My Top 10 Favorite Performances
Performances can make or break a movie. Imagine your favorite movie, but changing the main character to another actor. It may be better, may be worse, but it’s definitely different. In this list, I’m going to be going through and listing my top 10 favorite portrayals of characters in films (not in order). My only parameters are that I kept this to only male performances, live action performances, and only in films (all the rest are other lists). Also my honorable mentions are Jude Law as Graham Simpkins in ‘The Holiday,’ Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson in ‘Titanic,’ Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum in ‘The Greatest Showman,’ Bruce Willis as John McClane in ‘Die Hard,’ Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ and Henry Fonda as Juror 8 in ‘12 Angry Men.’
Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’- Even when the Pirates franchise lessened in quality, there was always on consistent high, Jack Sparrow. The Captain himself. He’s the worst pirate you’ve ever heard of, but you have heard of him. The line delivery, the goofiness, the walk. It’s all iconic. You know it and if you’re like me, you’ve tried to do it with no avail. We got 5 movies with this character and there have been talks of him returning (with or without Depp) for years, and I’ll just say if he does, no one else will be able to do the role justice.
Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in ‘The Hobbit’- Yes, berate me if you want, but I prefer the Hobbit trilogy to the LOTR trilogy. I don’t think it’s better, far from it actually, but two things make my viewing better. First is the overall humor and secondly is Martin Freeman as Bilbo. As a huge fan of the original novel, he plays the character exactly how he is written and I think is the best protagonist for this story.
Matt Damon as Dr. Mark Watney in ‘The Martian'- One of a handful of books I prefer to ‘The Hobbit,’ ‘The Martian' is my favorite novel and Mark Watney is the reason why. When a story is almost solely based around a single character, isolated and alone on a planet, it better be an interesting character. Matt Damon gives his career performance playing this man who is trying to make it home and keeps his hopes alive.
Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller in ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’- Anytime I talk about this movie I mention that Ferris Bueller is just the kind of guy I’d want to be friends with. And that comes almost entirely because of Matthew Broderick’s iconic performance. He is just so cool in every situation and he always knows how to accomplish his goal and put on a show while doing it.
Matthew McConaughey as Joseph Cooper in ‘Interstellar’- The greatest acting job I’ve ever seen that was not Oscar-nominated. McConaughey brings all of the emotions needed here and I can’t think of a better instance of sacrificing for the greater good. I love how he fights for what he believes in, perhaps to a fault.
Ryan Gosling as Ken in ‘Barbie’- He’s just Ken. If you would’ve told me how much I would’ve been obsessed with this performance before I watched, nay EXPERIENCED, it for the first time I would’ve laughed in your face. But he makes this absolute Himbo so lovable and relatable (at times) and hilarious. Also, his performance of ‘I’m Just Ken’ at the Oscars was the exact wrap-up that Ken’s story needed.
Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool in ‘Deadpool’- Although I think it a wonderful film, ‘Deadpool’ would not be this high on my top 10 favorite Marvel movie lists. I’m an MCU man through and through. But Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool and Deadpool is Ryan Reynolds. And I, as a heterosexual married man am fully in love with Mr. Ryan Reynolds.
Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in ‘Dune’- This list is not limited to good guys. I understand that Paul is the bad guy and how horrible everything he will go onto do is. That’s the point of the character, and Timothée Chalamet encapsulates it perfectly. I think his portrayal of Muad’Dib is preferred to the character in the book. The hesitation to do what ends up being inevitable. And then going all the way in when it does. Just great.
Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump in ‘Forrest Gump’- The greatest acting job I’ve ever seen in the greatest film there ever was. Enough said.
Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf in ‘Elf’- It DOES NOT get funnier than this. The timing, the physicality, and the line delivery. Will Ferrell checks all 3 boxes to perfection. A performance so good I want to rewatch it every year.
