Slices of Ham: 10 wildly risky, OTT performances from the past 10 years (and how they panned out)

Jake Gyllenhaal, Okja

How was it a risk? For a film about a giant GM-modified pig, Bong Joon-ho's excellent action-adventure film features surprisingly subdued performances for the most part. The incredibly assured lead Ahn Seo-hyun, Paul Dano, Steven Yeun, Giancarlo Esposito, and all the other ensemble players give pretty down-to-earth portrayals of what their characters are going through, and then there's two performances at its centre which are wildly OTT. One is Tilda Swinton's double-act as the devious Mirando sisters which works extremely well. One is Jake Gyllenhaal's mad animal expert Dr. Jonny Wilcox.

How over-the-top does he go? If you though Gyllenhaal was going out on a limb with Nightcrawler, you should see the extreme lengths he goes to try and steal scenes here. From his very first scene of screaming and moaning about a torturous mountain trek to his presentation of Okja to the public, he never dials it down.

Does it work? In the words of Tilda Swinton's Lucy Mirando, 'epic fail' quite nicely surmises the effect Gyllenhaal's performance had on me. I like daring choices as much as any other film viewer, but only when they work out. Gyllenhaal's usually a guarantee of a good performance in my books, but this was just a really atrocious effort, in my opinion. I think Chris Pine, Sam Rockwell, and Paul Dano who's in the same film would have done a much better job with this whole routine.

Steve Carrell, Foxcatcher

How was it a risk? Everything Carrell does in this performance is a calculated risk. The real-life John du Pont was certainly a unique character, and Carrell just by taking on the role was taking a huge risk, considering how much of a pop culture staple/easily recognizable actor he is.

How over-the-top does he go? The heavy breathing, the mumbly voice, the vacant eyes, the prosthetic nose, very little about this performance is subtle. It's a pretty broad performance for such a down-to-earth and coldly directed film that essentially deconstructs the usual 'sports movie mythos'.

Does it work? Yes and no. It works in making John du Pont such a weird and off-putting character that contrasts with the Schultz brothers (Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo). But it also makes his actions always seem like that of a caricature, not a real movie character. Moreover, the best scenes involving du Pont in the film are Carrell's more subtle moments without the use of mannerisms.

Eddie Redmayne, Jupiter Ascending

How was it a risk? In the same year he gave an Oscar-winning performance in The Theory of Everything, Redmayne also set aside some time to do this science-fiction epic (disaster) and play one of the most unrepentant, campy, ludicrous villains both in terms of visual design and screenwriting. Balem Abrasax is a VILLAIN, and there's no scene that goes by without Redmayne doing something particularly EVIL.

How over-the-top does he go? The direction doesn't help him, but when contrasted with say, the utter lifelessness of Mila Kunis' performance, the horribly rendered CGI, or the forgettable supporting players, then Redmayne's already histrionic work reaches epic proportions of ham.

Does it work? You know what? I think this is a terrible performance by a good actor, like Gyllenhaal in Okja. But whereas that performance was a terrible one which threatened to hinder a great film, this was a bad performance in a bad film, and if I'm perfectly honest, I had way more fun watching Redmayne prance around screaming and making the most mind-numbingly weird facial expressions than anything surrounding the central romance. Redmayne himself graciously admitted in an interview that he deicded to throw it all into this performance, accepted his Razzie award with grace, and you know what I can respect that he tried to enliven an awful film, even if it was with an awful performance.

Tilda Swinton and Alison Pill, Snowpiercer

How was it a risk? Bong Joon-ho, we meet again. Like Okja, this is another big ensemble film with one central, understated and very reactionary lead in Chris Evans, and a plethora of character actors of different nationalities to support him. Most of these performances, from John Hurt's weary mentor to Octavia Spencer's weary mother, to the insidious Big Bad Wilfred played by Ed Harris, the eager beaver sidekick played by Jamie Bell, and the cynical wisecracker played by Song Kang-ho, these are all fairly realistic and grounded characters played and written as such. Then you have two of the beroadest characters in the film, Tilda Swinton's demented Mason, a propoganda spokesperson who puts the passengers at the back of the train in their place, and Alison Pill's unpleasantly cheery schoolteacher.

How over-the-top do they go? Pill has one scene and it's one of the most heightened, surreal and downright disturbing sequences in the film, and her bug-eyed, creepy performance is crucial to that. Swinton is kind of the comedic relief for most of the film, and she certainly cuts a fine slice of ham and dishes it out to whoever she's onscreen with. Neither are very subtle performances...

Does it work? ...which work perfectly for how their characters are implemented into the film. Honestly, in the wrong hands or under the wrong direction these characters could have been just absurd, but instead by being so entertainingly off-putting they add so much to the dystopian atmosphere of the film.

Sharlto Copley, Elysium

How was it a risk? From one acting extreme to the next, such was Copley's journey with his Neil Blomkamp collaborations. Having given such a subtle and poignant performance as an infected goverment bureaucrat in District 9, he turned it all on its head with his downright bonkers turn as Kruger, a crazy South African assassin in the flawed but still quite entertaining Elysium. It was a pretty daring move by Blomkamp to try Copley out in such a broad and OTT role when his previous collaboration was so focused on his talents as a more understated sort of performer.

