10 More Actors Who Gave Their Best Performances In Movies Nobody Saw

Much like Arnold, Vin Diesel isn't an actor many would look to when casting a subtle or complex character, and though Diesel's filmography is almost entirely comprised of brutish action heroes, he quietly proved himself capable of much more in 2006's courtroom dramedy Find Me Guilty.

Written and directed by the late, legendary Sidney Lumet (Network), the film is a biopic of New Jersey mobster Jackie DiNorscio (Diesel), who while on trial for racketeering charges decides to defend himself and, against titanic odds, successfully beats the rap.

The idea of casting Diesel in the role of a man who charmed the pants off a jury doesn't seem to fit, and yet he gives a genuinely believable performance as the infectiously likeable mobster without transforming him into a total caricature.

Diesel certainly had everything working in his favour with Lumet in the director's chair and Peter Dinklage playing opposite him as the lead defense lawyer, but credit where it's due - Diesel completely defied expectations, enough to make you wonder why he hasn't done more of this since.

The answer may ultimately lie in the fact that Find Me Guilty was a colossal box office bomb, grossing just $2.6 million against a $13 million budget.

It probably wasn't a coincidence that Diesel jumped right back into the schlocky blockbusters afterwards, and before long was once again the lead of the Fast and the Furious franchise.