Any actor can find themselves in a slump, but it can often take just one movie to reverse their fortunes. Due to the specifics of Rotten Tomatoes' rating system, an actor can go for years without making a “fresh” movie, even in the prime years of their career while they are still beloved by audiences. For a movie to be fresh, it has to receive positive reviews from a majority of critics.
Sometimes, a fresh movie can do more than just break a streak on Rotten Tomatoes. One critically acclaimed movie can put an actor in awards contention, and it can lead to them being cast in many more high-profile roles. Even an actor on a bad streak can quickly turn things around and make a hit. In some cases, actors make their most memorable movies right after a string of duds.
10 Movies That Critics Hated But Are Now Verified “Hot” Under Rotten Tomatoes' New Rating
Rotten Tomatoes' Verified Hot badge highlights movies that have strong audience scores, but some movies with the distinction were loathed by critics.
Brad Pitt was one of the biggest stars of the 1990s, consistently pulling in huge box office numbers with hits such asThelma and Louise, SevenandInterview With the Vampire. However, he also had a few critical flops in the late 1990s. Even though it wasn’t a box office sensation,Fight Clubwas Pitt’s first critical success in years, and it soon gained a cult following who could appreciate its quality.
Even though it wasn’t a box office sensation,Fight Clubwas Pitt’s first critical success in years.
Tyler Durden has since become one of Pitt’s most iconic roles. The flamboyant, philosophical soap manufacturer-cum-domestic terrorist lets Pitt show off his comedy chops as well as his dramatic intensity. Decades later,Fight Clubis recognized as one of the roles which has defined Pitt’s career.It kick-started another streak of critical successes, includingSnatchandOcean’s Eleven.
BeforeSexy Beast,Ben Kingsley’s most famous performances came when he was playing heroes, inGandhiandSchindler’s List. Sexy Beastprovided an abrupt change of pace, and it was just what Kingsley needed to break a rotten streak which included duds such asRules of Engagementand a TV movie adaptation ofAlice in Wonderland.Sexy Beastshowed a different side to Kingsley’s range.
BeforeSexy Beast,Ben Kingsley’s most famous performances came when he was playing heroes, inGandhiandSchindler’s List.
Don Logan is a detestable criminal mastermind who travels to Spain to forcibly yank one of his former associates out of retirement for one last heist.Sexy Beastwaits a long time to introduce him, but his terrifying reputation looms over everybody. When Kingsley does eventually enter the frame, he more than lives up to this billing. His short stature barely masks his powerful, volatile rage.
Crazy Rich Asianswas Michelle Yeoh’s first fresh movie sinceKung Fu Panda 2in 2011.In the intervening years, she appeared in a few movies which looked like hits on paper, although they didn’t pan out that way. 2011’sThe Ladystars Yeoh as Aung San Suu Kyi, the revolutionary Burmese politician, and 2016’sCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destinywas a sequel to one of Yeoh’s greatest movies. Neither lived up to their potential.
Between 2011 and 2018, she appeared in a few movies which looked like hits on paper, although they didn’t pan out that way.
InCrazy Rich Asians,Yeoh plays the domineering matriarch of the Young family who tries to shut out anyone who she sees as unworthy. Her character embodies the forbidding nature of the Young family and their lavish existence in Singapore.Crazy Rich Asianswas a big box office success as well as a critical darling, as it has a majority Chinese cast in a way that’s rare for big Hollywood movies.
When Sylvester Stallone wrote and starred inRocky,his fortunes changed overnight. Although he had slept in a bus terminal and resorted to softcore pornography in the earliest days of his career, he suddenly became a recognizable movie star. It’s appropriate that the reboot of theRockyfranchise transformed Stallone’s career once more. It was his first fresh movie after a string of seven duds.
It’s appropriate that the reboot of theRockyfranchise transformed Stallone’s career once more.
The Expendablesfranchise sees Stallone trying to relive his glory days alongside a stacked roster of other action stars, butCreedworks so well because it faces aging head-on.Rocky is still the same man as always, except he is a little older and wiser, having learned from his tumultuous career. In the same way that Rocky passes his knowledge on to Donnie,Creedwas the first step in handing the franchise over to Michael B. Jordan.
A lot ofAdam Sandler’s best moviescame out in the 1990s and 2000s, but not many of them achieved critical success.Billy Madison, The WaterboyandBig Daddyall have rotten ratings, although their high audience scores show that Sandler is rarely trying to appeal to critics.Punch-Drunk Loveis a rare Adam Sandler movie that is loved by both critics and audiences.
A lot of Adam Sandler’s best movies came out in the 1990s and 2000s, but not many of them achieved critical success.
