1. Sylvester Stallone - Cop Land (1997)
Sylvester Stallone isn't a terrible actor per se. Its just that hes spent much of the last 40 years never really stretching himself. Hes made some memorable action films, but countless more unmemorable ones, all of which barely showcase his talent as a thespian. Way back in 1976,
Rocky showed Stallone's potential, but its potential hes barely taken advantage of since then. Aside, that is, from
Cop Land. Formulaic actioners dont require much effort from an actor, but
Cop Land isnt that kind of film. It may end with a shoot-out, but its one that sees a half-deaf, overweight Sly shuffling along a suburban New York neighbourhood, popping rounds off at people he used to think of as friends. The rest of
Cop Land consists of dialogue-focused scenes acted out by a heavyweight ensemble, with Stallone towering above them all, displaying an unbelievably quiet and soulful performance no-one guessed he had in him. In a film full of great acting and players like De Niro, Keitel and Liotta doing what they do best, Stallone sticks in the memory for being so powerfully affecting. His delivery of the line "All the good girls were taken" when asked why he never married is astounding in its emotional resonance, the high-point of a role of a lifetime.