The Psychological Thriller That Almost Ruined Lindsay Lohan's Career
Ah, the Hollywood saga of Lindsay Lohan. The transition from child actor to career actor is a difficult one for many, and the profession is littered with talent that got lost along the way (see: Macaulay Culkin). Audiences are fickle, and producers have plenty of performers to choose from. Sustaining career momentum from a hit is challenging, especially for young stars who don't stay precociously cute forever. The old industry saying that you're only as good as your last movie is apt in many cases. One wrong step in front of the camera — or away from it, for that matter — can alter an A-list status faster than you can say "Corey Feldman."
Enter Lohan. She first burst onto the scene in popular movies like "The Parent Trap," "Freaky Friday," and the 2004 smash hit "Mean Girls" — which cemented her somewhat brief tenure on the under-18 A-list. But as with many before her, she struggled somewhat with the limelight, often finding herself achieving more fame for appearances in the tabloids than in multiplexes. Marketability isn't the only factor in casting decisions; reputation has an impact as well, and Lindsay's spiraled in all kinds of bizarre directions, per an article in BuzzFeed.
She was still landing good parts, though, starring in high-profile projects like "Just My Luck" in 2006, which pulled in a decent $38 million worldwide, per Box Office Mojo. But in the midst of a lot of off-camera turmoil, she then made a movie that almost single-handedly put an end to everything.
Lohan wandered out of her comfort zone
Venturing into a new genre is always a tricky step for an actor, as it often serves as a litmus test for whatever fan base has been achieved. Lindsay Lohan had been mostly known for more lighthearted and family-friendly roles right up until the 2007 mystery-thriller dud "I Know Who Killed Me," which only managed a meager $7 million at the domestic box office. You know a movie doesn't hold up well when 15 years later, it's only at 9% on Rotten Tomatoes – the dreaded single-digit score. Even the title seemed silly. It kind of takes the fun out of the mystery if she already knows who killed her, no? If she took the role in an attempt to re-invent herself, it didn't work out quite the way she envisioned.
To her credit, Lohan continued to work after that awkward misstep, with over two dozen projects listed on her IMDb page since then. But her days on the A-list pretty much disappeared faster than "I Know Who Killed Me" vanished from theaters. Her latest film, "Cursed," is currently reported as in pre-production and is another foray into the thriller genre. This time, Lohan stars opposite Academy Award nominee Mickey Rourke ("The Wrestler").
The funny thing about Hollywood, though, is that everybody loves a comeback story. As long as you keep acting, there's always a chance the right project will come along and you'll be back on top. Just look at what happened with John Travolta ("Pulp Fiction") or Robert Downey Jr. ("Iron Man"), among others.
"I Know Who Killed Me" didn't do Lindsay Lohan any favors. But she's still in the game.