10 Best Brad Pitt Performances
Brad Pitt has always been considered a pretty boy and therefore does not get the great respect that he deserves. Easily one of the best actors of his (and my) generation, Pitt is often seen more as a movie star than as an actor — but that is selling this quite remarkable actor far too short. I am here this week to set the record, as it were, straight. Now Pitt has given some strong performances in films I did not particularly like and therefore have been left off of this list. These disliked (to varying degrees ranging from slightly disappointed to downright films I loathe – you decide which are which) films are Meet Joe Black, Legends of the Fall, Seven Years in Tibet, A River Runs Through It, Interview With The Vampire, Babel and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
This last one is especially disheartening since I am a big fan of not only Pitt but of his leading lady Cate Blanchett as well as director David Fincher (though there are two other Fincher-directed films on the list – how is that for foreshadowing?). And in case any one wonders about their omission, I have never seen Cool World nor Johnny Suede – both of which I would probably enjoy, no matter how poorly received they may have been. Anyway, without further ado (well, except for my two runners-up), here are my choices for the 10 Best Brad Pitt Performances.
Special Mention #1: Floyd in True Romance
I love Pitt in this movie but it is one of those blink-and-you-will-miss-him roles. I couldn’t exactly put Floyd in the top ten because of such a tiny role (even though it is a great role indeed), but he had to be mentioned somewhere here – especially since he is in a film written by Quentin Tarantino and I think everyone here knows how I feel about him (can you say obsession?). A hilarious turn as that stoner that never gets off the couch. Unfortunately we all have known someone like this at some point in our life.
Special Mention #2: Mickey O’Neil in Snatch
I need to start out here by saying how much I hate this movie. Hate hate hate it. I have never been a fan of Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes is the only one of his films I have liked) and Snatch is no exception. His obnoxious fast-editing and ridiculous man-child thug-wannabes are enough to get on any real cinema-lover’s nerves (go ahead Ritchie fans, bring it on). Now the one thing I did like about this film was of course, Brad Pitt’s performance as the mumbly-mouthed Mickey. It is a performance that (unlike those mentioned in the introduction) is powerful enough to get past the hatred I have for this film.
10. Rusty Ryan in the Ocean’s films
Soderbergh’s Ocean’s films (11, 12 & 13) may not be great cinematic art like some of his the director’s other films (the auteur does go back and forth between mainstream and arthouse) but they sure are fun to watch. In fact it looks like the entire cast, many of whom are actually close friends in real life, are having the time of their lives making these movies. A big part of this (I suppose the second biggest part after George Clooney) is Brad Pitt at Rusty Ryan. Playing Dean Martin to Clooney’s Frank Sinatra (and no matter how much I love the Rat Pack – and I love them a lot – these films are more enjoyable than the original – even if they get a bit redundant by the time of thirteen), Pitt portrays this character almost as if a riff on his own public Hollywood image as a big time movie star.
9. J.D. in Thelma & Louise
After four or five years of b-horror schlock and TV guest appearances, Pitt made his breakthrough as a young buck hustler in this Oscar winning film. His most memorable scene in the film is during a post-coitus moment with Geena Davis, where J.D., dressed in only in jeans and a cowboy hat (if I had a body like that I would probably run around dressed like that as well), regales his conquest with how great of an armed robber he is. This role led to bigger parts and bigger movies, but here Pitt, even though he was used mostly for the way he looked without his shirt on, is already displaying that charm that would turn him into a bona fide movie star (and in a way keep people from seeing just how damn good he is at his profession).
8. Chad Feldheimer in Burn After Reading
Perhaps the biggest idiot Pitt has ever played (perhaps). Acting the cocky, bumbling personal trainer turned would be blackmailer in this hilariously screwball Coen Brothers film, Pitt turns away from his typical movie star image (though the character is quite vain still) and creates a unique character. Pitt’s blackmailer could not be more inept and seeing an actor such as Pitt take on this role (a role actually written with the actor in mind) is an added bonus to an already very funny ensemble film that includes Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton and Pitt’s old buddy George Clooney.
7. Detective David Mills in Se7en
What’s in the box!? What’s in the box!? This frightfully creepy David Fincher film (the first of three Pitt would make with the director) is the stuff that nightmares are made of – or from. Now it is mere coincidence that this film comes in at number seven (or se7en if you will) but that mere coincidence just adds to the sense of creepiness that this film instills in me. But enough of Fincher’s creep factor (or for that matter Kevin Spacey’s) what of Pitt’s performance? As the moral center of the film, Pitt’s Detective Mills is what keeps the film on a level playing field even when everything around him is as batshit crazy as it is.
6. Jeffrey Goines in Twelve Monkeys
Excuse the pun but this is Pitt’s most cock-eyed role ever. Playing opposite Bruce Willis in this Terry Gilliam directed remake of the 1962 French short film La Jetee, this would be Pitt’s first Academy Award nominated performance (his only other so far coming in 2010 with Benjamin Button). Making his eyes go all googly (a character trait that Pitt added to the character himself) and flouncing about in time and space (and whatever the Hell is going on) Pitt seems to be having a batshit crazy blast with the role.
