Viggo Mortenson liberal loony, but was great in Crimson Tide, Eastern Promises, and A History of Violence. See the reference to Ed Harris above. Wonderful characters both.
Subtract points though for that scene with Kathy Bates.
Has Nicholson made a lot of bad films lately? Yes. Has he chewed the scenery in a lot of his flicks? Yes. But overall, Nicholson is one of the few actors who can play a variety of roles, including bad guys, and really make you believe it.