Films with perfect casting

[Blondbombsite]

I rewatched School of Rock the other day and was struck by how perfect Jack Black is in the role (I know it was written for him). It just made me think of other films which whilst not necessarily being perfect are elevated by someone who is cast perfectly and whom without the film would just be mediocre at best.

I think Dick can Dyke in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is another one. Recast anyone else and it would be fine, but he makes the film.

Rebel without a cause, I don't think it's that well written, it's a very simple story but James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal mIneo all captivate.

Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins
Maggie Smith as The Dowager Countess of Grantham
Alan Rickman as Rasputin and Severus Snape
Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow

Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson in The Remains of the Day.

I thought Gone Girl was well cast. Rosamund Pike as Amy and Ben Affleck as Nick particularly.

Agree on The Talented Mr Ripley! Great casting.

100% agree

Totally agree about Remains of the Day

Four weddings, except for Andie MacDowell

Marilyn Monroe & Jane Russell in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Agree about Some Like it Hot, including Joe E. Brown, perfect with Jack Lemmon. Just wouldn’t have been the same with Jerry Lewis who was originally wanted for Daphne instead of Jack Lemmon but turned it down. Then they asked Frank Sinatra
Jack Lemmon sent Lewis chocolates for the rest of his life 😁

Not a film but Jamie in the Outlander series has to be one of the best cast characters ever. Harry Potter casting was great too.

Tim Robbins makes The Shawshank Redemption for me.

The Ladykillers (1955 obviously).

Myrell Streep in both Out of Africa and Devil wears Prada.

kristen Scott Thomas in Four Weddings and A Funeral.

I know the following aren't films, but:

Megan Follows as Anne Shirley and Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe in Anne of green gables ;
joan hickson as miss marple ;
angela lansbury as Jessica fletcher.

Also Richard E Grant as Withnail in Withnail and I

Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Also, not a brilliant film but Tim Curry is so good in Home Alone 2. That scene where it cuts from the grinch to him- perfection.

Everybody in The Maltese Falcon
Everybody in Casablanca
Everybody in The Third Man
James Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life
Everybody in Kind Hearts and Coronets, especially Alec Guinness in his innumerable roles
Cary Grant and James Mason in North by Northwest - most of the other roles could have been played by anybody, but those two are just marvellous
Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in The Odd Couple
Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music
Oliver Reed in Oliver!
Paul Newman and Robert Redford in Butch Cassidy and The Sting - what a pairing
Matt Damon in the Bourne films

Now that’s an example for me of a brilliant actor
in a brilliant film. But, I think someone else could have played Andy equally as well.

You’ve reminded me of Michael Clarke Duncan in The Green Mile, who I think makes a slightly cheesy film incredibly moving. I saw him in a few other films but he was never nearly as good, the perfect role for him.

Agreed, but there isn't a duff performance/piece of casting in Withnail.

David Suchet as Poirot! Perfection
Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in P&P- in fact the whole cast
Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid

Awful awful casting - Nicolas Cage as captain Corelli.. criminal

Pulp Fuction

Agree with PP - andie macdowall terrible casting in 4 weddings but rest where very good

Here Hare Here

My cousin Vinny . Joe Pesci , Marisa Tomei , and Fred Gwynne ! Superb !