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41 Comments
i totally say kalifornia as my first, followed by Se7en and Burn After Reading
Haw! I think Mickey is my sexiest Pitt.
I do love most of these performances…little shocked that Benjamin Button didn’t make the list. I don’t really love the film, but Pitt was sensational.
I liked Pitt as Ben Button but just not as much as other roles.
I’d definitely put Twelve Monkeys at the #1 spot. By far his greatest performance.
Agreed that Pitt is often overlooked when it comes to recognizing how great of an actor he truly is.
Picking one performance above the rest is pretty difficult. I would say that Jesse James was his best performance (and most challenging), while Twelve Monkeys is probably the most extreme and most fun. Benjamin Button would make my Top 5 probably as well. As so would Raine…and Durden…okay, there’s now way I could order a list like this.
He was the best part of Burn After Reading, with the film completely tanking after he leaves the picture.
I’ve never even heard of Kalifornia before, so I’ll have to check it out sometime.
Yeah, it was tough deciding who went where and even now I am thinking some should have been slightly switched.
Kalifornia is definitely one of Pitt’s more obscure films. It is well worth the look.
In my pretend world Brad would have an Oscar for THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES and BURN AFTER READING and nominations for BABEL and FIGHT CLUB. He is unfortunately underrated as an actor (perhaps he’s because he’s a trifle overrated as a celebrity). Glad to see someone shining the spotlight on him.
I agree that he should have one an Oscar for that!
Whoa….. won*
I have to disagree with the top choice… Jesse James was a role that he was born to play, although I didn’t know that going in. I always liked Pitt before, but when I saw that movie in the theater the weekend it came out, my opinion of him changed. He became one of my top five favorite actors of all time.
Of course, he was great in Inglourious Basterds as well, and most everything else he’s been in. Oh, and I would consider myself a “cinema lover,” I think Red could back me up on that, and I’m a fan of Snatch. There’s no need to say “Ritchie Fans,” like it’s a derogatory term. Not everyone can watch sad, intense, or formulaic comedies over and over; sometimes it’s good to have a change of pace, and Snatch was certainly that. Anyway, everyone has their own opinion, and I’m 100% OK with that.
My top 5:
1. Assassination of Jesse James
2. Fight Club
3. Inglourious Basterds
4. Se7en
5. Mickey in Snatch (Why not? Just to stab you with some Ritchie again!)
Ha! I did say it with a sneer on my lips – Ritchie fans.
I don’t just watch sad, intense films btw. My favourite genres are westerns and musicals. And as far as formulaic goes – that is definitely something I do not like in any medium. And Ritchie’s films are still formulaic as well — but then the majority of cinema is formulaic. I just don’t like his filmmaking style in general. Though I did like Sherlock Holmes.
Well, at least you liked his fourth best film (or so).
Yeah, I didn’t really mean to dis Ritchie fans all that much – it just came out kinda snarky. Obviously I like some things considering I liked Pitt in Snatch.
I’m not a fan of Pitt generally (I actually don’t think he’s that good looking), but that said, I think he’s a good actor and I like him in a lot of things he’s in… Se7en, Fight Club, ‘Basterds… and he’s certainly memorable in Thelma & Louise. I think my fave role of his is Legends of the Fall, I really like his look in it, too. Haven’t seen Benjamin Button or Jesse James but I thought Meet Joe Black is an utter bore.
My favorite Brad Pitt performance is Chad. I do love his performances in films like “Kalifornia”, “True Romance”, “Inglourious Basterds”, “The Tree of Life”, “Benjamin Button”, and “Jesse James” but Chad rules for me.
It’s Pitt playing the dork and a fun dork he is. He just made me laugh throughout the entire movie. Once he’s gone from the movie, it went downhill for me.
It’s funny that many years ago, no one took him seriously because he was pretty. I always think back of a joke from the Nine Inch Nails tour documentary clip from “Closure” where Trent Reznor and David Bowie made funny of Trent’s bassist Danny Lohner where Bowie called him Brad Pitt. Lohner wasn’t happy as he left as someone said some things about Brad’s acting skills at the time.
I hope Trent apologized to Pitt for that.
My list would probably be something like (granted, I haven’t seen all the ones on this list)…
10) True Romance
9) Benjamin Button
8) Ocean’s 11
7) Assassination of Jesse James…
6) Snatch.
5) Se7en
4) Burn After Reading
3) Inglorious Basterds
2) Fight Club
1) Twelve Monkeys
And by ‘this list’, I mean Kevyn’s list.
Superb list. There’s almost nothing I would change. You remembered Burn After Reading, anyway, so any other omissions are forgivable. I think Pitt would’ve got more acclaim for Basterds if Christoph Waltz didn’t keep stealing the show (as much as I love both their performances).
So happy to see Rusty Ryan. I would never dare say it’s his “best” performance but it’s certainly my favorite. And my favorite Rusty Ryan moment of all is when he’s being chased by the cops but still takes time to smile at Catherine Zeta Jones as he passes by. THAT’S Brad Pitt.
I agree it’s a pretty good list, I have to go with his role of Jesse James in the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
Two words: Fuck. Yeah.
