While some movies aren't great, if they feature an incredible and compelling performance, they can win audiences over. However, there are so many movies that rely too heavily on a great performance. And though some of these roles have become iconic, Redditors think that if the actors/characters didn't exist, the movies wouldn't be half as good.
Between a drunken pirate in a sub-par swashbuckling adventure, a sadistic gangster in a mediocre period drama, and a powerful performance in a basic adaptation of a stage play, these actors massively elevate their movies. And some choices are hugely controversial too.
Venom (2018)
Venom is one of those rare cases where the film is despised by critics but adored by audiences. The film was universally critically panned, but that didn't stop it from grossing over $800 million worldwide. But Tr0nLenon tends to side with critics, as they posit that the film would be outright awful if it wasn't for Tom Hardy's performance as Eddie Brock.
Hardy loves talking roles with his face covered up, and that's no different with Venom, but in the instances where the symbiote hasn't completely taken over his body, the actor puts on a terrific display of comedy acting. It isn't completely unique and original, but Hardy certainly carries the movie on his shoulders.
Joker (2019)
Austinrose7 thinks that if it wasn't for Joaquin Phoenix, Joker wouldn't have been anywhere near as good as it is. The Redditor claims that the actor's incredible performance is "so magnetic that you literally can’t take your eyes off of his sunken cheekbones and POW camp-victim ribs and stomach, the film would feel mediocre, if it doesn’t already."
However, while the 2019 wears its influences on its sleeve, as it's an amalgam of the classic Martin Scorsese movies Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, it's still a riveting crime drama. The movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Directing, Best Score, and so many others, so this choice is somewhat of a hot take.
Pirates Of The Caribbean (2003)
When it comes to the very first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, nobody was talking about characters such as Elizabeth Swann or Will Turner, and it's unlikely that viewers even remembered those names. However, one name that was on everybody's minds was Captain Jack Sparrow.
Groundbreaking_Ship3 reckons that "without Johnny Depp, the movie would have been a flop." The Redditor might have a point, as the character has become easily the most famous movie pirate ever, and his antihero endeavors where he's constantly and drunkenly switching sides is so entertaining. It's such a unique performance that it's hard to imagine any other actor pulling off.
Gangs Of New York (2002)
Gangs of New York came from the greatest gangster movie director of all time, Martin Scorsese, who has made Casino, Goodfellas, The Departed, and most recently, The Irishman. However, Klockensteib doesn't think the 2002 period movie stacks up against the filmmaker's best work.
The Redditor argues that the only reason the movie is worth watching is for Daniel Day-Lewis' depiction of the sadistic Bill the Butcher, claiming that they "thought the movie was OK, but I was hanging on to every word uttered by DDL. In fairness, no other actor could have done what Day-Lewis did, as he took method acting to the extreme, and he even got pneumonia because he refused to wear a modern-day winter coat.
The Dark Knight (2008)
The Dark Knight is one of the highest-rated movies of all time according to IMDb, just sitting behind The Shawshank Redemption and The Godfather Part I & II. But some believe the only reason it's rated so high is because of Heath Ledger's game-changing performance as the Joker. Adamweeesssttt is one of those people, positing that they "don’t think it is the epic people make it out to be."
While the movie has every right to be mentioned in the same breath as the aforementioned classics, it did start the frustrating trend of villains intentionally and pointlessly getting caught and locked up only to escape minutes later. It also has terribly shot fight scenes, which is one of the ways The Batman is better than The Dark Knight.
X-Men: First Class (2011)
X-Men: First Class was a course correction for the X-Men series. Not only did the 2011 movie put the franchise back on the right track after two consecutive failures, but it also added more layers to the story, such as the moral dilemmas that drive a wedge between Charles and Erik's relationship.
However, Spektre46 is critical about the directions the movie goes in, and they explain that "Micheal Fassbender's Magneto is one of the few things that makes First Class watchable." The film does answer the pointless question nobody was asking, which is how Magneto got his superhero name. But outside of that, it's a mostly mature and well-crafted movie that uses real life catastrophes to depict the civil war between the mutants.
Whiplash (2014)
Whiplash doesn't have a high concept like many of the other movies that Redditors have an issue with. Instead, Whiplash is a very character-driven movie about the conflict between a drummer and his instructor. SwordOfTheElevensies thinks that if it wasn't for one specific role, the 2014 movie would have left a lot to be desired.
The Redditor posits that "honestly, without J.K. Simmons, Whiplash would have just been ok." Simmons plays Terence Fletcher, the ruthless and almost villainous jazz instructor. The actor comes off as more terrifying than some supervillains, and he even has his own supervillain catchphrase, "not my tempo."
The Boondock Saints (1999)
The Boondock Saints is another movie that didn't quite catch on with critics, but is loved by general audiences and has become somewhat of a cult classic. The movie is a clear knock-off of Quentin Tarantino's style, but that doesn't mean it's any less entertaining.
Unfortunately, not everybody loves the movie, and That_Melody thinks that if it wasn't Willem Dafoe's role of Detective Paul Smecker the film wouldn't be all that great. Smecker is one of the secondary characters who stole the show, and it's understandable if viewers thought that he was the only selling point of the movie, as the gratuitous violence isn't for everyone.
Fences (2016)
Fences is based on a stage play of the same name, but despite being adapted into a movie, actor/director Denzel Washington doesn't do much to elevate the material. It just doesn't feel like the film format is necessary for the material. The movie isn't remotely cinematic, and it's mostly characters speaking in a garden.
However, as WatchMoreMovies points out, the film is still worth watching simply for Viola Davis' Academy Award-nominated performance. The Redditor puts it best by saying that "Fences as a movie isn't very effective but Davis is excellent in it. She's the whole reason to see it at all."
Interstellar (2014)
Interstellar sees Christopher Nolan proving once again that nobody can tell wholly original and transcendental sci-fi stories like he can. And it also shows that nobody can direct them like him either. However, though they admit that they are a Nolan fan, Ctg9101 thinks the film gets too much credit.
The Redditor argues that it's barely an "above-average movie and a sub-par written character that McConaughey elevates." However, while one criticism of Nolan's movies has often been that they are very mechanical and lack that human connection, Interstellar actually has that heart and emotion, and it's front and center.