Every actor/actress needs to start somewhere. Even those that have been nominated for (or even hold) an Oscar have had their fair share of bad films. With the 2015 Oscars over and done, here are a list of some of the worst films that this years Best Actor and Best Actress nominees were a part of.
Steve Carell – Evan Almighty
(nominated for “Foxcatcher”)
Steve Carell is known for his comedy like his role as Michael Scott on “The Office” or his lead role in “The 40 Year Old Virgin” so it’s reasonable to see him get a bit silly from time to time. While he may have a few indie performances that correlate with his abilities that landed him a Best Actor nomination, there are a variety of comedy bombs that show Carell at his worst. Probably the worst of these films would be an unnecessary spin-off of “Bruce Almighty” titled “Evan Almighty.”
In this film we get many typecast moments from Carell including his signature scream and some goofy dancing. Like many other films, studios were trying to capitalize on Carell’s Michael Scott persona which made him famous but “Evan Almighty” showcased the worst of Steve Carell.
Michael Keaton – First Daughter
(nominated for “Birdman”)
Many actors have portrayed the President of the United States, but a prestigious title doesn’t always equal a prestigious role. Alongside a young Katie Holmes, Michael Keaton played her father who dealt with her going to college while also running the United States.
The film was a typical cookie cutter film aimed at a younger audience and a Katie Holmes fan base. Unfortunately the appeal was not there for any audiences and the roles were just as generically boring as the film itself. Michael Keaton was forced to play a stereotypical role that was not engaging in the least.
Rosamund Pike – Doom
(nominated for “Gone Girl”)
Oh my God! The brilliantly maniacal Rosamund Pike from “Gone Girl” was also in the cringe-worthy video game adapted film “Doom.” Joined by co-stars Dwayne Johnson and Karl Urban, she played the role of a scientist/doctor researching strange alien mutations and searching for a “cure.” While anyone associated with this film should be slapped, most of the cast fell victim to poorly scripted dialogue and a campy, uneventful plot.
While Rosamund Pike does have a number of other bad films like “Wraith of the Titans” and “Johnny English Reborn,” she has more than proven herself from her role in “Gone Girl.” Her performance is more than worthy for a Best Actress Oscar nomination and it makes these other films seem like a distant memory.
Click to the next page for Reese Witherspoon and more!
Reese Witherspoon – Sweet Home Alabama
(nominated for “Wild”)
Reese Witherspoon is notorious for a bad romantic comedy once in awhile, but “Sweet Home Alabama” takes the cake for bad. Using one of the most generic rom-com film formulas, this film puts an engaged woman in a love triangle just before she is to be married.
In addition to a bad plot accompanied with bad dialogue, we have to deal with Reese Witherspoon’s accentuated southern accent that seems to pierce your eardrums. While she may be a great actress, films like these make me question her abilities. That is until I see her next Oscar nominated performance.
Bradley Cooper – All About Steve
(nominated for “American Sniper”)
While he’s proven himself as an actor with quite a few Oscar nominated films, Bradley Cooper seemed like a “face actor” early in his career. Starring alongside Oscar winner Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper played the unattainable love interest of Bullock’s character.
“All About Steve” was a generic rom-com that put both Bullock and Cooper into stereotyped roles. Instead of developing any type of dynamic characters, we received a lovesick female lead chasing a good looking male that lacked much detail below the surface.
Eddie Redmayne – Hick
(won Best Actor for “Theory of Everything”)
Eddie Redmayne and Chloe Grace-Moretz both are known as credible actors but unfortunately they did not pair well in the film “Hick.” The film was excruciating to watch and while Redmayne and Moretz both have reputable performances that define them as credible actors, “Hick” was definitely not one of those films.
The film was so stagnant that it’s a struggle to come up with anything else to say. Hopefully this was at least a decent payday for them.
Click to the next page for Benedict Cumberbatch and more!
Marion Cotillard – A Good Year
(nominated for Two Days, One Night)
When I think of Marion Cotillard, I first think of “Inception.” But despite her role in the sci-fi epic and Oscar nomination for “Two Days, One Night,” Cotillard let one slip past us with the film “A Good Year.”
Although it seemed like a film showcasing the European countryside, “A Good Year” turned into a film showcasing the bad quips and derailed dialogue of Russell Crowe. I would call it the male version of “Under the Tuscan Sun” but without substance. Marion Cotillard of course played Crowe’s love interest but it is difficult to knock her performance, instead we’ll just call her guilty by association. The film was more of “The Russell Crowe Show” anyways so little room was left for any other actor/actress to make their way into the spotlight.
Benedict Cumberbatch – The Fifth Estate
(nominated for “The Imitation Game”)
Benedict Cumberbatch is currently a go to man in Hollywood and it’s not surprising. He’s a great actor and given the “freshness” of his career, it’s hard to find a film that he wasn’t good in but “The Fifth Estate” was a considerably bad film. While Cumberbatch still gave a more than adequate performance as Julian Assange, the film was essentially a let down at the box office with a plot that seemed to drag out.
It is tough to find something on Benedict Cumberbatch that can be deemed as just awful. Given that he is such a new face and has a smaller film list on his repertoire, there aren’t many bad ones to choose from. While the inclusion of “The Fifth Estate” is not a testament against his performance as Julian Assange, the film was a failure at the box office and poorly received among critics. Much of the film was long-winded and boring if you weren’t knowledgeable about the subject matter, but despite an adequate performance, this film is still considered a failure for Benedict Cumberbatch.
Julianne Moore – Next
(won Best Actress for “Still Alice”)
“Next” was a Nicolas Cage film…need I say more? That used to hold some clout but given his recent list of films, being in a Nicolas Cage film is not a good thing, even if you’re Julianne Moore.
Julianne Moore played a FBI agent that teams up with Nicolas Cage and his unique ability to see into the near future. While the plot seems like it could make an intriguing sci-fi flick, “Next” was filled with poor dialogue, an uneventful storyline, and of course…Nicolas Cage.
Felicity Jones – The Tempest
(nominated for The Theory of Everything)
Felicity Jones is still a very fresh actress. Much like Benedict Cumberbatch, she has a short film list but even Shakespeare couldn’t save her from the horrible adaptation of “The Tempest.” While her performance wasn’t necessarily bad, the film probably had Shakespeare turning in his grave.
While “The Tempest” had the potential to be interesting it lacked any engaging content and everyone suffered that was a part of this film. Felicity Jones’ performance wasn’t necessarily bad, but like the film it lacked any kind of passion which was far different from her role in “The Theory of Everything.”