Movies where one actor saves the film

[2099net]

Do you have any films where one actor seems to make the film better than it actually is, just by his/her performance? Maybe they are playing to type or against it?

The 1st that comes to mind for me is The Da Vinchi Code which would most likely be a total snoozeathon (a thriller that's a snoozer) if it wasn't for Sir Ian McKellen, who really injected some life and theatrical flurishes to the movie. I know the movie was panned by most critics, but I actually thought it was above average, but I doubt I would without McKellen.

Others are:

Van Helsing where it appears only Richard Roxborgh actually 'gets it' and as a result has great fun playing Dracula for all it's campy worth. Everyone else is far too serious, a problem it's stablemate Mummy films never had.

Accepted was okay, but Lewis Black sure owned the scenes he was in. Still overall the whole film could have been better.

Evil Dead 2+3 are absolute triumphs, but I'm not sure they would be as well regarded had they not starred Bruce Campbell.

Time After Time is complete nonsense, but David Warner's Jack the Ripper makes you forget this.

[Mr. Toad]

Most obvious movie I can think of is the first Pirates of the Carribbean - Johnny Depp is amazing in a so so film.

[Anthony]

Charlize Theron in Monster

[DaveWadding]

Pacino in Scarface.

[Loomis]

Mark Hamil - Star Wars. Would have been completely forgotten were it not for his stellar role. This is evidenced by the fact that many of the other actors in the film - Sir Alec Guinness; Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher - were seen before or since then. Mr. Hammill, on the other hand, has led a distinguished theatre career; having previously worked on The New Scooby Doo Movies and Fred Flintstone and Friends. Since then, he has been in such hits as TV's Commander Toad in Space and "Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron". The rest of the film would have fallen apart without him, as George Lucas - despite having conceived a <strike>three</strike>...<strike>nine</strike>...6 part series since he was a foetus - had a turkey on his hands otherwise.

...Patrick Durkin as the Australian climber in Raiders of the Lost Ark...


....Steven Spielberg as the Amity Point Lifestation Worker (voice) in Jaws...

and finally, Francisco Váldez as the Man Being Combed for Lice (uncredited) in Titanic.

[lord-of-sith]

Johnny Depp/Geoffrey Rush - Pirates of the Carribbean - The films would have been very boring without them. And, in my opinion, Rush really steals the show at the end of DMC.

Ian McDiarmid - Revenge of the Sith - McDiarmid actually makes Lucas' dialouge sound realistic and good!

Eleanor Audley - Sleeping Beauty - Though it is just her voice, she easily stands out as the very best.

[Miss Jo]

Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands

Without him, the movie would have been just plain idiotic.

[slave2moonlight]

I'm not sure this is a reasonable question. I mean, does it make sense to say "This film wouldn't have been any good without _______ ," when blank is almost always one of the main characters? Of course the film isn't going to be good without one of the very main characters. That's who the story is about. Of course "Pirates of the Caribbean" would have stunk without Jack Sparrow and Barbosa, they are key characters, and maybe no one else could have made the roles as good or even worth watching, but that just shows the importance of excellent casting.

[Mr. Toad]

I'm not sure this is a reasonable question. I mean, does it make sense to say "This film wouldn't have been any good without _______ ," when blank is almost always one of the main characters? Of course the film isn't going to be good without one of the very main characters. That's who the story is about. Of course "Pirates of the Caribbean" would have stunk without Jack Sparrow and Barbosa, they are key characters, and maybe no one else could have made the roles as good or even worth watching, but that just shows the importance of excellent casting.

Yes I think that is what Netty means. Movies where the script and plot were not very good and the other actors were not exactly captivating but one person made it worth watching.

[slave2moonlight]

Yes I think that is what Netty means. Movies where the script and plot were not very good and the other actors were not exactly captivating but one person made it worth watching.

Perhaps I didn't explain my point thoroughly enough. Essentially, what I was saying was, sometimes that lead character's role/performance is intended to be the heart of the film or the hook to keep you interested in the story. Therefore, it's not fair to say they "saved" the film when they were intended to hold much of the spotlight anyway. Characters like Jack Sparrow are an important piece of a puzzle. Of course it won't work without that character.

However, in the case of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, I think that film had a great story!

[memnv]

How about Tom Hanks in Cast Away, Wait Wilson made the movie

[Disneykid]

Topol's performance as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. The film as a whole is very well made, but Topol is so much freaking fun to watch. The guy, for lack of a better phrase, is just so awesomely Jewish. You can tell he was having a blast playing Tevye, and I feel the film drags when he's not on screen (except the "Matchmaker" and "Miracle of Miracles" numbers). If someone else was cast as Tevye, I don't know if I'd like the film nearly as much as I do.

[Siren]

Tim Curry in Legend

[DisneyFanatic]

Most obvious movie I can think of is the first Pirates of the Carribbean - Johnny Depp is amazing in a so so film.

I thought I would be the only one who thought this! I think the movie was not bad really, but Johnny Depp really helped the movie.

[PixarFan2006]

Jim Carrey in A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Mask, Bruce Almighty, The Grinch

Adam Sandler in Big Daddy, Click

Mike Myers in Austin Powers 1, 2 and 3

[castleinthesky]

Jodie Foster in Flightplan
Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada

can't think of any others at the time being, but there's bound to be many more.

[SpringHeelJack]

Jim Carrey in A Series of Unfortunate Events

Actually, Jim Carrey was what made that movie thoroughly unwatchable for me. Count Olaf in the books was a much more interesting / evil character, and Jim made me want to gouge my eyes out.

[AwallaceUNC]

Johnny Depp - Secret Window ... not a very good movie, but still kind of likeable. That's almost entirely due to JD's performance, which is really good in spite of a pretty lackluster and predictable plot.

-Aaron

[Aladdin from Agrabah]

Glen Close in 101 Dalmatians. The rest of the cast was quite uninteresting. Without her as Cruella, the film would be a boring, modernized stupid copy of the original animated classic IMO.

[Mr. Toad]

Jim Carrey in A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Mask, Bruce Almighty, The Grinch

Adam Sandler in Big Daddy, Click

Mike Myers in Austin Powers 1, 2 and 3

Actually I was considering a couple of those but never got around to posting them. Carrey in the Mask and Myers in Austin Powers were a couple of things that popped into my mind.