Movies either score big bucks in the box office or fail miserably, bringing in “two thumbs down” ratings from top movie critics like Ebert and Roeper. Though they have their share of blockbusters, even the most talented actors and actresses (like Ben and Sandra) fall victim to box office flops. Let’s face it: sometimes, bad movies happen to good people.
Take a look at some of these A-List celebs whose performances fell extremely short of award nominations (other than Razzies):
1. Ben Affleck in Gigli (above)
What was Ben Affleck thinking? This was a major step down from his performance in Good Will Hunting. For starters, the $54 million movie made a mere $3.8 million during opening weekend and never even made the box office charts. The only way the nation’s movie critics united over the film was in the general consensus that they all hated it. The plotline didn’t work — two hit men (Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez) kidnap a mentally challenged teen who just so happens to be the brother of a federal prosecutor bringing Affleck’s boss to trial. Don’t worry, we didn’t follow the story, either. The dialogue is something out of a bad 80s made-for-TV movie, and sadly, off-screen fireworks between Ben and J. Lo didnt translate into on-screen chemistry.
2. Adam Sander in Don’t Mess With The Zohan
In a comedy about post-Zionist action-hairdressing, its no wonder Adam Sandler didnt win any awards for his performance. Sandler plays Zohan, a top Israeli commando who fakes his own death to pursue his dream: to become a hairdresser in New York City. Seriously? How could a movie like this be anything but a box office blunder? Sandlers past comedic performances in movies like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore have left us in tears (from laughter, that is). Actually, Don’t Mess With The Zohan brought us to tears too— for wasting $10 to see it in theaters.
3. Mariah Carey in Glitter
Dear Mariah, do us a favor and stick to your day job, because there’s nothing we were obsessed about in your subpar performance in Glitter. In the movie, a young girl is given up by her alcoholic mother, so she (Mariah Carey) forms a music group with her foster home friends, and eventually, they make their way to stardom and become a famous singing group — way too quickly. Come on, everyone knows that a singers rise to fame doesnt happen overnight like this. Glitter probably would have done better had it been released straight to DVD. The movie is jam-packed with clichs and horrible acting — we couldn’t wait for this one to fade.
5. Samuel L. Jackson in Snakes on a Plane
This movie never even had a chance: Snakes on a Plane sounds more like a practical joke than the title for an Oscar-worthy masterpiece. What was Samuel L. Jackson thinking? He definitely wasn’t deserving of his gold star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame after this performance. Our biggest issue with this film, however, was why were there motherfin snakes on a motherfin plane? Its irrelevant at this point, but one thing is clear: Not even Samuel L. Jackson could make the idea of airborne serpents slithering from barf bags, drink carts, or the cockpit dashboard believable. The only buzz this movie generated was highbrow criticism.
6. Sandra Bullock in All About Steve
She may have had a summer hit with The Proposal, but Sandra Bullock’s role in this movie stripped her of any bragging rights. Heres what you didnt miss from this box office disaster: A blind date with Steve (Bradley Cooper), which lasts no more than 15 minutes, leaves Mary Magdalene Horowitz (Bullock) head-over-heels obsessed with him. Scene after scene, Mary chases after Steve, and sadly, her cross-country road trip is everything but entertaining. All About Steve is unfunny, annoying, and badly written — an overall comic fiasco. The only thing the audience was laughing at was the horrendous pair of red patent leather boots Sandra sported in every single scene. Its been — what?— 15 years since the making of Speed, and still, Sandra cant see an accident like this coming.
7. Jennifer Aniston in Bruce Almighty
In this movie, Jim Carrey becomes God, and Jennifer Aniston plays The Almightys wife, delivering nothing more than awkward lines. We liked her ten times more when she played Rachel on Friends.
8. James Franco in Tristan and Isolde
With the amount of hype Tristan and Isolde received, we definitely weren’t expecting such a bad on-screen romance. James Franco stars as Tristan, the rock star of the medieval period. He falls for a younger lover, but they become doomed by the forces of royal politics. Unlike his roles in the Spiderman trilogy, Franco doesnt register any passion for romance in this movie.
9. Gwyneth Paltrow in Duets
Gwyneth Paltrows performance was definitely out of tune in Duets. The film explores the world of die-hard karaoke fanatics who travel cross-crounty barhopping and competing in karaoke competitions, belting out the chart-toppers of yesteryear. Aside from the bad vocal collaborations, her performance is about as much fun as watching live karaoke singers. Watching an intelligent and talented actress like Gwyneth play a ditzy character is just embarrassing.
10. Mark Wahlberg in Planet of the Apes
This modern version of the Sci-Fi 60s classic isn’t just a remake — it’s an entirely different interpretation — with Marky Mark as its star. The cool effects and detailed costumes don’t make up for Wahlberg’s acting, and all in all, this Tim Burton version cheapened a Hollywood classic.
11. Patrick Dempsey in Enchanted
For his role in Enchanted, Patrick Dempsey is less McDreamy and more McDreary. This film is plagued by left-field casting choices and bad acting. Dempsey may be one of TV’s favorite romantics, but in this movie, he delivers nothing more than a childish performance. One piece of advice, McDreamy: stick to the small-screen, okay?
12. Eva Longoria in Over Her Dead Body
A guy, his psychic, and a jealous ghost — yup, that pretty much sums up the high (and low) points of Over Her Dead Body. Eva Longoria plays the role of a bitchy fianc who is killed in a freak accident on her wedding day — but hold your gasps. It was a chick flick that not even girls found entertaining. The story is terribly contrived and Eva adds nothing to the overall performance. Over your dead body should you ever waste time watching this movie.
Which actor is your pick for one of the worst acting performances of all time?
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