With another Brad Pitt-starring blockbuster getting
released this weekend (Andrew Dominik’s Killing
Them Softly), I decided to do a tour back through the career of the 3-time
Oscar-nominated actor. He has developed a very diverse filmography, particularly
lately when he has seemingly worked with a new major director each and every
outing. He started out as essentially a pretty boy, but he seamlessly
disappeared into a few roles early on and eventually became one of the most
bankable and reliable actors in the business. Here’s to his work in Killing Them Softly being worthy of
adding to this list!
Note: I have seen the majority of his acclaimed work, but
I am lacking a few of his lesser mid-90s ventures (Seven Years in Tibet, The
Devil’s Own, The Favor, etc.)
Others receiving votes: Burn After Reading, The
Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Ocean’s
Eleven, Snatch, True Romance
10. Inglourious
Basterds (character: Lt. Aldo Raine; 2009)
This may very well be Pitt’s funniest performance. He is
a menacing character, but his lines are hilariously delivered over-the-top and
his attempt at Italian is just amazing. He had just as much to do with the success
of the film as Christoph Waltz did. His monologue to his Nazi-scalping Basterds
is one of the best of the decade. He doesn’t really disappear into the
character, but that is part of its charm. He is one of the many things about
the movie that leave a lasting impression.
9. Legends of the
Fall (character: Tristan Ludlow; 1994)
Even though the film may be a bit soapy and melodramatic,
Pitt’s lead performance is really what thrust him into movie-stardom. He
lingers around the movie in a very James Dean in East of Eden-kind of way. He is emotional and heroic. The movie hinges
on his character and on Pitt’s ability to make the audience care about him.
This Golden Globe-nominated performance was the one that let everyone know that
he had arrived and that he was not going anywhere for a long time.
8. Kalifornia
(character: Early Grace; 1993)
This is another case of a mediocre film that is carried
by Pitt’s performance and charisma. Here, we see Pitt completely unhinged,
shedding any pretty boy Robert Redford-type image that may have been put on him
to that point. However, he also makes the trailer-trash serial killer into
someone curiously likable. Only he could have turned this typical psychodrama into
something really interesting and authentic. He doesn’t often play the villain,
but here he absolutely kills it.
7. Babel
(character: Richard Jones; 2006)
Pitt’s performance in Babel
is absolutely devastating. To this point, I hadn’t really thought that he had
something like this in him, or at least he hadn’t really made an attempt to
take on a character that would really push the boundaries of what he could do
emotionally. The phone call scenes are deeply affecting, focusing on his
frightened and heartbroken face, one of the only times during his career where
Pitt truly bared his soul and made us really feel something.
6. Moneyball (character:
Billy Beane; 2011)
In one of Pitt’s most impressive feats, he took a normal
guy in a seemingly mundane situation and turned it into a heroic American story
about something much deeper. Pitt nails every line he is given and plays off
his costars (most notably the equally-brilliant Jonah Hill) and makes us actually
care about the Oakland A’s. So often, subtlety is overlooked when talking about
elite performances, but Pitt’s work here was actually singled-out and should
have brought him Oscar gold. His scenes where he is wheeling and dealing with
other GM, as well as the scenes carried by his facial expressions (sitting
alone in an empty stadium listening to the game in short segments on the
radio), show that this is one of Pitt’s most complete performances and one that
may be looked back on as a defining role in his soon-to-be legendary career.
5. A River Runs
Through It (character: Paul Maclean; 1992)
This is one of those roles that may have seemed like an
easy role on paper, but when it is given to a certain actor, it becomes a role
for the ages. Pitt’s smile and appeal make his performance one that burns in the
memory of the viewer. Those scenes such as “I’ll never leave Montana…” just
break your heart and help make the film one of the most emotional of that era.
This is perhaps a personal and nostalgic choice to be on this list, but I have
always been blown away by Pitt’s work here, the best performance in a rather
strong ensemble.
4. Fight Club
(character: Tyler Durden; 1999)
In a role that could arguably be ranked #1 on a list of
most iconic movie characters of the last 20 years, Brad Pitt creates his most
memorable role ever. Pitt’s furious energy and maniacal character are really
what makes Fight Club what it is, a
generation-defining cult classic. His chemistry with Edward Norton is
incredible. In this role, he is mysterious, hilarious, unlikable, irresistible,
enthusiastic, and pissed off, all the while having this unbridled physical energy
about him that brings him to life. It is one of the most unforgettable characters
in recent film history, and I honestly cannot imagine another actor playing the
part nearly as effectively.
3. Twelve Monkeys
(character: Jeffrey Goines; 1995)
In what will go down as Pitt’s most underappreciated
role, his Oscar-nominated turn in Twelve
Monkeys is one of the most impressive performances he has ever given. Here,
he plays an insane person with an unrestrained psychotic energy about him. This
is one of his biggest steps out of the box, and while it may seem like he takes
it too far, he somehow avoids caricature. Of all the over-the-top psych-ward
inhabitants we have seen on screen, Pitt’s Jeffrey Goines may be one of the
most believable and devious. It is a volatile performance that really shows off
what Pitt can do when he gets a great role.
2. The Tree of Life
(character: Mr. O’Brien; 2011)
Pitt’s performance in Terrence Malick’s ambitious epic is
unquestionably his most mature performance to date. He plays a rough, unlikable,
hard-working, disciplinarian father/husband. He completely disappears into the
role. In almost every one of his serious turns there is still are still
relatable and affable traits about the character. In The Tree of Life, however, there is none of that. His performance is
first and foremost physical, with tight, troubled expressions. He has a few
outbursts, but most of the pain of the character is internal and shown on his
face. For a role originally intended for Heath Ledger, would say that Pitt
filled those shoes admirably. It would have probably been a slightly different
dynamic with Ledger in this spot, but I am not sure it could have been any
better than what Pitt accomplished.
1. The
Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (character: Jesse
James; 2007)
I know that this cannot be everyone’s choice for the top
spot, but I do not think I have ever been more haunted by a character that Pitt
has played than I was when I first saw Jesse
James. Even though Casey Affleck was nominated and decidedly better in the
film (a top 5 performance of the 2000s), it is Pitt’s weary and sensitive performance
that lingers in the memory of the film. He is incredibly restrained and subtle.
His character is at times depressed, and just by looking at how Pitt carries
himself you can see a wounded spirit. His performance is cool and calculated
with a twinge of menace and edginess. It is the most complete performance that
Pitt has ever given and one that will stick with me forever. It may not be his
showiest role or most iconic character or biggest step outside his comfort
zone, but for me, this is his best work to date.
So, there you have it. Agree/Disagree? I know Jesse James cannot a popular choice for
#1, but does anyone else have it ranked highly? What are your favorites? Let me
know in the comments or on our Facebook page.
