10 Great Movies (That Were Led By Terrible Performances)

Going by this lot, you don't need good acting to make a good movie.

What makes a movie great? Wonderful direction? Inventive cinematography? A crisp, razor-sharp script? Phenomenal acting? In the cases of the films gathered here, three out of four ain't bad. In fact, three out of four is the downright best they can do. You would think, of course, that a film ultimately relied on the performance of its stars - and sometimes that is true. An actor must, after all, be able to convince audiences that they are their characters. Roles like Heath Ledger's Joker and anything Daniel Day-Lewis does continue to thrive in the microcosm of the cinema-screen because they grip us at every second. So whereas the roles here were never going to win any plaudits in acting circles, the films themselves still did not suffer as a result. And while we were tempted to compile a list consisting of every great Nicolas Cage film - and believe us it was hard not to - the article delves deep into the annals of film history to present those gems with a story so endearing and visuals so enticing they were impossible not to enjoy. Here are 10 films that survived on their many other strengths rather than failing thanks to any dud performances. Bad acting doesn't always mean bad entertainment, after all...
Contributor
Contributor

I love all things imaginative, from the page to the screen, and nurture a soft spot for Donald Sutherland and Daniel Bryan.