The best, and worst of movie casting
POSTED BY: OPPYH
UPDATED: Friday, July 25, 2025 06:36
VIEWED: 10605
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GOOD:
Jim Carrey in MAN ON THE MOON (Not usually a Carrey fan, but he was great in that)
Billy Bob Thornton in BAD NEWS BEARS (When they announced it, I thought "Why are they remaking this?" But it's the role BBT was born to play)
Liv Tyler in any more where she cries (No one in Hollywood has eyes for crying like Liv Tyler)
Harrison Ford as Han Solo or Indiana Jones. ('Nuff said)
BAD:
Harrison Ford in anything where he's NOT Han Solo or Indiana Jones. (He generally has all the charm of a tongue depressor)
Liv Tyler in any more where she doesn't cry (Seriously, if you're a director and you put Liv Tyler in your movie and she doesn't need to cry, you should have gotten any one else).
Hayden Christiansen and Megan Fox in... anything.
www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."
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Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
I'll add: Keanu Reeves in Bram Stoker's Dracula and in Much Ado About Nothing. That man should never be cast in a period film.
Lotta people don't like Reeves in Much Ado, but
I'll stand up for him . The character, as written, is pretty much a cut-out villian-- he even says so. Kinda like those representations of Death in a Rennaissance painting. He doesn't fit in, he's a contrast and pretty much, a plot device.
Reeves does a pretty good job of projecting a presence and charisma silently.
Watch that opening scene again-- everybody is having a good time, talking and joking, then they fall silent, there's a reverse cut and there he is-- he stopped the fun just by appearing. Leonato scrambles, embarrassed, to show him proper respect and welcome him. Reeves has one line: " Thank you. I am not of many words, but I thank you. " Good manners, politeness, not quite an apology, but still an unsettling presence.
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
Morgan Freeman in Batman Begins and Dark Knight
No wai!! He was awesome! Most of the cast of both those movies was awesome; the only person they seemed to have trouble casting was Rachel.
I'll second the cringeworthiness of Hugo Weaving as Elrond. I've gotten past it to a certain extent, but I'm still taken out of the first movie every time I watch it by feeling the urge to say, "Welcome to Rivendell, Mister Anderson."
I'll have to think about this some. I don't watch as many movies as most people here, I think, and I don't always remember the ones I do watch. And I need to go now, I'm gonna make myself late.
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Quote:
Originally posted by NewOldBrownCoat:Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
I'll add: Keanu Reeves in Bram Stoker's Dracula and in Much Ado About Nothing. That man should never be cast in a period film.
Lotta people don't like Reeves in Much Ado, but
I'll stand up for him . The character, as written, is pretty much a cut-out villian-- he even says so. Kinda like those representations of Death in a Rennaissance painting. He doesn't fit in, he's a contrast and pretty much, a plot device.
Reeves does a pretty good job of projecting a presence and charisma silently.
Watch that opening scene again-- everybody is having a good time, talking and joking, then they fall silent, there's a reverse cut and there he is-- he stopped the fun just by appearing. Leonato scrambles, embarrassed, to show him proper respect and welcome him. Reeves has one line: " Thank you. I am not of many words, but I thank you. " Good manners, politeness, not quite an apology, but still an unsettling presence.
I know he's supposed to be the villain - and I thought he royally sucked at it.
And I'm not a Keanu hater, in the right role, he can be good. This was not the right role. I believe even he has said he's embarrassed by his performance in that movie.
"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
Is that really bad casting or just a casting choice you're not in favour of?
One could easily say that about your mentions of McKellan in X-Men and Freeman in Batman.
"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."
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Originally posted by Storymark:
Quote:
One could easily say that about your mentions of McKellan in X-Men and Freeman in Batman.
That's true they could. By pointing that out I wasn't necessairly excluding myself as culprit to such things.
However in this case I like both those actors. I don't have a problem with either of them. There are just some casting choices that just 'expose' the film sometimes. Morgan Freeman in Batman did this for me. It's not his acting which is poor it's the contrivance of the narrative that brings him in.
It screams cameo and he/she is no longer a character but a personality up there.
