Sandler and unfortunately more and more the case when it comes to Melissa McCarthy's output as well. Both of these films are only a little better than white noise.
That is until Dinklage is on-screen. As obnoxious video game champion "The Fireblaster" in Pixels or weird, Japanese-culture obsessed Renault in The Boss, both performances are funny, committed, and the best parts of their respective films. Have you ever wanted to see Dinklage fight McCarthy in a katana duel? The scene almost makes up for the film's shortcomings alone.
Adam Driver — 'Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker' (2019)
Perhaps one of the most spectacular examples of "failing to plan is planning to fail" ever seen writ large, Disney's sequels to the original Star Wars trilogy began promisingly with 2015's The Force Awakens. However, the lack of a consistent vision and tonal whiplash meant that the flawed but interesting second entry was all but ignored by J.J. Abrams on his return, giving this film little chance of being good.
One thing that remained consistent through the run of the films, though, was Adam Driver's excellent take on Ben Solo/Kylo Ren. While he was done a disservice by the film's script rushing the character's development, Driver was never less than compelling in the role and made it out of the quagmire with his reputation intact.
Nicole Kidman — 'The Paperboy' (2012)
Lee Daniels' ambitious but ultimately disappointing follow-up to awards darling Precious, The Paperboy is based on a 1995 novel of the same name where a Miami reporter returns to his hometown to follow the story of a grisly murder involving a death row inmate. The critic's consensus on Rotten Tomatoes is "Trashy and melodramatic, The Paperboy is enlivened by a strong cast and a steamy, sordid plot, but it's uneven and often veers into camp."
Despite this less than stellar reception, most critics agreed that Kidman was the MVP of the cast. Robbie Collin of the Daily Telegraph wrote that she "...secretes sensuality like a slug does slime". The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw echoed this praise with "Nicole Kidman really is terrifically good as Charlotte: funny, sexy, poignantly vulnerable."
Philip Seymour Hoffman — 'Along Came Polly' (2004)
Like many actors on this list, Hoffman had the uncanny ability to elevate the material he was in regardless of its relative quality. The Mission: Impossible franchise is known for scaling up its action setpieces, yes, but has there been a more memorable villain than Hoffman's Davian in the third film? Or what about games designer/rebellion leader Plutarch Heavensbee?
The actor could really shine, though, in parts that had little screen time but maximum comedic or dramatic impact. This by-the-numbers rom-com starring Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston is pretty flat — but Hoffman's exuberant best friend is hilarious, and he pretty much walks away with the film single-handedly.
Margot Robbie — 'Suicide Squad' (2016)
David Ayer's take on the legendary squad of ne'er do wells and villains that have been a mainstay of DC Comics since the 1980s was...flawed, to say the least. The film currently holds the ignominious distinction of being the worst-reviewed superhero blockbusters in recent memory, with near-universal critical scorn.
However, there was another thing critics universally agreed upon, and that was the pitch-perfect performance of Margot Robbie as Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn. Marking this fan-favorite character's live-action debut, Robbie smashed the performance out of the park and is one of the few aspects of this largely retconned outing to remain intact for two further outings (so far).
Raul Julia — 'Street Fighter' (1994)
Dying of a stroke mere months after this film was released, the performance is something of a double-edged sword. While it does seem a shame, his last performance was in such subpar fare, his consummate professionalism and commitment to the role meant that his portrayal of villain M. Bison stands head and shoulders above the rest of the cast.
Becoming a cult sensation after the film's release, Julia's performance ensures this film remains remembered. If a lesser actor had played M. Bison, there's a strong chance it would be lost to the annals of bad video game adaptations. The infamous scene in which Chun Li confronts him only to tell her that the most important day of her life was to him another day of the week is worth the price of admission alone.