Just to play off that other thread without parodying it or anything, some people are just wrong for their particular roles. Sometimes they're a bad actor, or sometimes a great actor just doesn't fit the character. Sometimes the director or a slew of other factors are at fault. I'll name three to get the ball rolling.
Russell Crowe as Javert, Les Miserables
Taken aside that he's not an especially good singer, he looks absolutely bored in this role. Virtually any Englishman with a good singing voice and a scowl could have done this performance better. When he talks about the role, he actually said he hated the idea of playing in a musical and had to be talked into it, and it shows in his performances.
Jack Nicholson as Frank Costello, The Departed
This one truly pains me because Nicholson is one of the finest American actors of all time, but he doesn't work in this role. He's not menacing, and has a truly horrible accent. I mean I know the character is playing both sides, but he doesn't seem committed to the role. I mean Jack can play the slimiest of slimeballs, but it never clicked for me here.
Now I'll go the television route so we can be sure that this thread isn't just about movies. One of my favorite shows is Game of Thrones. For better or worse, it's immensely entertaining and in its final years, it's important to remember that the casting of this show has been for the most part really good. I mean, if you had to cast 100 actors in named parts, you'd be hard-pressed to pick better actors than Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister or Lena Headey as Cersei. Even many of the unknowns turned out to be pretty good. That is, their casting report card was As and Bs mostly until season 5...
Pilou Asbæk as Euron Greyjoy, Game of Thrones
This man is a murderous but also mysterious character with dark motivations, supposedly in line with the worst villain one could possibly imagine. And keep in mind this show has had some truly sadistic fuckers.
But what we get is Theon's drunk uncle who apparently equates building ships on a a deforested island with the ultimate power play. He has no menace and comes across as one of the blandest villains in the show's run. Alfie Allen himself could have probably played a better Euron.
Now I know what you're thinking. Shae, Ros, The Sand Snakes. Yes, but you're talking about two ex adult entertainment performers, so I forgive Shae and Ros. The Sand Snakes are just a matter of diabolically bad writing. I think Pilou Asbæk just doesn't fill the shoes he's been asked to fill, and it's hard to imagine them making the character anything special now with him in the role.
Russell Crowe as Javert, Les Miserables
Taken aside that he's not an especially good singer, he looks absolutely bored in this role. Virtually any Englishman with a good singing voice and a scowl could have done this performance better. When he talks about the role, he actually said he hated the idea of playing in a musical and had to be talked into it, and it shows in his performances.
Jack Nicholson as Frank Costello, The Departed
This one truly pains me because Nicholson is one of the finest American actors of all time, but he doesn't work in this role. He's not menacing, and has a truly horrible accent. I mean I know the character is playing both sides, but he doesn't seem committed to the role. I mean Jack can play the slimiest of slimeballs, but it never clicked for me here.
Now I'll go the television route so we can be sure that this thread isn't just about movies. One of my favorite shows is Game of Thrones. For better or worse, it's immensely entertaining and in its final years, it's important to remember that the casting of this show has been for the most part really good. I mean, if you had to cast 100 actors in named parts, you'd be hard-pressed to pick better actors than Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister or Lena Headey as Cersei. Even many of the unknowns turned out to be pretty good. That is, their casting report card was As and Bs mostly until season 5...
Pilou Asbæk as Euron Greyjoy, Game of Thrones
This man is a murderous but also mysterious character with dark motivations, supposedly in line with the worst villain one could possibly imagine. And keep in mind this show has had some truly sadistic fuckers.
But what we get is Theon's drunk uncle who apparently equates building ships on a a deforested island with the ultimate power play. He has no menace and comes across as one of the blandest villains in the show's run. Alfie Allen himself could have probably played a better Euron.
Now I know what you're thinking. Shae, Ros, The Sand Snakes. Yes, but you're talking about two ex adult entertainment performers, so I forgive Shae and Ros. The Sand Snakes are just a matter of diabolically bad writing. I think Pilou Asbæk just doesn't fill the shoes he's been asked to fill, and it's hard to imagine them making the character anything special now with him in the role.
