-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Movies where Actors just phoned it in
- Thread starter Mighty Chin
- Start date
- Status
I can't tell if he doesn't give a shit, or if he just sucks. He was good in Freaks and Geeks way back when.
blame space
Banned
what if what you think is just phoning it in is actually the role they tried the hardest at?
Messypandas
Member
Ermm I hope you're joking.
Hazzard4life
Member
Has Samuel L Jackson shown up yet?
It was a great comedic performance, in a great comedy.
IpsoFacto
Member
Damn it, you took my answer.
Yeah, Bruce Willis in Cop Out, Die Hard 5, GI Joe 2, Red, 16 Blocks and the ilk... He was just going through the motions.
Screaming Meat
Unconfirmed Member
from what i recall, ford intentionally gave it a really flat read because he didn't want to do it and felt like the film didn't need it, but the producers pushed him to do it against ford's and scott's wishes.
someone once said something that especially put his most recent years into perspective. the guy tried for six years to just get more than bit parts and it didn't happen. so he became a carpenter to support his wife and kids. he was 35 when star wars happened, and had spent the later years of his 20s and early 30s not really making it big, and very quickly he became one of the biggest stars on the planet. in the interviews i've seen him in, i don't think it's that he doesn't care or isn't fortunate for all of it, but having been on the other side and having to live like a normal person for so long, he probably doesn't care about getting caught up in the business.
Massive Nights
Member
Gaming side response: Kevin Conroy in Arkham City, just sounded like he couldn't be bothered.
He gives a shit when it matters most.
I love this gif so much.
Triggerhappytel
Member
He didn't phone it in though; he acted his tits off in that. But you're correct that he didn't give a fuck. Obviously knew it was going to be a terrible film and decided to roll with it.
I also think the bad acting in the Star Wars prequels was absolutely down to Lucas' terrible directing. There are far too many great actors turning in shite performances for any other possibility.
Also, I'd have to say almost any film these days starring Bruce Willis looks like he phones it in. He really seems like he's lost any ability to convey emotion aside from disinterest or a mild bother.
Everyone was praising his work on the Lego movie. I thought he just sounded utterly bored.
Illithid Dude
Member
He was pretty good in Looper though.
In terms of directors phoning it in David Gordon Green is the only guy I know who pumps out absolute dogshit, and then follows it up with actual filmmaking.
SJRB
Gold Member
Bruce Willis has to be the most unfortunate example of this. I love him, grew up with his movies and it sucks to see how little he cares about anything lately. I mean, what's going on with him anyway? Just say "no" to garbage scripts man, surely he can't be needing the money.
Dude should just retire if acting annoys him that much. If not for himself, then for his fans.
Dude should just retire if acting annoys him that much. If not for himself, then for his fans.
I had the unfortunate chance to see Grown Ups 2. I have never ever ever ever seen such phoned in acting in my life. Not a single person even tries. It's a cast full of people on a holiday while someone had a camera rolling every now and then. My friend even apologized to me afterwards by saying "I'm sorry for making you watch this."
Fudgepuppy
Banned
I thought he was pretty great in Killing Them Softly.
And Portman in Thor 2, phoning it in.
Baraka in the White House
2-Terms of Kombat
This guy had the whole theater cracking up. And not in a way I think the director intended.
Yep, Pitt just gets outclassed in 12 years a slave.
canoli2006
Member
And every late night talk show appearance.
Fucking Russel Crowe in fucking Winter's Tale. Dude looks like he only read the script for the specific line he is shooting at that instance, discarding all the rest. It's groan-worthy.
FeenieVonKarma
Member
It's almost giving too MUCH of a fuck and then because of that, not giving any fucks later.
That movie was so dumb but it was still funny to watch. Also, Richard O'Brien, bitches!!
Oh my god, especially in the last couple of Die Hard films. He's pretty much making a mockery of himself at this point.
Deadly Joker
Member
LegendofJoe
Member
I thought he was pretty good in the Jackie Robinson movie with the awful title - 42.
Kadayi
Banned
His performance was such a god-damn jarring distraction in that movie when he turned up. They really needed a decent character actor to play that part. But Pitt was one of the people behind getting the film made, so it was sort of inevitable that he'd want a cameo. It would of been better if he played the douche who squealed on Solomon tbh, and swapped Garret Dillahunt to Pitts role.
Yeah I'm not getting the Neeson hate. Taken is a B movie of the first order. The plot is dire, the rest of the cast are flat as pancakes and in terms of how it plays out it's entirely predictable. Where it excels is in having Neeson playing it for reals. A guy who was largely playing against type in terms of his casting for many years and having some decent if modestly budgeted action sequences. It's a fun film if you are prepared to suspend your disbelief.
Neeson's main problem as an actor has always been the fact that the guy is super tall (6'4") which actually makes it hard to cast him in anything against other more modestly dimensioned actors because he physically dominates people. That's why he always ends up being cast as fatherly figures a lot of the time (Stars wars, Kingdom of heaven).
Personally I think despite everything his true age is beginning to show in terms of his late to the party action hero status, but at same time I thought he was great in The Grey and was kind of disappointed that he didn't at least get a nomination that year in truth.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
How was he typecasted in the LEGO movie? I wouldn't call a villain the usual Neeson role.
Wrong.
DeaconKnowledge
Member
I think a few of you are confusing phoned in acting with plain old bad acting, and in Jeremy Irons' case, hamming it up.
Humor is subjective. I think this is the first time I've heard of people actually disliking that scene.
Yup that's what it was. I think the documentary on the 2007 DVD discussed this a bit, too, but it's been awhile since I watched it. It's funny hearing the voiceover now and realizing how terrible the reading is.
People think Michelle Rodriguez is hot? She's ugly as fuck.
StreetsAhead
Member
I can't think of a single redeeming feature about that movie.
Future PhaZe
Member
Bill Murray in monuments men is one of the worst performances I've ever seen in film
StreetsAhead
Member
Fixed.
Did you? James Franco is at least physically attractive, somewhat.
I keep wanting to like him as an actor, but I just can't.
Kitsunebaby
Member
Different strokes and all, but she's one of my biggest celebrity crushes. I've had dirty, dirty thoughts about her.
Future PhaZe
Member
FUNKNOWN iXi
Member
Came here for this.
DeaconKnowledge
Member
She's hot. She just has a terrible habit of thinking that scowling all the time makes you a serious actor.
Imagine Michelle Rodriguez in your head right now and i'm willing to bet she has a scowl on her face.
- Status