The Best and Worst of Catherine Keener

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 "Get Out" star Catherine Keener.

Films starring Catherine Keener that I've seen:
Being John Malkovich
Death to Smoochy 
The 40-Year Old Virgin
Capote
Hamlet 2
Cyrus
The Croods
Captain Phillips
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa 
Begin Again 

Best Performance: The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005)
To be completely honest, The 40-Year Old Virgin is the only time where Keener has every really stood out to me. She is a likable, funny ray of sunshine as Steve Carrell's love interest and manages to completely hold her own alongside this film's talent-loaded ensemble cast.

Worst Performance: Being John Malkovich (1999)
It's not that often that an Academy Award-nominated performance goes down as an actor's weakest moment, but alas here we are. Keener's overly quirky performance as the object of John Cusack, Cameron Diaz and John Malkovich's affection made her the most obnoxious element of Spike Jonze's admirably strange directorial debut.

Best Film: The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005)
The 40-Year Old Virgin is a special movie. Not only was it responsible for elevating the likes of Steve Carrell, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks and Judd Apatow to superstar status, it also happens to be a hysterical, over-the-top R-rated comedy with a huge heart. I'd be surprised if I ever enjoyed another comedy more as long as I live.

Worst Film: Capote (2005)
I actually just watched this earlier this week in preparation for this piece and was shocked by how underwhelming it was. Director Bennett Miller (Moneyball, Foxcatcher) somehow manages to squander an interesting premise (a look at the unorthodox relationship between author Truman Capote and the convicted murderers that inspired his acclaimed non-fiction book In Cold Blood ) and an outstanding performance from the late Philip Seymour Hoffman on a meandering film that doesn't examine the relationship between its protagonists nearly as deep as it should have.   

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 "Table 19" star Craig Robinson.