The Best and Worst of Ben Stiller

The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "Zoolander 2" star Ben Stiller.

Films starring Ben Stiller that I've seen:
Heavyweights
Happy Gilmore
There's Something About Mary 
Mystery Men
Keeping the Faith
Meet the Parents
Zoolander
The Royal Tennenbaums
Duplex 
Along Came Polly
Starsky & Hutch
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
Meet the Fockers
School for Scoundrels
Night at the Museum
The Heartbreak Kid
Tropic Thunder
Little Fockers
Tower Heist
The Watch
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Best Performance: Zoolander (2001)
It's pretty ironic that the guy who has made a career of being the straight man in ridiculous comedies turned in the best performance of his career playing a ridiculously over-the-top character. Stiller brings a remarkable amount of zany energy and commitment to the role of braindead male model Derek Zoolander and that level of dedication to the role went a long way in making him one of the most beloved movie characters of the 2000's so far.

Worst Performance: Little Fockers (2010)
Stiller's performance in Little Fockers is a prime example of a gifted comedic actor phoning it in. I have no idea if it was the weak script or just general fatigue with the series that was responsible for Stiller's lazy performance, but there's no denying that he basically sleptwalk through his third turn as male nurse and perpetual screw-up Gaylord "Greg" Focker.

Best Film: Happy Gilmore (1996)
Happy Gilmore is one of those movies that I could gush about for hours on end. Not only was it the film that solidified Adam Sandler as a comedy superstar, it also happens to be one of the most consistently funny and endlessly quotable comedies ever made. Happy Gilmore is pure comedy nirvana and I doubt they'll ever be a day where it isn't among my all-time favorite films.   

Worst Film: The Royal Tennenbaums (2001)
I've gotten more than a fair amount of grief from my close friends for hating this movie, but as hard I've tried to understand the appeal of this film, I just can't do it. The Royal Tennenbaums is a 109-minute showcase of everything I hate about Wes Anderson as a writer and director. Every single character is abnormally quirky, the dialogue sounds like it was written by aliens who were trying way too hard to assimilate to life on Earth and the level of pretension and general douchebaggery present is astronomical. I can say without hesitation that The Royal Tennenbaums is one of the most painful and enraging experiences I've had watching a movie in my nearly 24 years on this earth. 
 
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Race" star Jason Sudekis.