John Malkovich’s 10 best movies, ranked

For more than four decades, John Malkovich has carved a name for himself as among Hollywood’s most interesting and varied performers. With countless beloved roles across action, comedy, drama and a host of other genres, the main thing that categorized a Malkovich performance was his deep commitment to his roles and willingness to go the extra mile in his characterization. As a leading man, supporting hero and evil villain, this two-time Academy Award nominee has truly proven himself to be a uniquely talented addition to modern cinema.

Part of Malkovich’s appeal was that audiences never knew what they were going to get from one performance to another. After building his reputation in movies by acclaimed directors like Steven Spielberg and Wolfgang Petersen, Malkovich confounded all expectations with one of the most uniquely intense performances ever Seen in the highly original film. Being John Malkovich. As a performer associated with wild, charismatic and often disturbing characters, John Malkovich has had an amazing career packed with iconic roles.

10

Burn After Reading (2008)

John Malkovich as Osborne Cox

John Malkovich has worked with some of the greatest filmmakers of all time, and to see him paired with the Coen brothers in Burn after reading was a match made in heaven. In this crime comedy, Malkovich saw Osborne Cox, Ann Bitter alcoholic ex-C.I.I. Analyst, who was forced to leave his jobDecided to write a memoir. However, two dimwitted gym employees (Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt) found his misplaced story and, mistaking it for classified government documents, tried to profit from it.

As a farce of misadventures, miscommunication and mismanagement, Burn after reading was a fine addition to the Coens’ impressive catalog of clever thrillers with comedic twists. Malkovich excelled in his role as the only straight man, surrounded by “a league of morons,“How everyone around him believed they were part of a high-stakes espionage conspiracy, when in fact, there were never any stakes at all. In typical Coen Brother fashion, Burn after reading was funny, offbeat, and well-written.

9

In the Line of Fire (1993)

John Malkovich as Mitch Leary

Part of John Malkovich’s appeal was his incredibly varied career, and a prime example of this was his villainous role in the political thriller In the line of fire. Starring Clint Eastwood as Secret Service agent Frank Harrigan, who, as a younger man, was unable to stop the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, 30 years later, a clever assassin named Mitch Leary (Malkovich) gave him another chance to Save the life of a sitting president. As a straightforward thriller from director Wolfgang Petersen, In the line of fire Delivers action, drama and suspense.

As a disillusioned and obsessed former CIA agent with a desire to kill the president, Malkovich gives a charismatic performance as Mitch LearyA clever would-be killer also went by the aliases James Carney and Booth. Malkovich played well opposite Eastwood, as both actors always knew how to get the best out of a good script and embrace their characters with depth and complexity. In the line of fire was a thrilling game of cat and mouse mixed with psychological torment and one of the most underrated thrillers of the 1990s.

8

Ripley’s Game (2002)

John Malkovich as Tom Ripley

There have been many adaptations of Patricia Highsmith’s series about the murderous adventures of the anti-hero Tom Ripley, from Matt Damon’s excellent portrayal in The talented Mr. Ripley To Andrew Scott in the exceptional Netflix series Ripley. But, John Malkovich gave a highly underrated performance in Play Ripley’s gameA film that failed at the box office but was praised by critics. The best thing about Play Ripley’s game was Malkovich’s performance as the outstanding talents of his co-stars Lena Headey, Dougray Scott, and Ray Winstone.

Malkovich captured the essence of Ripley’s character as he exuded charm and charisma and walked the fine line between heartiness and genuine sincerity. Play Ripley’s game Truly brought the titular sociopath to life and told a thrilling story of blackmail, deception and secrecy. Interestingly, this wouldn’t be Malkovich’s only appearance in a Highsmith adaptation, as he also appeared on Netflix Ripley Like Reeves Minot in 2024.

7

Con Air (1997)

John Malkovich as Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom

John Malkovich’s career included many prestigious dramatic roles, but he was also so comfortable in over-the-top action films that served as pure popcorn entertainment. Considering this, Malkovich was truly perfect for his role as the main villain in the Nicolas Cage cult classic Can airCyrus the virus. Malkovich played the psychopathic criminal and serial killer who masterminded the airplane hijacking in this thrilling action movie produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

Along with Cage’s incredible performance, Malkovich helped make Can air One of the most enjoyable action movies of the 1990s. Cyrus the Virus was a deranged convict who spent most of his life in prison and was known for murdering eleven inmates, instigating three riots and consistently escaping custody. As one of the most outrageous action movies ever made, Malkovich gave it his all Can air And contributed to its major box office successWith the film taking in $234 million globally (via Box Office Mojo.)

6

Empire of the Sun (1987)

John Malkovich as Basie

As the acting debut of 12-year-old Christian Bale, Empire of the Sun was a coming of age film by Steven Spielberg The story of a young boy named Jim who became a prisoner of war in a Shanghai internment camp operated by the Japanese during World War II. John Malkovich played Bassey, an American merchant marine who oversaw Jim at the camp, whose harried nature meant he was always looking for a way to take advantage of his situation. An epic in the sad sense of the word, the Lawrence of Arabia Director David Lean was originally attached to the project (via Collider.)

in his heart, Empire of the Sun was about how difficult circumstances forced Jim to grow up fast, how his life story was a fraught with difficulties. Empire of the Sun remains one of Spielberg’s most underrated movies and acted as a defining moment in the early careers of not only Bale and Malkovich, but also a young Ben Stiller. As an emotional and visually striking drama about loss, family and the horrors of war, Empire of the Sun was an amazing success.

