What makes a good movie with an ensemble cast?

This week Bradley Cooper stars in Burnt, and while he's front-and-center in the film it has a strong ensemble cast that includes Omar Sy, Daniel Bruhl, Alicia Vikander, Sienna Miller, Sam Keeley, Uma Thurman and Emma Thompson. Though major movie stars can headline films by being its core focus, it's equally impressive when a film can balance a large cast of characters.

But what makes a great ensemble cast?

In movies with large casts, it's impressive when a wealth of talented actors can be balanced without making the story convoluted. Intersecting subplots can make for great films, but it can also be disorienting to viewers who struggle to keep up with the characters. However, a concisely organized set of subplots can introduce an ensemble in a way that makes sense.

A classic example of this is Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 classic The Godfather. The gangster epic features an ensemble of Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire, Diane Keaton, John Marley and Sterling Hayden, and while the huge cast is impressive, the film balances the number of people by focusing on the family dynamic of the Corleones, particularly Vito's (Marlon Brando) passing of the torch to his sons. The fluid relationships seen between Vito and his offspring, and their accompanying families, makes for a well-organized cast in which the story doesn't feel too contrived.

To balance ensembles, successful films can support the film's lead with worthy supporting players. A wealth of characters that support the lead can help to develop the audience's connection with the central protagonist. Alejandro Innaritu's Birdman is a good example of this, as the film is focused on Michael Keaton's Riggan Thomson but balances the supporting cast by exploring different elements of his personality.

For example, the relationship with his daughter (Emma Stone) exposes his regretful nature and desire to amend his mistakes, while his dynamic with Mike Shiner (Edward Norton) explains his desire to achieve artistic merit. The film still has a singular focus on Keaton's story, but by populating it with an ensemble, Birdman is a more compelling tale with more richness to its leading man.

In some cases however, it's best not to have a lead character and equally share screen time between a cast. Not all films require a main character, and while it's undeniably difficult to balance an ensemble and promote each cast member as a lead, the unconventional story method can help to make a more interesting story by seeing a variety of perspectives.

The superhero crossover The Avengers equally balances the cast between the stories of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Nick Fury, and gives each hero their own complete story arc. By not having just one lead, The Avengers allows for a more complex cast dynamic and produces great results from the dialogue and character interactions alone. It's a film in which each character brings something new to the story.

Hollywood is very much an actor's medium, and it's great to see a strong ensemble work together to provide interesting subplots and support the protagonist as needed. Many of the classic films of our time are the result of a powerful ensemble, hopefully we'll see more successes with large casts for years to come.