10 Movie Performances Way Better Than They Had Any Right To Be

4. Sylvester Stallone - Creed

Why It Shouldn't Have Worked

Everyone with even half an opinion on films will tell you that Sylvester Stallone was brilliant in Cop Land and has it in him to be a great dramatic actor. Sadly, the actor himself has mostly avoided showing it any more, reverting to type with more action blockbuster roles than anything with more substance.

And that wasn't really so much of a problem, because it's what he did well. He was Rocky without ever performing to Awards level, he was Rambo without much nuance, he built the Expendables without the need for brains. So when it turned out he was coming back to the Rocky franchise in an Obi-Wan Kenobi role that would test his dramatic acting chops, it didn't look like a great match.

But Then...

Stallone went to the same well as he did for Cop Land, feeding the vulnerable, streetwise philosopher element of Rocky that he'd flirted with between the bouts in the mainline franchise and working with Ryan Coogler to add depth and subtlety. Without punching to do, he had to act, and the results are profoundly effective AND affecting.