Movie Jail: The People vs. Angelina Jolie

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Ever wonder what happens to actors and filmmakers who stop making good films and start releasing bad ones? They land themselves in Movie Jail! JoBlo.com readers will act as the jury to hold celebrities accountable for the diminishing quality of films, while still taking into full account their entire career. While they won't actually spend any time behind bars, this is a fun way for you to voice your opinion as to whether a few bad movies discredits an entire career. So, read through the evidence on both sides and let us know in the comments whether this week's defendant deserves to go to MOVIE JAIL!

The Defendant: Angelina Jolie

The Charges: 

Angelina Jolie is hereby charged with onorous misuse of celebrity to further a personal political agenda through mediocre films. Despite earning an Academy Award, Ms. Jolie has knowingly and repeatedly squandered a movie career by releasing few films worth watching.

The Prosecution

EVIDENCE FOR THE PROSECUTION: CYBORG 2, HACKERS, PLAYING GOD, PLAYING BY HEART, PUSHING TIN, GONE IN 60 SECONDS, ORIGINAL SIN, LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER, LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER – THE CRADLE OF LIFE, BEYOND BORDERS, TAKING LIVES, SHARK TALE, MR AND MRS SMITH, A MIGHTY HEART, BEOWULF

Since breaking onto the scene in the early 90s, Jon Voight's daughter has tried to strike out on her own and make a name for herself in Hollywood. But, with a slew of mediocre movies to her credit and an Oscar nomination in 1999, Ms. Jolie has been more recognized for her celebrity than her acting. For twenty years, Angelina Jolie has appeared in numerous films that just never manage to be memorable enough to warrant her fame.

From her days playing teens in HACKERS and FOXFIRE to a sexpot in ORIGINAL SIN and PLAYING GOD, Angelina Jolie has really not stretched herself to playing much beyond pouty and mysterious. Her biggest franchise credit is the horrendous LARA CROFT duology that are so stupid that they ruined the potential for the series for over a decade. Even a CGI version of her in BEOWULF looked as robotic and wooden as Ms. Jolie typically does in real life.

There is little redeeming about Angelina Jolie's acting abilities and even less as a director. Her films where she works behind the camera smack of entitlement and force her liberal agenda without really bringing much vision or talent to the screen. Sure, she won an Oscar, but it was for Supporting Actress. Why, then, does Hollywood keep giving her leading roles when she is not able to carry her own movies?

The Defense

EVIDENCE FOR THE DEFENSE: FOXFIRE, THE BONE COLLECTOR, GIRL INTERRUPTED, SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, ALEXANDER, KUNG FU PANDA, WANTED, SALT, CHANGELING, MALEFICENT, UNBROKEN, FIRST THEY KILLED MY FATHER, GIA

Make no mistake: Angelina Jolie is a damn fine actress and bona fide movie star. Forget her family legacy and forget the sheer beauty she is. Jolie has shown her range in everything from voice acting (KUNG FU PANDA) to action (SALT) to comedy and drama (MALEFICENT). If it was not for her presence on screen, would we even have a sequel to MALEFICENT at all?

Any project benefits from Jolie's inclusion. Both WANTED and ALEXANDER were improved by her acting and she made mediore fare like THE BONE COLLECTOR and ORIGINAL SIN worth seeing. She is instantly recognizable and her award-winning performances in GIA and GIRL, INTERRUPTED have earned her the right to make passion projects, both behind and in front of the camera. With each directorial effort, her skills have improved and there are few films that touch such sensitive subject matter as FIRST THEY KILLED MY FATHER and UNBROKEN.

Angelina Jolie is a talent in many ways and should not be relegated to being a movie star based purely on her physical presence. She is a model of success that every young actress should aspire too and a person who has overcome a difficult youth to become one of the most successful working actors out there. Plus, she will next be seen in a Marvel Studios film (ETERNALS) which should go a long way to ensure her legacy for years to come.

CLOSING ARGUMENTS

Angelina Jolie has proven herself to be an A-list celebrity and activist, but does her career warrant the acclaim we associate with her? She has starred in movies, but is she a movie star? A few awards and directing credits to her name along with only two films that have garnered sequels, can we really weigh that higher than the mediocre output on the rest of her resume? Is Angelina Jolie still worthy of her status in Hollywood or is it time for her to be held accountable for her crimes against cinema?

*The cases for and against a defendant going to Movie Jail by the author are not necessarily his views and opinions but they are some of the beliefs that one would use to effectively make an argument for both sides. Not quite a devil's advocate but you get the point. Anyway, this is all in fun so don't take it too seriously. We have a separate jail for those people called "Troll Tower" and believe me you do NOT want to go there.

WHAT SAY YOU: GUILTY OR NOT?

Here is your change to make your voice heard. You are the Jury! Let us know in the comments below whether you find Angelina Jolie INNOCENT or GUILTY and we will share the verdict in two weeks! Remember: this is all for fun. No celebrities have been harmed in the creation of this column.

LAST WEEK'S VERDICT: NOT GUILTY

Matthew McConaughey is hereby found NOT GUILTY of crimes against film. The jury found that he has paid his dues and earned the right to make films of his choosing which may include those that are not always financial or critically successful. Thanks to the magnitude of the films he appears in that do work, we will dismiss all charges under the assumption that he will make no further films featuring Kate Hudson.