Punch-Drunk Loveisn’t a typical Adam Sandler comedy. It was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, who has gained plaudits for movies such asMagnoliaandThere Will Be Blood.The dissonance between Anderson and Sandler’s styles makes it seem as though they shouldn’t be able to work together, butPunch-Drunk Lovemanages to work brilliantly. Their one and only collaboration gave Sandler his first fresh movie after six rotten comedies. He then resumed his rotten form.
Julie Andrews first shot to fame with two of the most iconic movie musical performances of all time in back-to-back years.The Sound of MusicandMary Poppinsmade her a star, and she found further success in the next two decades, with films such asVictor/VictoriaandThoroughly Modern Millie.Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, she took a step back from movies.Shrek 2was her first fresh movie since 1986’sDuet for One.
Shrek 2was her first fresh movie since 1986’sDuet for One
Andrews lost her singing voice after a botched surgery in the 1990s, but she has reinvented herself in the 21st century as a star of children’s movies. This began with her role inThe Princess Diaries,butShrek 2was the first movie that matched audience admiration with critical success. She has since had voice acting roles in theDespicable Mefranchise,Aquaman,and the following twoShrekmovies. It remains to be seen whether she will reprise her roles as Queen Lillian in theupcomingShrek 5.
With the odd exception, Michael Keaton was defined for a long time by his roles from the 1980s inBatmanandBeetlejuice.Birdmanfeatures Keaton playing another actor struggling to step out from the shadow of a massive superhero franchise as he ages. The parallels between his real life and his character are easy to see, andhis Oscar-nominated performance changed the way that a lot of people saw him.
With the odd exception, Michael Keaton was defined for a long time by his roles from the 1980s inBatmanandBeetlejuice.
Birdmanis filmed as if it’s one continuous shot, accompanied by frantic percussion and peppered with some great jokes. The Best Picture winner told the story of Keaton’s career in a way that allowed people who were familiar with it to see it from a completely new perspective. There is also a lot ofBirdmanthat has nothing to do with Keaton, and it’s here that it becomes an interesting meditation on the nature of art and commerce.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundyis recognized as one ofWill Ferrell’s best movies, but it wouldn’t work nearly as well without such a fun supporting cast. Paul Rudd, Steve Carell and David Koechner make up the rest of Ron Burgundy’s Channel 4 news team, and Christina Applegate’s presence helps provide the conflict to the story. Applegate plays a more serious antidote to Ferrell’s chaotic comedy, but she also gets plenty of laughs.
Anchorman 2also snapped a long streak of rotten movies for Applegate, but it doesn’t live up to the quality of the original.
Anchormanwas Applegate’s first fresh movie,although she had already appeared in some big productions, includingMars Attacks!Her role as Veronica Corningstone remains one of her most memorable on the big-screen.Anchorman 2also snapped a long streak of rotten movies for Applegate, but it doesn’t live up to the quality of the original. She was the perfect actor for the role, and she brought the best out of Ferrell too.
Leonardo DiCaprio seemed destined for stardom from an early age. He was nominated for an Oscar for his role inWhat’s Eating Gilbert Grape,and he became a Hollywood heart-throb a few years later withRomeo + JulietandTitanic.After this, he pulled away from romance movies, not wanting to be typecast. Unfortunately, his next few movies were critical flops, withThe Man in the Iron MaskandThe Beachfailing to showcase his talents.
His next few movies afterTitanicwere critical flops, withThe Man in the Iron MaskandThe Beachfailing to showcase his talents.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s collaboration with Martin Scorsesehas colored his career in the 21st century, so it’s apt that their first movie together is what pulled DiCaprio out of a slump.Gangs of New Yorkis a tense historical drama with bursts of spectacular violence that only Scorsese could produce.It helped show DiCaprio in a more mature rolethan eitherRomeo + JulietorTitanic,and he stands toe-to-toe with Daniel Day-Lewis.
John Travolta has starred in plenty of movies which were panned by critics. In fact, he has the dishonor of appearing in severalmovies with 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite this negative reputation, he has made some classics in his career. The early years of his career were the most successful, withCarrie, GreaseandSaturday Night Feverall coming within a couple of years of one another.
His performance as Vincent Vega revived his career, and it helped ensurePulp Fiction’s status as one of the most revolutionary crime movies of all time.
Hollywood was ready to forget all about Travolta before Quentin Tarantino cast him inPulp Fiction.After 13 years of rotten movies, Travolta finally had a hit.His performance as Vincent Vega revived his career, and it helped ensurePulp Fiction’s status as one of the most revolutionary crime movies of all time. His wry sense of humor fits Tarantino’s dialogue perfectly, and he even gets a dance scene with Uma Thurman as a throwback to his glory days in the 1970s.
