Seems there are some actors/actresses who get a lot of flack for not being that great, and in many cases, it is warranted. However, every once in a while said actor will play a role in which they actually do a decent job and surprise.

My examples:

Keanu Reeves in The Gift

Kristen Stewart in Adventureland and The Runaways

Christian Slater in True Romance

First thing I thought of when I saw this thread. While I don't "hate" him, most of his acting performances are pretty awful. I was shocked how believable he was in that role when I saw it.

for Keanu Reeves in The Gift.

I'll add Channing Tatum in 21 Jump Street. I enjoyed his performance more than Jonah Hill's.

+1

Tatum isn't that great, but he was perfect in that role.

I totally forgot that Keanu Reeves was in the gift, so I looked it up. Turns out Cate Blanchett was in it too. And Hilary Swank!

Adam Sandler in Punch Drunk Love

Not a movie but I remember being quite impressed with Brandon Routh after seeing his performance on Chuck.

After not being able to say five words throughout Superman Returns, I just assumed he was a pretty face. Turns out he can actually act.

His best role was in Ted.

^ Haven't seen Ted yet. I was going to mention Scott Pilgrim but he had such a minor role I didn't figure it was worth mentioning. He was good in it though.

Sylvester Stallone in Copland

Brandon Routh was perfect in Scott Pilgrim, as small as his role was.

Kate Hudson is absolutely atrocious in everything... except Almost Famous.

I agree with Kate Hudson overall, but I think her only good performance was in The Skeleton Key.

Haha, came to this thread hoping to be all clever and obscure with Keanu Reeves in The Gift.

Keanu Reeves in 'Little Buddha' - he rarely speaks ...

I remember when Kristen Stewart was a teenager in Panic Room and everyone loved her and thought she'd be a big star.

Looking over her filmography, I've only seen her in two movies... Panic Room and Adventureland and thought she was good in both.

I guess all the hate for her comes from Twilight. I just find that silly though. Either people are hating her because they hate Twilight... or they hate her because she really wasn't good in Twilight (which would mean that you're admitting to watching Twilight).

I think a lot of people just hate her and it has nothing to do with her movies or her acting. They hate her attitude and personality and the way she comes off as completely indifferent to the entire world in interviews. Basically she seems to live her entire life in a pot induced haze.

He was adequate in the film and I was able to tolerate him, which for me, still makes it a monumental achievement as I consider him to be almost completely talentless and annoying.

yeah, hate is a strong word.

Justin Long in Zack & Miri Make a Porno was an interesting and fun performance. Sure he was decent in Die Hard 4, but it he just felt like an extension of the Apple guy.

Fair enough. I don't think I've ever seen any of her interviews. She's pretty cute, so I enjoyed the clip of her topless in that new movie. But that's pretty much where my interest in her ends. She makes movies I have no desire to see. Of the two I have seen, Panic Room was great... Adventureland was pretty bad.

Marlon Wayans in Requiem for a Dream.

I don't really hate him, per se, but he's incredibly annoying in just about every film.

There are two performances I may like from actors I don't, in films I haven't seen yet:

Anne Hathaway as Catwoman in TDKR

Leonardo DiCaprio as a bad guy in DJANGO UNCHAINED

Shocked somebody doesn't like Anne Hathaway.

Will Ferrell in Stranger Than Fiction.

I was immediately going to mention Keanu Reeves in The Gift. I'm glad several did before me, he was effective and infuriating in that movie and made me wish more filmmakers would cast him in truly dark and more villainous roles instead of just having him play the dumb good-guy all the time.

Jim Carrey-Man on the Moon