Sometimes, all it takes is the right movie. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most acclaimed films that were so beloved that they revitalized an actor’s career in Hollywood.
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00:00Please, no gang signs. No, throw it up, I'm kidding.
00:03Yeah, peace. I love peace. I'd be out of a job with peace.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks
00:09for the most acclaimed films that were so beloved
00:11that they revitalized an actor's career in Hollywood.
00:14Rusty, I guess.
00:18Number 10, Sin City, Mickey Rourke
00:20Wait a minute, why did she call you Wendy?
00:22Because that's my name, you ape.
00:25Goldie was my sister.
00:27My twin sister.
00:29I guess she was a nice one.
00:32While features based on graphic novels aren't new,
00:34every now and then a film comes around
00:36that manages to stand out effortlessly.
00:38Sin City was one such film.
00:40The neo-noir revenge flick was unique in more ways than one,
00:43with its gritty aesthetic and distinctive use of color
00:45setting it apart from the Marvel and DC projects of that era.
00:48I'm also going to be needing a dozen two-foot lengths
00:51of this rubber tubing
00:54and a spool of razor wire.
00:57Not only did the movie become a critical and commercial success,
00:59it also served as a comeback vehicle for actor Mickey Rourke.
01:02Once a leading man in the 80s, Rourke abandoned acting for boxing,
01:05but struggled to regain his previous success
01:07upon returning to the industry.
01:09Sin City reignited Rourke's career
01:11and earned him multiple awards for his performance.
01:13Well, your best bet is
01:15drive her all the way up to Sacred Oaks.
01:17What about you?
01:19Are you leaving town?
01:21Hell no. I like it here.
01:23Number 9, Airplane, Leslie Nielsen
01:25You'd better tell the captain we've got to land as soon as we can.
01:28This woman has to be gotten to a hospital.
01:30A hospital? What is it?
01:32It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now.
01:34Tell the captain I must speak to him.
01:36Certainly.
01:38When a comedy's done right, it can create a cultural ripple effect
01:40that lasts for generations.
01:42The clips never get old, the bits always stay fresh,
01:44and it can be enjoyed by people of any age.
01:46The satirical classic Airplane pulled this off perfectly,
01:49easily becoming one of the most quoted pieces in the genre.
01:52Captain, how soon can you land?
01:54I can't tell.
01:56You can tell me. I'm a doctor.
01:58No, I mean, I'm just not sure.
02:00The film's success lay in its casting of actors
02:02known mostly for dramatic roles who excelled in deadpan comedy.
02:05While it didn't necessarily save the career of Canadian actor Leslie Nielsen,
02:08it completely reinvented it.
02:10Before then, Nielsen was known for serious roles,
02:12including in disaster films,
02:14which he later parodied in Airplane.
02:16The movie revealed his talent for deadpan comedy
02:18and completely changed the trajectory of his career.
02:20Can you fly this plane and land it?
02:22Surely you can't be serious.
02:24I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.
02:27Number eight, Uncut Gems, Adam Sandler.
02:29You having a good time?
02:31Yes.
02:32Typically, describing a film as stressful or panic-inducing
02:35would imply a negative review.
02:37That isn't always the case.
02:38Some utilize tension in a way that leaves spectators breathless,
02:41creating an entirely unique viewing experience.
02:43A prime example is Uncut Gems,
02:45which follows a jeweler's desperate attempt to make the sale of his life.
02:48The jeweler was played by Adam Sandler.
02:50Yeah, the guy who rose to fame on Saturday Night Live
02:53and became every critic's least favorite comedic actor
02:55with a string of golden razzies to his name.
02:57I disagree.
02:59I disagree, Gary.
03:01Sandler's manic performance was praised as one of the best of the year
03:04and cast him in an entirely different light.
03:06This was the switch-up many of his fans had been hoping for.
03:09That's history right there, you understand?
03:11Number seven, Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds.
03:13That's $27.50.
03:16I never carry wallet while I'm working.
03:18Ruins the lines of my suit.
03:20Oh.
03:21But how about a crisp high five?
03:23Okay.
03:24Merry Christmas.
03:25Up until this point, superhero movies rarely ventured outside the family-friendly box.
03:29Many followed a similar formula that guaranteed success,
03:32but toned down the mature humor and gratuitous violence.
03:34That is, until the release of Deadpool.
03:36The film introduced the world to a hilarious yet vicious anti-hero
03:39who was surprisingly easy to root for.
03:41Much of this success was due to Ryan Reynolds' brilliant portrayal of Deadpool.
