Great Film, Bad Casting

I usually talk about science-related topics but I wanted to get this one off my chest. 

There are countless examples of a movie being ruined by the lead actor (think Tom Cruise in Interview with a Vampire). But there are a lot of otherwise great films that are forever tainted by the presence of one miscast actor in a supporting role. Here are six that spring to mind.

Matthew McConaughey as Palmer Joss (Contact).

McConaughey as a somber Christian philosopher? I loved this movie but I cringe every time McConaughey opens his mouth. This is probably a case of confusing a real-life persona with a role because he always looks like he's high. Almost ruined the whole thing for me. 

Edward Furlong as John Connor (Terminator 2)

Okay, so he was a child actor and in over his head but annoying all the same. T2 wasn't as serious or edgy as the original and the obnoxious Furlong as young John Connor didn't help matters. 

 

Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes (The Dark Knight)

What the hell? When you have an audience consisting primarily of salivating comic book nerds there is never a better justification to cast a hot chick just for the sake of hotness, right? I can't imagine a real or alternate universe in which either Christian Bale or Bruce Wayne would want to hook up with the matronly Gyllenhaal. Clearly the fanboys weren't happy about it; when I Googled "Maggie Gyllenhaal Dark Knight" the autofill came back with "Maggie Gyllenhaal Ugly" as the first suggestion. For the record, one can pretty much make the same case for Katie Holmes in the same role for Batman Begins. 

Minnie Driver as Skylar (Good Will Hunting)

Okay, so for this role she was actually nominated for Best Supporting Actress and she was more or less believable as the trust-funder who could hang with the Southies. I probably could have switched this out with Demi Moore in A Few Good Men but what the hell. I have mixed emotions on this one but there is something about her performance that annoys the crap out of me.

 Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker (Bram Stoker's Dracula)

This time Google autofill suggested "Keanu Reeves Dracula Accent" and it may be the worst ever committed to film (other than Kevin Costner in Robin Hood). 

I love the Bram Stoker novel but the film treatments are sort of like A Christmas Carol in that there are a million versions and not one of them gets all the elements right. So I was very excited about the potential of Francis Ford Coppola at the reigns with Gary Oldman in the lead. And then I heard Keanu Reeves was cast as Jonathan Harker. Maybe I could never separate him from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure but it seems as though you could put him in any period costume and he would still look like he just smoked a bowl. So I went into it with the Hippocratic Oath in mind: I would tolerate him as long as he did no further harm. I've never had such a vivid memory of being pissed off while in a theater as the moment Reeves first spoke. I literally threw my head back and shouted "Oh my God!". I tried to imagine what Francis Ford was thinking as he watched the rushes for this one. 

Disaster.