The Big Picture

The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’

January 30, 2026

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  • The A24 acquisition of Olivia Wilde's 'The Invite' for over $10 million suggests a strong market for director-driven, theatrical-aimed films coming out of Sundance. 
  • The leaked first-look photos of the actors portraying the Beatles, particularly Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, generated immediate, albeit low-resolution, excitement among the hosts. 
  • The film 'Mercy' is critically panned as an 'evil and disastrous misfire' due to its morally and structurally incoherent messaging that attempts to whitewash surveillance technology and AI while simultaneously using them as plot devices. 
  • The film 'Send Help' is praised for its morally thorny material, its subversion of the expected 'empowered woman' narrative, and Rachel McAdams's performance which keeps the audience unsure of who to root for. 
  • Director Sam Raimi consistently explores themes where characters' pursuit of happiness or success leads to traps, often concluding with unflattering outcomes for everyone involved, a signature seen in films like 'Send Help,' 'A Simple Plan,' and 'Drag Me to Hell.' 
  • The conversation pivots to identifying 'misused' or 'underutilized' stars, using Rachel McAdams as a segue to analyze the career trajectories of actresses from her generation (mid-30s to 50s) and noting how Hollywood often fails to provide substantial roles for women past a certain age. 
  • The hosts strongly advocate for Kirsten Dunst to be given more leading roles in big-budget films, citing her recent acclaimed performances and past work like *Bring It On*. 
  • The conversation briefly touches on the formative nature of mid-aughts 'garbage teens' cinema, specifically referencing *The Princess Diaries 2* and Chris Pine's early career. 
  • The hosts plan to use the following week's episode to brainstorm future topics with listener input via a roulette wheel, as the typical release schedule slows down. 