03:45Hands off the merchandise.
03:48Merchandise?
03:50So you, uh, bump fuzzies for money?
03:54Yep.
03:55Prior to this, Reynolds had struggled in the superhero genre.
03:57He starred in Blade Trinity, which was the worst-reviewed film in the trilogy,
04:01and his leading role in Green Lantern was heavily panned.
04:03However, with Deadpool, Reynolds finally proved he had enough charisma and talent
04:07to carry a superhero film all on his own.
04:09Besides, nobody's getting hurt.
04:15That guy was already up there when I got here.
04:20Number 6. Everything Everywhere, All at Once.
04:22Kihui Kwan.
04:23I'm not your husband, and he's not the one you know.
04:26I'm another version of him from another life path, another universe.
04:29I'm here because we need your help.
04:32Actor Kihui Kwan first rose to prominence as a child actor in the mid-1980s
04:36with roles in films like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies.
04:40However, as he grew older, he discovered that there were very few roles
04:43for actors who looked like him in Hollywood.
04:45After about two decades working as a stunt choreographer and assistant director,
04:48Kwan's acting career was jolted back to life with 2022's Everything Everywhere, All at Once.
05:05The film's genuinely distinctive concept took the movie industry by storm
05:09and helped revitalize people's love for independent cinema.
05:12For his outstanding performance, Kwan won an Academy Award,
05:15alongside his co-star Michelle Yeoh, whose career the film also breathed new life into.
05:19I will always, always want to be here with you.
05:28Number 5. Birdman, Michael Keaton.
05:30You can't do this to me.
05:31To you?
05:32Oh, shut up. You know what I'm talking about.
05:34Oh, yeah, you're talking about you.
05:35Now, don't do the thing where you...
05:36The thing where I make it about me.
05:38Look, I'm trying to do something that's important.
05:40This is not important.
05:41It's important to me.
05:42Starring in a blockbuster may seem like the ideal way for an entertainer to have a stable career.
05:46However, there are drawbacks to such success.
05:48As depicted in films like Birdman,
05:50the movie tells the story of an aging actor who's determined to have one last taste of fame,
05:54no matter how small.
05:55Every facet was fully realized, from its seamless single-take appearance
05:58to the meta-conversations about relevancy.
06:00We'll make a comeback.
06:02They're waiting for something huge.
06:04We'll give it to them.
06:05Shape out that pathetic goatee.
06:07Get some surgery.
06:08Much like the part he portrayed,
06:09actor Michael Keaton experienced a career lull after his role in Tim Burton's Batman franchise.
06:14While his character in Birdman may not have gotten the comeback he sought,
06:17Keaton ultimately did.
06:18The film earned him his first-ever Oscar nomination
06:21and paved the way for a highly successful late career.
06:24What has to happen in a person's life for them to become a critic, anyway?
06:28What are you writing, another review?
06:31Is it any good?
06:32Is it?
06:36Four years?
06:37Five would change.
06:38So tell me, how was life on the other side?
06:42It was good, Annie.
06:44Far better than I deserved.
06:46Dialogue is usually a crucial element of a film,
06:48but some have proven they can get by with very little.
06:51John Wick was riding a fine line.
06:53It easily could have become a run-of-the-mill retribution tale.
06:55However, by focusing on choreography and style,
06:58it subverted expectations and became a very lucrative product.
07:01The unexpected depth found within its titular role gave the violence a purpose
07:06People keep asking if I'm back,
07:08and I haven't really had an answer.
07:11But now, yeah, I'm thinking I'm back.
07:14That was largely thanks to Keanu Reeves,
07:16the actor's stoic demeanor, which previously earned him the ire of critics,
07:20was perfect for John Wick and garnered rave reviews.
07:22This acclaim contrasted sharply with the criticism he faced in the years prior
07:26and helped reestablish him as an action star.
07:28You, uh, working again?
07:30No, just sorting some stuff out.
07:33Oh, well.
07:38I'll leave you be then.
07:42I'm sorry.
07:43You say you're sorry one more time, I will shove a knife right into you, I swear to God!
07:46Go ahead, what's it gonna do?
07:48My internal organs are two feet in at least.
07:50While intense, action-packed thrillers are always fun,
07:53there's something to be said for a simpler yet gripping narrative.
07:56Sometimes all you need to keep an audience enthralled are layered, complex characters.
08:00The Whale centered on an obese college professor
08:02who tries to repair his relationships with loved ones and himself amid failing health.