5

The Glass Menagerie (1987)

John Malkovich as Tom Wingfield

As a dreamy adaptation of Tennessee Williams’s play, The glass menagerie was a powerful showcase of John Malkovich’s dramatic skills. As the last film directed by Paul Newman, Malkovich starred opposite the director’s wife, Joan Woodward, in this memory game of distorted memories and lost love. The glass menagerie was the story of a son who, along with his terrible sister, lived under the strict expectations of his suffocating mother, Amanda, played by Woodward.

With great interest, Malkovich captured the compelling pain of Tom WingfieldWhose banal and boring life was categorized by while away his days watching movies in the local cinema. With beautiful light and incredible camera work, The glass menagerie Was filled with heartfelt monologues, when the unfulfilled expectations of his character’s life were brought to the top. From the pining for her days as a glamorous Southern belle, the sister’s sad, awkward love for her sibling’s friend, and the subtext of Tom’s unspoken sexuality, there’s plenty of depth to this powerful adaptation of Williams’ 1944 play. .

4

Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

John Malkovich as Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont

Based on the 1782 French novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, Dangerous links was a romantic period drama From scheming love affairs to a manipulative ex-lover’s bet on the adulterous corruption of a recently married woman. With strong performances from Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer, Dangerous links was categorized by pure wit and an immediacy rarely seen in period dramas of this kind. With everyone involved firing on all cylinders, director Stephen Frears truly gets the best out of an extraordinarily talented cast.

However, it was John Malkovich as Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont, the deceitful ladiesman at the heart of the scheme, who truly stole the show. With a level of charm and charisma far beyond anything he’s shown before, Malkovich was truly believable as the darkly evil assistant to Vengeance. Dangerous links It had everything going for it and was a must-watch film for lovers of romantic period dramas.

3

Of Mice and Men (1992)

John Malkovich as Lenny Klein

John Steinbeck’s extraordinary novel of two wayward ranch workers during the Great Depression Received a fantastic adaptation in 1992. Starring John Malkovich as Lenny Klein and Gary Sinise as his fast-witted best friend, George Milton, this story of aspiration, companionship and innate human struggles was a beautiful deconstruction of the American Dream and the Desire to find a place of belonging. As a heartfelt, well-acted, and faithful adaptation of its source material, Of mice and men Capture the essence of Steinbeck’s timeless story.

While the entire cast earned praise, Malkovich was particularly effective as Lenny, whose heart-wrenching portrayal of a well-intentioned intellectually disabled man became all the more harrowing considering the story’s tragic ending. Malkovich showcased the depth of emotion he is capable of eliciting as Lenny’s pure-hearted intentions are brought to the forefront only to be stripped away as his brute strength is unveiled leading to the death of a young woman. Of mice and men was a powerful story about how, despite their best intentions, working-class people have little power to gain meaningful freedom and rise from poverty.

2

Death of a Salesman (1985)

John Malkovich as Biff Loman

The 1985 adaptation of Arthur Miller’s Death of a salesman was an incredible made-for-TV movie that was as good as any theatrical release. Starring Dustin Hoffman in one of his greatest roles as troubled traveling salesman Willy Loman, the surreal adaptation is given new life in the 1949 Pulitzer Prize-winning Play. As a deconstruction of Willy’s fractured relationships, particularly with his son Biff (John Malkovich), Death of a salesman Get to the heart of the death of the American Dream and the sad regret that those who feel they never lived up to their potential must endure.

Malkovich perfectly captured the longing of Biff’s character because, unlike his father, he longed to dig deeper into the frustrations of everyday life and was one of the few characters in Death of a salesman To achieve some semblance of personal growth. Death of a salesman saw Biff disillusioned by his father’s heartfelt fantasies, and Malkovich’s performance emphasized the complexity of family relationships. Malkovich’s rich and layered performance helped make Death of a salesman A truly effective adaptation.

1

Being John Malkovich (1999)

John Malkovich as John Malkovich

As one of the most amazingly original movies ever made, it will come as no surprise that John Malkovich’s greatest performance was when he played himself in this highly unusual and eccentric film. Being John Malkovich. with Spike Jonze directs from a script by Charlie Kaufman, Being John Malkovich was a highly creative story that went right to the heart of its themes around identity, loneliness and self-fulfillment. Like the story of a puppet that found a portal into the mind of John Malkovich, it was a highly metanarrative that consistently surprised viewers with its inventiveness.

Being John Malkovich was the prime example that a movie can really be about anything, and the only constraints are the limitations of actors, writers and directors’ own creativity. Malkovich fully committed to the premise of the film as he delved into the depths of his own psyche and dissected the very nature of self-pity. John Malkovich Will forever be associated with this movie, and more than any other role, it was this performance that made him a household name.

Sources: Box Office Mojo, Collider