Segments

Sundance A24 Acquisition News
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(00:02:42)
  • Key Takeaway: A24 secured Olivia Wilde’s directorial effort, ‘The Invite,’ in a $10 million plus bidding war at Sundance.
  • Summary: Olivia Wilde’s film, ‘The Invite,’ an adaptation of a Spanish movie, was acquired by A24 for over $10 million following its Sundance screening. The film stars Seth Rogen, Edward Norton, and Penelope Cruz in a story involving a couple invited to a swinger’s party. This acquisition marks a significant return for Wilde following the controversy surrounding ‘Don’t Worry Darling.’
Leaked Beatles Biopic Photos
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(00:06:59)
  • Key Takeaway: First-look photographs from the upcoming Beatles biopic have surfaced, revealing Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.
  • Summary: Leaked, low-resolution photos from the upcoming Beatles biopic were shared, showing actors in costume, including Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr. The film is reportedly scheduled for release in April 2028, leading the hosts to express both excitement and dread over the long wait. The limited visibility of Paul Mescal and Harris Dickinson in the leaked images suggests a potential marketing strategy to build anticipation for John and Paul.
BAFTA Nominations Analysis
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(00:10:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The BAFTA nominations confirmed ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ as the frontrunner with 14 nods, surpassing the previous record held by ‘Gandhi’ (16 nominations).
  • Summary: The BAFTA nominations revealed strong support for ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ and a notable snub for Del Roy Lindo, making him a rare actor with an Oscar nomination but no BAFTA, SAG, or Globe nods. Amy Madigan’s absence in Supporting Actress suggests her appeal might be less potent with British voters compared to the US Academy. The nominations also highlighted the unique BAFTA support for films like ‘The Ballad of Song Form Island’ and the upcoming ‘I Swear.’
‘Mercy’ AI Thriller Review
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(00:18:21)
  • Key Takeaway: ‘Mercy’ is structurally and aesthetically an ’evil’ film that attempts to wash the acceptance of surveillance and AI technology, despite its premise suggesting AI justice is flawed.
  • Summary: The film ‘Mercy,’ starring Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson, features a countdown clock, which the hosts appreciated as a useful structural element for a short thriller. The movie’s core message is undermined by its reliance on Ring camera footage to prove innocence, suggesting corporate surveillance is ultimately beneficial. Chris Pratt’s career trajectory is criticized for settling into a monotonous action persona, contrasting with the early promise shown on ‘Parks and Recreation.’
‘Send Help’ Sam Raimi Review
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(00:44:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Sam Raimi’s ‘Send Help’ succeeds by embracing his signature mean-spirited, gross-out style to explore a morally thorny power shift between a mistreated employee and her sexist boss.
  • Summary: The film features Rachel McAdams as Linda Little, an ambitious but dowdy employee, and Dylan O’Brien as her sexist boss, Bradley, whose dynamic flips after a plane crash strands them on an island. Raimi utilizes close-ups on gross details and avoids a simple ’empowerment’ narrative, instead showing both characters becoming increasingly unhinged and morally compromised. McAdams is praised for her willingness to appear unglamorous and uncomfortable for the role.
McAdams Performance Analysis
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(00:50:56)
  • Key Takeaway: Rachel McAdams’s performance in ‘Send Help’ allows her character to be unhinged and morally ambiguous without needing a simple trauma justification.
  • Summary: The character’s comfort with becoming unhinged and ugly on the island made the film interesting, avoiding the bland route of making her a straightforward champion. McAdams’s honest portrayal of the character’s tonal shifts made the audience willing to accept the ambiguity of her reliability as a narrator. The film smartly avoids providing a simple origin story to explain her actions, relying instead on the performance.
Raimi’s Nihilistic Signature
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(01:02:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Sam Raimi’s signature filmmaking style often involves presenting characters whose pursuit of contentment leads to traps, embracing a form of nihilism where personal choices, not just systemic issues, lead to negative consequences.
  • Summary: Raimi’s films, including ‘Send Help,’ often feature characters making wrong choices that compound their problems, asserting that personal fault, not just the system, is to blame. This signature includes recurring elements like slimy zombies, vomiting, extravagant set pieces, and a general sense that trying to be happy is its own trap. This thematic focus on personal accountability amidst chaos is a consistent trademark across his filmography.
Survivor Obsession Details
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(01:02:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Rachel McAdams’s character in ‘Send Help’ is adept at survival because she is an avid fan of the reality show ‘Survivor,’ knowing basic strategies like building shelter.
  • Summary: The character’s goal of contentment included potentially going on the show ‘Survivor,’ which explains her practical survival skills on the island. The hosts briefly discuss their own hypothetical survival skills, noting the utility of knowledge gained from watching 48 seasons of ‘Survivor.’ Specific survival tips mentioned include building shelters and using coconut shells as water funnels.
McAdams’s Letterboxd Popularity
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(01:04:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite her extensive and varied filmography, Rachel McAdams’s most popular films on Letterboxd are ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘The Notebook,’ while major franchise roles like in ‘Doctor Strange’ are underutilized.
  • Summary: McAdams’s top Letterboxd films include ‘Mean Girls’ (1), ‘The Notebook’ (2), and ‘About Time’ (4), demonstrating her appeal across comedy and romance. She was notably underused in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, despite being directed by Sam Raimi in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Her filmography also includes critically acclaimed work like ‘Spotlight’ (7) and the Wes Craven thriller ‘Red Eye’ (10).