08:06That's an interesting perspective.
08:08It would make for an interesting essay.
08:11Brendan Fraser was the perfect choice for such a role.
08:13The actor had experienced a string of personal problems,
08:16including the loss of his mother, a contentious divorce, and an alleged sexual assault.
08:20These hardships led to a career slump in the late 2000s and 2010s.
08:23However, The Whale brought Fraser back into mainstream circles,
08:26earning him the Oscar for Best Actor.
08:28And what'd you pay for this thing?
08:30Nothing, we ordered it for a patient a few months ago.
08:32It's just been sitting around.
08:33What happened to the patient?
08:35Just try it out, please.
08:38Number 2. Pulp Fiction. John Travolta.
08:41What do they call it?
08:42They call it Royale with Cheese.
08:45Royale with Cheese.
08:46That's strange.
08:47What do they call a Big Mac?
08:49Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it Le Big Mac.
08:51Actor John Travolta made his name in Hollywood
08:54with the late 70s musical films Saturday Night Fever and Grease.
08:57While he did have a few moderate box office successes afterwards,
09:00he also appeared in one too many critical and commercial failures
09:03that negatively impacted his career.
09:05Well, I'm of the opinion that if Marcel's lived his whole life,
09:09he don't need to know nothing about this incident.
09:11Then Quentin Tarantino came calling.
09:13The director's 1994 picture, Pulp Fiction,
09:15cast Travolta in the unusual role of a hitman.
09:18The film's unconventional format and gripping narrative brought it immediate acclaim,
09:22transforming the lives of everyone involved, including Travolta.
09:25It earned him a second Oscar nomination for Best Actor
09:28and made him a highly sought-after leading man once again.
09:30As a result, Travolta remained booked and busy
09:32throughout the rest of the 1990s and the 2000s.
09:35You looking at something, friend?
09:37You ain't my friend, Poloco.
09:41What was that?
09:42I think you heard me just fine punch you.
09:44Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
09:47Good Time, Robert Pattinson.
09:49The thrilling story and cinematography cast Pattinson in a brand new light.
09:53It's just you and me. I'm your friend, alright?
10:03I love you, alright?
10:05Halloween, Jamie Lee Curtis.
10:07Breathed new life into the series and reintroduced Curtis as a scream queen.
10:10If the way I raised your mother means that she hates me,
10:18but that she's prepared for the horrors of this world,
10:21then I can live with that.
10:24Paddington 2, Hugh Grant.
10:26The wholesome sequel reminded viewers of Grant's comedic prowess.
10:29Why the lemon face, Hamlet?
10:31If you have something to say, I beg you, share it with us all.
10:35It is not, nor it cannot come to good, really.
10:38Scream, Drew Barrymore.
10:40Its referential humor and well-executed scares
10:42helped put Barrymore back on the map.
10:44Do you have a boyfriend?
10:46No.
10:47You never told me your name.
10:49Why do you want to know my name?
10:51Because I want to know who I'm looking at.
10:54What did you say?
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11:12Number 1. Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr.
11:15There are two things I want to do. I want an American cheeseburger.
11:19And the other...
11:20That's enough of that.
11:21...is not what you think. I want you to call for a press conference now.
11:23Call for a press conference? What on earth for?
11:25Hogan, drive. Cheeseburger first.
11:27It's one thing for a film to revitalize an actor's reputation,
11:29but doing so while launching one of the most profitable franchises in entertainment history
11:33is nothing short of remarkable.
11:35Iron Man's sharp, well-written origin story
11:37paired with flashy, well-animated action scenes
11:39left millions entranced.
11:41The film found its star in Robert Downey Jr.,
11:43who had a lot at stake with the role.
11:45Downey had previously dealt with substance use disorder,
11:47which led to multiple arrests and severely damaged his career.
11:50What's going on here?
11:57Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing.
11:59Studio executives were initially hesitant to cast him in Iron Man,
12:02but their decision ultimately paid off.
12:04The film catapulted Downey back to the top of the A-list,
12:07finishing what Kiss Kiss Bang Bang had started just a few years earlier.
12:11That's funny. I got a 10, says Pastor Pepper.
12:13I got two quarters seeing Harmony on Moonlighter in Vermont.
12:16What?
12:17Talking money.
12:18A talking monkey?
12:19A talking monkey, yeah. Yeah, came here from the future.
12:22Has a movie ever revived your favorite actor's career?
12:24Let us know in the comments below.
12:26This is how I win, alright?
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12:46Thanks for watching.