Jesse Eisenberg: 5 Awesome Performances & 5 That Sucked

4. Mike Howell - American Ultra (2015)

Reuniting Eisenberg with Adventureland’s Kristen Stewart, American Ultra looks on paper to be the perfect film: smart stoner comedy, action-packed fight scenes like Kick-Ass or Kingsman, and a script penned by Chronicle writer Max Landis.

Sadly, though it certainly has its good bits, American Ultra falls flat. Eisenberg and Stewart fail to spark in the same way they did before and seem a little out of their element – who can blame them, as the film clumsily mashes together more ingredients than a season of the Great British Bake-Off?

Eisenberg occasionally shines as he returns to his well of understated comedy performances, but he’s not a great fit for the fast-paced action scenes and struggles to sell pothead-cum-superpowered CIA agent Mike Howell once he swaps buds and spliffs for bombs and knife fights.

Unlike some of the entries coming up, Eisenberg remains likeable – but too many joke deliveries fall flat. Or maybe he has us all fooled, and his portrayal of someone stoned out of their mind is just that good.