10 Most Cringeworthy Performances From Otherwise Great Actors

10. Sigourney Weaver - A Monster Calls

Director JA Bayona's 2016 adaptation of Patrick Ness's novel is, in most respects, a triumph. Combining elements of ET and Pan's Labyrinth with a heart-breaking tale of terminal illness, it's compelling, awe-inspiring, and a bona fide tear jerker.

For the most part the film is superbly cast, with a tremendous lead performance from young actor Lewis MacDougall, and equally excellent support from Felicity Jones as his cancer-stricken mother, and Liam Neeson as the gravel-throated tree monster of the title.

However, it is almost impossible to comprehend why Sigourney Weaver was cast in the role of the domineering Grandmother. Obviously the long-standing screen veteran has more than proven her ability and versatility over the decades, but the role has one rather significant requirement which seems to be beyond her: an English accent.

The Manhattan-born actress sticks out like a sore thumb in the humdrum British setting, and it's near-impossible to believe that she's biologically related to MacDougall or Jones. Subsequently, all Weaver's scenes take you right out of the film, souring the carefully constructed atmosphere.

That said, A Monster Calls is still painfully poignant viewing, so perhaps we need that distraction to keep from having a total emotional breakdown.