I’ve seen just about every Pitt film ever and am probably one of his bigger fans (in that I’ve just about always seen him as the excellent actor he is, though admittedly, he has gotten much better over the years).
Now, you said Best and not Favorite, which changes up the list quite a bit. I, too, would love to put Floyd in the Top 5, but in this context, that would just be ridiculous.
Love that you put Early so high up – it’s a great spot for it. While not a Great film, it’s certainly good and worth people’s time if they’ve yet to see, for not only his terrific and terrifying performance (another in which he hides his looks as much as possible, which has always been his biggest asset) but to see Juliette Lewis at her most naive and stupid (I can’t stand her, but she excels at it).
I’m a Fight Club mega-lover, but I wouldn’t put his performance even as high as #2, I don’t think. His main job was to BE FUCKING COOL and frankly, I’m not sure the role asked all that much of him. It’s a tremendous character, but not exactly an Oscar-worthy performance.
I would pretty much say the same thing about Basterds, save for that line at the end which he just NAILS. “Nah…more like chewed out. I been chewed out before.” I enjoy the performance – it’s funny as hell, but not sure how challenging it was for him outside of the accent. Maybe the 6 spot for me.
Not sure of the order, but my top five would include: Kalifornia, Jesse James, 12 Monkeys (perhaps my #1), Seven and Tree of Life or Snatch.
Since it is all so subjective I always consider best and favourite as interchangeable. And isn’t he always so FUCKING COOL!?
And hey, why hasn’t anyone mentioned his great work on Growing Pains?
Agreed and disagreed, Dylan. I think he does a lot more in Fight Club than he gets credit for because he makes it look so cool.
I honestly think 12 Monkeys is #1. Didn’t he actually get nominated for that one?
His only two Oscar nods are for 12 Monkeys and Benjamin Button.
Great list! It can’t be easy trying to rank performances like those of Brad Pitt, but I think you nailed it.
Good list I think I like just about every one that I have seen on here. That is except for the ones that I have not seen (about 2-3 of them).
Interested to see that Kalifornia is on the list. I remember seeing that in college and thinking about how nutso it was. He did a similar turn in a “Lifetime Movie” which also co-starred Juliette Lewis, “Too Young to Die?”
He sure had manic nailed early on in his career.
Yay!! New poll!! No more Natalie Portman! Haha. Thank you! LOL.
this is a nice post. I’m not the biggest Brad Pitt fan but he does have some good roles.
Snatch, Oceans, and Meet Joe Black, were also 2 that I liked. And, believe it or not, I actually liked him in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. A little cheesy, but I still enjoyed it.
I actually liked Mr. and Mrs. Smith myself.
^I meant “3 that I liked” LOL. Oh well. I voted for Tyler Durden!
Pitt in Se7en isn’t that great. But maybe his performance is shadowed by every other brilliant aspect of the film!
Yes. I like Se7en a lot.
My favourite has to be Durd though. Just because it’s legen waitforit dary.
(I think I’m funny but I’m not)
I like Pitt as an actor and good to see Kalifornia on the list, it’s one of the most underrated thrillers from the 90s and you’re right Pitt was so creepy in that role. Also love the inclusion of Floyd from True Romance, he was great as the always high roommate. I kind of wish the lead role went to him instead of Christiane Slater but Slater was the ‘it’ actor at the time.
I’m one of the few who actually enjoyed Meet Joe Black and I though Pitt was very good in it, even though he said stunk in that film.
Pitt’s oeuvre is well-viewed but great list, nonetheless. I just hoped number five and number one switch places. The supporting cast totally outshines him in that movie.
I also like your write-up on Mr. O’Brien. I’ve always seen the tough part on his tough love but you’re right that he did his best to make his sons strong and successful.
Yes. I don’t think he is necessarily a bad father so much as a father who doesn’t want his kids to become the failure I believe he considers himself to be. Then again, a lot of abuse comes out of frustration of your own psyche that you inflict upon those close to you (not to toss out too much psycho-babble).
Brad Pitt as Patch Boomhauer (King of the Hill)
What about Johnny Suede? Co starring Catherine Keener
AS I state in my introduction, I have not seen Johnny Suede.
Always liked Pitt in every movie he is in and although he is a huge movie star, he has put together a nice varied resume. I used to think he was better at portraying eccentric, over-the-top characters but then he was excellent in The Tree of Life.
Oh man, Mickey O’Neil is easily a top 3 Brad Pitt performance for me. I love him in Jessie James as well. I think that’s his finest performance. Also, although I’m clearly biased, he’s great in The Tree of Life.
Love that you gave some love to his performance in Thelma and Louise. It’s a small role, but I think it set to tone for his solid early career and I love his character in the film.
I’m surprised but not disappointed that “Babel” isn’t on here. Pitt is undoubtedly a great actor, and while “Fight Club” is not the masterpiece too many fan boys claim it to be, he is superbly hammy and intense in turn. I think Basterds is QT’s best film for a lot of reasons, not least of which is the scene in which Pitt attempts to speak Italian (EYE-talian).
Great list! I think one of his best performances (which not many people mention) was as Tristan Ludlow in Legends of the Fall, especially for that time in his career.
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