How over-the-top does he go? He milks his beautiful accent for all its worth, plays essentially the walking embodiment of a vehement Internet troll, makes weird facial expressions, and the levelling up of his characters powers and abilities in the final act is fitting to the increasing ridiculousness of his performance.

Does it work? Hell yeah. The acting is probably the biggest flaw of this film, with most of the actors flailing around and being utterly bland (Diego Luna) or unbelievably wooden (Jodie Foster), and those who try to be entertaining mostly end up being a bit cringeworthy (Wagner Moura). Honestly the film would have panned out better as just a one-on-one battle between Matt Damon's Max and Kruger.

James Franco, Spring Breakers

How was it a risk? The whole conception of the character, a rapper and gangster called Alien who begins a strange and twisted relationship with four teenage girls, is just very problematic at the outset, and indeed the whole film was quite a big risk that I, personally, never really felt worked out all that well.

How over-the-top does he go? Franco has two modes of performance essentially, one that relies more on his charm, one that relies more upon wackiness. This performance takes the latter approach and goes all-out assault on the senses with his whole attire, tattoos, sunglasses, pseudo-gangster mannerisms, and awful rapping.

Does it work? The film did not work for me whatsoever, nor did Franco's performance, but I would not call it a complete failure. A good version of this type of character can be found in True Romance in Gary Oldman's Drexl, but it's interesting to see him take on such a caricature, even if I do prefer his more naturalistic turns, and though it's mostly pretty cringeworthy and awful there are a few moments where he seems to be going somewhere with the character. Not a good performance in my opinion, but I can see the appeal for some.

Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

How was it a risk? This whole performance is one of the most universally divisive, with some calling it one of the greatest of all-time and others calling it one of the worst Oscar nominees ever. Freddie Quell is a truly baffling creation, one Paul Thomas Anderson masterfully enshrouds in mystery and enigmas throughout the film.

How over-the-top does he go? You know what, in many ways this is a subtle performance in its own way, as the arc of Freddie is dealt with in a decidedly minimalist fashion, and there's plenty of scenes where Phoenix gives a very quiet and reserved portrayal of a troubled man. But when he goes loud, like in his various breakdown scenes and physical confrontations, and his dynamic with Philip Seymour Hoffman's mentor figure, he goes very loud.

Does it work? Oh yes. I may not love the film as most as many seem to (though I do like it a lot), but I cannot deny that it has an amazing performance at its centre. It's brave and utterly daring work that creates such a realistic and vivid portrayal of a broken man, and though he goes out on a limb with the whole character creation it never feels like 'acting'.

Keira Knightley, A Dangerous Method

How was it a risk? In a film by David Cronenberg about the relationship between Freud and Jung, naturally there must be some wild cards thrown into the mix. Knightley's Sabina Spielrein, playing a patient who engages in a twisted professional and personal relationship with Michael Fassbender's Jung, portrays a patient suffering from hysteria, and has to merge an already difficult type of role with the strange, oddly distant tone that Cronenberg's direction creates.

How over-the-top does she go? Extremely. Forget the Keira from Pride and Prejudice and Pirates, this is a very different side to her from the usual British rose image she has.

Does it work? Not really. It's a performance that has its moments, a few seconds here and there where she nails the disordered and troubled condition of Sabina, but at other times it's a pretty disastrous performance. Like Franco, Knightley is an actress best suited to when she is a bit more 'natural' and doesn't try to actively ACT. Here, most moments of her performance feel very artificial and performed, and though the film around her isn't very good anyway she sinks it a bit further. I feel like someone like Eva Green could've really done a great job with this role.

Nicholas Cage, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

How was it a risk? The film features a scene where Nicolas Cage watches an iguana crawl acoess the room as the soul of a dead gangster breakdances into the afterlife. The whole film is a barmy, lopsided affair courtesy of Werner Herzog at his maddest, and Cage's performance is fittingly one which always takes the biggest risk possible since his character, the titular Bad Lieutenant, does nothing throughout the film but take unnecessary, outlandish risks.

How over-the-top does he go? People generally consider The Wicker Man to be Cage at his maddest and most manic, but I sincerely believe he goes even more outlandishly OTT here.

Does it work? It's a beautiful performance, I'd say a career-best by the fella, and it works because of how wholly Cage throws himself into the madness of his mad, bad lieutenant.

Marcia Gay Harden, The Mist

How was it a risk? Religious zealots are both a very risky sort of character to play in a film, and also the sort of role which has become entrenched with certain cliches and tropes, so if one is to stand out as the character, one has to go a few steps further. Well Gay Harden certainly refuses to let her character be a quiet or unimpactful sort here.

How over-the-top does she go? Mrs Carmody is another one of Stephen King's infamous crazies, and Harden milks it for all it's worth. I'd say she at times seems like she's in an entirely different film from the otherwise rather sombre and gritty mood created by Frank Darabont here.

Does it work? Very much so. Carmody is meant to be somewhat at odds with everyone else and a true oddity, and Gay Harden is both campily entertaining in showing the complete ridiculousness of her character's way of beliefs, while also showing how eerily, how convincingly she can manipulate a flock of terrified people with her over-the-topness.