"Look It's Morgan Freeman!'
Similarly with the Planet of the Apes remake
"Look it's Charlton Heston playing a monkey, how cute." It is of course, but it removes you from the stem of the narrative and pops you out into the real world. Briefly of course.
However I am guilty of such things too and it's hard to sit through a film and not be put off by the lead if he's a personality from elsewhere...
Hulk Hogan for example.
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Originally posted by PhoenixRose:
Quote:
No wai!! He was awesome! Most of the cast of both those movies was awesome; the only person they seemed to have trouble casting was Rachel.
Oh he is AWESOME. One of the best around. It's more the contrivances that have him in the film that I regard as off. But it's just my take on it. I watched the film and enjoyed it (to an extent) but when Morgan came on I was removed from the story for a moment, just because he is 'Morgan Freeman'. And it's sort of built up that way. I'd have to study it fully to quantify it properly but ultimately it's just a personal thing I guess....
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Quote:
Originally posted by GWEK:
GOOD:
Liv Tyler in any more where she cries (No one in Hollywood has eyes for crying like Liv Tyler)
I'd put Alyson Hannigan up against her in any role that requires crying. :)
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BAD:
Harrison Ford in anything where he's NOT Han Solo or Indiana Jones. (He generally has all the charm of a tongue depressor)
I thought he was hands-down PERFECT in Blade Runner - the film noir feel of the film and his narration were the perfect companions for his stiff, wooden "acting" style.
Quote:
Hayden Christiansen and Megan Fox in... anything.
Well... yeah. There are basically TWO reasons Megan Fox is famous.
Mike
Let the wild rumpus start!
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
when Morgan came on I was removed from the story for a moment, just because he is 'Morgan Freeman'.
Okay, well, no offense, but that's kind of your problem, not that of the actor or casting director or whoever. I occasionally have that reaction to actors who are prevalent, too, but that doesn't make them wrong for the role. Many times, they are perfect for the role, because they are wonderful actors, which is why they're prevalent. Sometimes a prevalent actor isn't all that good, and I don't get that, but in the case of Morgan Freeman, he has talent and devotion to his craft, and has a long and successful career as a result. Just because you or others may be pulled out for a moment because you readily recognize him, doesn't make him a poor casting decision. He acted excellently, as he always does.
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Originally posted by PhoenixRose:
Quote:
Okay, well, no offense, but that's kind of your problem, not that of the actor or casting director or whoever.
S'okay. None taken. We know of one another well enough for a healthy debate I'm sure. In many ways you are right and it is my problem. But then that's kinda how we all guage things no? From our own points of view. I accept the majority of people don't have the same issue I had with his casting, but the question posed asked a question that I can really only answer form my point of view.
Quote:
I occasionally have that reaction to actors who are prevalent, too, but that doesn't make them wrong for the role.
No it doesn't but then at what point does such a thing as 'bad casting' ever occur? It does exsist. There are roles that people just don't fit into. Eric Stolz as Marty McFly as an example. Michael J Fox just fitted that part better. Doesn't mean Stolz is a poor actor.
Quote:
Many times, they are perfect for the role, because they are wonderful actors, which is why they're prevalent.
Not necessaily so. Arnold Shwarzenneger was no great actor when he played the role of the Terminator but he was PERFECT for that role... Good casting no?
Quote:
Sometimes a prevalent actor isn't all that good, and I don't get that, but in the case of Morgan Freeman, he has talent and devotion to his craft, and has a long and successful career as a result. Just because you or others may be pulled out for a moment because you readily recognize him, doesn't make him a poor casting decision. He acted excellently, as he always does.
Doesn't it though? Good casting should have you believe in the actors up on screen to the extent that you believe in the story. No amount of good acting is going to cover you if you have been miscast. However and I concede that it is from my point of view. The material was not strong enough (for me) to remove the persona of 'Morgan Freeman' from the character he played in Batman Returns. I'm not questioning his talent just his placement in that particular story.
Anyway I don't wish to humbug the man or the film for they are both great. It really was only a minor thing for me.
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