Analyzing Actresses’ Career Trajectories
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(01:07:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Analyzing actresses of McAdams’s generation (roughly 36 to 50) reveals that only a few remain at the center of Hollywood, illustrating that the industry struggles to utilize women past a certain age unless they join major superhero franchises.
  • Summary: Of the 22 actresses discussed from that generation, only about five—including Anne Hathaway, Scarlett Johansson, and Emma Stone—are considered to be at the center of Hollywood movies currently. Many others have transitioned to television (Kristen Bell) or successful businesses (Jessica Alba), while some, like Jennifer Hudson, have seen their film careers wane after initial success. Kira Knightley’s career trajectory is highlighted as an example of an actress who, despite early promise, has seen her output shift toward streaming and less central roles.
Misused Male Stars Discussion
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(01:15:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Lakeith Stanfield, James McAvoy, and Chris Pine are identified as highly skilled actors who are currently being misused or underutilized in mainstream cinema, often failing to headline successful tentpole films.
  • Summary: Lakeith Stanfield is seen as someone who needs a great filmmaker to center a movie around him, as his recent leading efforts like ‘The Harder They Fall’ and ‘The Book of Clarence’ did not achieve major traction. James McAvoy, despite being capable of comedy, drama, and action, has seen his career lean toward niche or less successful projects following his X-Men run. Chris Pine is praised for his charismatic work in franchises like ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Wonder Woman,’ but his recent run includes directorial efforts and smaller dramas that haven’t capitalized on his star power.
Misused Female Stars: Jolie and Roberts
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(01:20:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Angelina Jolie and Julia Roberts represent major movie stars whose immense fame and box office draw in the 2000s have not translated into consistent, high-quality film output in recent years, suggesting Hollywood doesn’t know how to channel their power.
  • Summary: Angelina Jolie was once a top-five movie star capable of opening films like ‘Salt’ ($300M gross), but her recent output is dominated by sequels (‘Maleficent 2’) or films that lack distribution. Julia Roberts possesses ’nuclear power’ in terms of audience appeal, yet she is not being utilized enough in major event films by top directors, though she is currently working with Sam Esmail. Both actresses, unlike some others discussed, are perceived as having more agency over their career choices.
Princess Diaries 2 Plot
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(01:43:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Princess Diaries 2 involves legal challenges to Mia’s throne and a pretender played by Chris Pine.
  • Summary: The plot of Princess Diaries 2 centers on Mia, the princess of Genovia, facing legal challenges to her inheritance. Chris Pine plays a pretender to the throne, and the film features an enemies-to-lovers dynamic. Genovia is noted for speaking English in the film.
Formative Mid-Aughts Cinema
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(01:44:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Chris Pine was a formative figure in mid-aughts ‘garbage women/teens cinema’ for the hosts.
  • Summary: The hosts reflect on the formative impact of actors like Chris Pine in the mid-2000s cinema aimed at teenage audiences. The concept of ‘garbage teens cinema’ is proposed as a potential future episode topic. Anne Hathaway’s roles in The Princess Diaries films are highlighted as significant viewing.
Unseen Anne Hathaway Films
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(01:44:52)
  • Key Takeaway: One host admits to never having seen any Princess Diaries films despite praising Anne Hathaway.
  • Summary: A host suggests a ‘hole filler’ episode where they watch movies they missed, listing Le Miz and Mama Mia as examples. The host who hasn’t seen Princess Diaries is questioned about their commitment to Anne Hathaway’s filmography. The education level of Mia Thermopolis in Princess Diaries 2 is debated.
College Life Flashback
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(01:45:25)
  • Key Takeaway: One host vividly recalls their 2001 college life involving gas station pizza and driving old cars.
  • Summary: A host details their life in 2001 while attending Ithaca College, including living in garden apartments and eating gas station pizza. They recall watching the Sixers Lakers NBA Finals with their roommate, Pants. The host recounts driving a series of old, unreliable cars, including a 1980 Buick Regal and a 1994 Saturn S1.
Kirsten Dunst Advocacy
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(01:48:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst is named the number one most misused star, deserving of leading roles in big-budget films.
  • Summary: Kirsten Dunst is declared the hosts’ number one misused star, praised for recent work in The Power of the Dog and Civil War (referred to as Roofman and Wagonia contextually). Listeners are urged to watch her lead movies like Bring It On. Dunst’s recent social media activity, including taking shots at Timothy Chalamet’s performance in Wonka (referred to as Marty Supreme), is noted.
Future Episode Planning
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(01:49:06)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts plan a future ‘hole filler’ episode and will discuss the new Charlie XCX movie on Tuesday.
  • Summary: The hosts suggest workshopping pitches for films like Train Dreams in real-time on the podcast. They confirm the next week will be a ‘darkest corridor’ week with no new episode, potentially involving brainstorming topics live. The new Charlie XCX movie, which premiered at Sundance, will be discussed on Tuesday instead of the current slot.
Misused Stars Wrap Up
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(01:50:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Andy Samberg and Javier Bardem are cited as other misused stars who should be cast in more prominent roles.
  • Summary: Andy Samberg is mentioned as a likable and good actor from his SNL generation who should be in more movies, despite his success with Ted Lasso. Javier Bardem is highlighted for his excellent performance in F1 (likely Being the Ricardos or Dune contextually) and should be put in well-fitting suits more often. The hosts conclude they have solved Hollywood by providing this necessary feedback.