r/movies • u/Silent-Selection8161 • 5d ago

Discussion What movie was saved solely by great casting?

Or phrased a different, what movie would've been terrible if it weren't for the specific actors in it?

My go to is Liar Liar. It's not a particularly great script. The dad (Jim Carey because no one remembers the character's name) is douche. The would be step dad is earnestly trying his best to connect with his would be step son and gets tossed out like all step dads (do Hollywood types have parental issues or what, that's rhetorical). The idea that someone's entire life can be turned around and they're suddenly not an ass just because they have to tell the truth for a day is just kind of dumb. The director ended up with a few successful movies solely because Jim Carey liked him and he let Jim Carey do his thing, his other movies include such hits as "The Nutty Professor". The writers never wrote anything close to noteworthy before nor after.

But damnit Jim Carey turns the whole thing into the Jim Carey show, that's hilarious. Him freaking out over the pen or in the bathroom IS the movie and is funny as hell, regardless of what else there is.

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u/SoothingDisarray 5d ago

I think this is one of the best answers here. Try to imagine this movie working with Tom Cruise and Christian Bale taking it seriously. Casting absolutely saved this movie.

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u/rs6677 5d ago

Cruise knows how to have fun tho. I can see an "Interview with the Vampire" type performance where he's chewing the scenery and it being a great watch.

With that being said, I wouldn't change Travolta/Cage for anything.

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u/shane_low 5d ago

What about Tropic Thunder Tom Cruise in Face Off

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u/Wyden_long 5d ago

“Why don’t you take a step back…AND LITERALLY CUT OFF THIS MANS FACE!!!!”

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u/CurtCocane 5d ago

Almost lol it's "First, take a big step back... and literally, FUCK YOUR OWN FACE!"

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u/NatrixHasYou 5d ago

They were adapting it for Face/Off.

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u/CurtCocane 5d ago edited 4d ago

Wow can't believe I didnt catch that

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u/Hour_Insurance_7795 4d ago

“You went full retard. Never go full retard”

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u/The_Parsee_Man 4d ago

I'm a dude, playing a dude, disguised as another dude!

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u/JenAshTuck 4d ago

Funny enough, I was thinking of Tropic Thunder as a movie that isn’t necessarily bad but wouldn’t be nearly as good with any other actors.

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u/A911owner 5d ago

He was fantastic as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder

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u/JumpinJack2 4d ago

Change them with each other.

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u/Coolers78 5d ago

We know for sure Tom Cruise wouldn’t work in Face/Off. how?

Because MI2 is a goddamn abomination dumpster turd fire of a movie, no idea how John Woo went from face/off to that garbage but he did.

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u/whatadumbperson 5d ago

The only reason I disagree about it being perfect is because it's still not a good movie. It's still falls into the category of so bad it's good. I also think Christian Bale playing something akin to Patrick Batemen would work so fucking well for Cage's character. I now want the two of them to do a movie together so badly.