5 Actors Who Have Never Given a Bad Performance

Of course this is subjective. These are my picks for actors who lift a movie to watchable just because they are in it. Feel free to add more.

Robert Mitchum
Edward G. Robinson
Gene Hackman
Ed Harris
Morgan Freeman

I agree on Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman. I didn't care much for Ed Harris in "Eye for an Eye".

I'll add Greg Kinnear to the list. Very underrated actor.

Gene Hackman may be the most underrated of all time. His career would have been in the crapper had he gotten the role of Mike Brady ahead of Robert Reid. Can you imagine?

Originally Posted by The Scribe

I agree on Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman. I didn't care much for Ed Harris in "Eye for an Eye".

I'll add Greg Kinnear to the list. Very underrated actor.

Gene Hackman may be the most underrated of all time. His career would have been in the crapper had he gotten the role of Mike Brady ahead of Robert Reid. Can you imagine?

Pretty good actor for someone who did not decide they wanted to be one until after they were already over 30 years old.

I liked him in Mississippi Burning & Hoosiers.

Gary Cooper IMHO one of the best ever.

Originally Posted by Mack The Knife

Of course this is subjective. These are my picks for actors who lift a movie to watchable just because they are in it. Feel free to add more.

Robert Mitchum
Edward G. Robinson
Gene Hackman
Ed Harris
Morgan Freeman

You haven't seen "The Contract" have you? Morgan Freeman was TERRIBLE in that movie. That movie was TERRIBLE.

Robert DeNiro
Jack Nicholson
James Earl Jones
Al Pacino
Robin Williams

Don Cheadle and Edward Norton... They've probably done bad movies, but I haven't seen them so they make my list.

Originally Posted by Hangman

Don Cheadle and Edward Norton... They've probably done bad movies, but I haven't seen them so they make my list.

Edward Norton is one of my favorite actors. American History X is great.

Originally Posted by Hangman

Don Cheadle and Edward Norton... They've probably done bad movies, but I haven't seen them so they make my list.

I agree with both of these guys. I can't think of one movie I didn't like these guys in. What about Denzel Washington? I'm sure I haven't seen all of his movies, but he's been great in the ones that I did see.

Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Jeff Goldblum, Robin Williams

I like a lot on those lists and am glad Norden was on there. He was awesome in Primal Fear!

Denzel in Training Day, John Q, Remember The Titans & soon to be American Gangster.

My list would be:

Edward Norton
Robert DeNiro
Will Smith
Matt Damon
Johnny Depp

Oh..and Denzel.

Denzel would be #1 on my list.

Originally Posted by Birdsfan

Robert DeNiro
Jack Nicholson
James Earl Jones
Al Pacino
Robin Williams

Robert DeNiro is a fine actor but he's had a bad habit of accepting ANY role offered to him the last 15 years or so. He can't make this list with movies like: Analyze That, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, The Fan and Angel Heart.

Jack Nicholson gets disqualified for Wolf and Man Trouble.

James Earl Jones would just as soon forget Alan Quartermain and the Lost City of Gold, Soul Man, The Meteor Man and The Best of the Best.

Al Pacino is out because of Gigli, Two for the Money, Simone, The Devil's Advocate and Dick Tracy.

Robin Williams has been very bad several times: Bicentennial Man, Flubber, Death to Smoochy (he was even nominated for a Razzie for Smoochy and Bicentennial), and Jumanji.

All of the above actors have had great performances and certainly are great a lot of the time. But in the case of Pacino, Nicholson and Williams they are prone to overacting while Jones and DeNiro seem to be willing to act in anything to cash a check.

Originally Posted by The Scribe

I'll add Greg Kinnear to the list. Very underrated actor.

I really like the movie "Dear God"

Originally Posted by AverageJoesGym

Robert DeNiro is a fine actor but he's had a bad habit of accepting ANY role offered to him the last 15 years or so. He can't make this list with movies like: Analyze That, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, The Fan and Angel Heart.

Jack Nicholson gets disqualified for Wolf and Man Trouble.

James Earl Jones would just as soon forget Alan Quartermain and the Lost City of Gold, Soul Man, The Meteor Man and The Best of the Best.

Al Pacino is out because of Gigli, Two for the Money, Simone, The Devil's Advocate and Dick Tracy.

Robin Williams has been very bad several times: Bicentennial Man, Flubber, Death to Smoochy (he was even nominated for a Razzie for Smoochy and Bicentennial), and Jumanji.

All of the above actors have had great performances and certainly are great a lot of the time. But in the case of Pacino, Nicholson and Williams they are prone to overacting while Jones and DeNiro seem to be willing to act in anything to cash a check.

Morgan Freeman also seems to be willing to do anything for a check. If you don't believe me just watch "The Contract". I thought with Cusack and freeman it would be good...it was not.

Originally Posted by RockPride

Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Jeff Goldblum, Robin Williams

I realize this list is subjective but you actually liked the Terminal?

Originally Posted by AverageJoesGym

Robert DeNiro is a fine actor but he's had a bad habit of accepting ANY role offered to him the last 15 years or so. He can't make this list with movies like: Analyze That, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, The Fan and Angel Heart.

Jack Nicholson gets disqualified for Wolf and Man Trouble.

James Earl Jones would just as soon forget Alan Quartermain and the Lost City of Gold, Soul Man, The Meteor Man and The Best of the Best.

Al Pacino is out because of Gigli, Two for the Money, Simone, The Devil's Advocate and Dick Tracy.

Robin Williams has been very bad several times: Bicentennial Man, Flubber, Death to Smoochy (he was even nominated for a Razzie for Smoochy and Bicentennial), and Jumanji.

All of the above actors have had great performances and certainly are great a lot of the time. But in the case of Pacino, Nicholson and Williams they are prone to overacting while Jones and DeNiro seem to be willing to act in anything to cash a check.

You seem to have a good knowledge of movies, so who are your top 5?

Stanley Tucci is another actor I'd add into my top five.