" That man ’s back must be destroyed from dribble that dumpster fire for two and a half hours . "

We recentlyaskedmembers of ourBuzzFeed Community, “Who is an actor that gave such a wonderful performance in an otherwise ‘bad’ movie that they almost (emphasis onalmost) saved the whole thing?” and the responses were equal parts excellent and true!

1.Adam Driver,Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

— zoecatherinegrant

2.Ewan McGregor,Moulin Rouge! (2001)

“For me, that movie feels like an exhausting fever dream, but Ewan’s singing is what stood out. ‘Watch it just to hear Ewan McGregor sing!’ is how I keep recommending this movie.”

— juttaeliks

3.Oscar Isaac,Sucker Punch(2011)

“The movie was kind of pervy, so Oscar acted accordingly. Also — that porn-stache.”

— goosethekitty

4.Raul Julia inStreet Fighter(1994)

“If ever there was an actor who truly loved what he did, it was him. He embodied every role he performed. ‘For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important day of your life. But for me, it was Tuesday.’ It’s fucking iconic.”

— yeahnahh

5.Halle Berry,Moonfall(2022)

“The movie was an interesting concept for the first half, then it turned. The only major takeaway for me after watching this on an airplane was that I just wasted three hours of my life — except for every moment that Halle Barry was on that screen.”

— haleymc

6.Val Kilmer,The Island of Dr. Moreau(1996)

“The movie is absolutely wild, and he somehow matches that energy, but grounds it at the same time.”

— username913

7.Alan Rickman,Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves(1991)

“Without Rickman, that movie would have been a straight-to-video release, and a forgotten footnote in Kevin Costner’s career.”

— filmteach

8.Eddie Redmayne,Jupiter Ascending(2015)

“You could tell he knew what that movie was. He played his character so beautifully over-the-top and with such conviction that it made the film’s absurdity all the more enjoyable. Despite the mixed reviews for the movie, Redmayne’s performance was widely praised for its commitment and intensity. He fully embraced the nature of the character and brought a unique energy to the role that made him stand out in a movie filled with eccentric characters and visuals. Love it or hate it, Redmayne’s performance was undoubtedly one of the most memorable aspects of the film.”

— t03b34nz

9.Pedro Pascal,Wonder Woman 1984(2020)

“He is one of the big reasons I liked the movie. I think he played Max Lord so well (a little over-the-top, but it works). Lord was a villain who wasn’t being malicious or maniacal, he just wanted to succeed, took a shortcut, and that shortcut corrupted him. I think he captured that ‘desperate man who makes a huge mistake’ vibe so well that you can sympathize with him in the end. He wanted a better life for himself and his son, who doesn’t want that?”

— hovanmolly

10.James McAvoy,Split(2016)

“The movies were overall disappointing, but his performance in this andGlassreally were Oscar-worthy. The accents, the subtle changes in demeanor, etc. He didn’t even need costume changes to transform into entirely different characters, and he changed on a dime.”

— s47ca8b2ae

11.Elizabeth Banks,Power Rangers(2017)

“Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa in the version from a few years ago — you could tell she had no history with the role, but she did not have to gothathard for it. I enjoy rewatching the movie just for her.”

— sparklyoctopus81

12.Mads Mikkelsen,Clash of the Titans(2010)

“It’s a terrible movie for the most part, but Mikkelsen’s performance caught my eye, and he was the only thing that made the movie watchable for me. But, then again, Mikkelsen is amazing in pretty much anything he does!”

— knucklebone13

13.Florence Pugh,Don’t Worry Darling(2022)

“The movie was a hot mess — complete style over substance— but Pugh was the only compelling part of it. She could pull off any role in any time era with any cast, and she’ll always be the standout that makes it better: This movie was clear proof of that.”

— sunflowersugar

14.Domhnall Gleeson,Crash Pad(2017)

“All in all, a very mediocre movie that would have been bad if anyone else had been cast as Stensland. Domhnall really brought a lot of charm to an otherwise pathetic character and made him very lovable.”

— enbyviking

15.Dwayne Johnson AND Cedric the Entertainer,Be Cool(2005)

“It’s a terrible movie, but when either of them are on screen, there’s silly magic.”

— sockcucker

16.Minnie Driver,ThePhantom of the Opera(2004)

“Minnie Driver inPhantom of the Opera. She was the only person who knew exactly what movie she was in and ate up every scene. ‘Primadonna’ is easily the best scene in the whole movie, and it’s because of Minnie Driver.”

— rachelc43

17.Jake Gyllenhaal,Bubble Boy(2001)

“The movie itself was so campy and dumb, but he gives a funny and sincere performance in it.”

— chienychienchien

18.Jennifer Garner,Daredevil(2003)

“She was the only good thing about it. The ‘Bring Me to Life’ scene!”

— jeffkirk72

And finally:

19.Tom Hiddleston,Thor: The Dark World(2013)

“Look — I love Marvel, but most of this movie was just boring. Tom as Loki is the most entertaining and most engaging part of the whole movie. He’s there bringing more to his character while everyone else was treading water.”

— bittersweet2187

Some responses were edited for distance and/or clarity .

An audience clapping

Adam Driver as Kylo Ren

Garry McDonald, Matthew Whittet, Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, Jacek Koman, and John Leguizamo

Oscar Isaac (and his mustache) look off camera

Raul Julia poses menacingly

Halle Berry in an astronaut suit

Val Kilmer shirtless sitting down

Alan Rickman brandishes a sword while Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio hids behind him

Screenshot from "Jupiter Ascending"

Pedro Pascal poses as Max Lord

James McAvoy looks mischeviously off screen

Elizabeth Banks walks down the street

Mads Mikkelsen looks off screen

Florence Pugh and Harry Styles look off screen

Domhnall Gleeson holds his hands up at gunpoint

Minnie Driver in an extravagant outfit

Jake Gyllenhaal in a plastic bubble that Swoozie Kurtz is cleaning

Jennifer Garner wields two blades

Tom Hiddleston reads a book on a window ledge