10 Awesome Examples Of Overacting

5. Jack Nicholson - The Shining

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDpipB4yehk Jack Nicholson is one of the go-to actors for "playing crazy", and many like to joke that it's because Jack is actually totally nuts in real life. Nicholson's penchant for playing loony has meant that he often takes things into the realm of overacting, notably in the Stanley Kubrick classic The Shining, as cabin fever sets in and turns his Jack Torrance into a murderous psychopath, intent on butchering his own family. With his wide-eyes and shifty expressions, Jack finds the most brilliantly bombastic way to bring manic life to the "I'll huff, and I'll puff..." routine, while he begins wailing away at the bathroom door with an oversized axe. It's not inconceivable to believe that Shelley DuVall's terrified expression is a very real fear of Nicholson. It all culminates, of course, in the famous "Here's Johnny!" line, which has been a popular mainstay in the pop-culture lexicon ever since the film was released, a delightfully overblown piece of acting that nevertheless enhances the horror of the piece.