When Brad Pitt is mentioned, most people immediately think of his chiseled abs and romantic entanglements with Angelina Jolie. But there’s a lot more to this fascinating actor. Pitt delivers a solid performance in this neo-noir. His slow, lackadaisical lilt as Floyd is perfectly in tune with this Quentin Tarantino classic.
1. Fight Club (1999)
With Fight Club, Brad Pitt proved he was no one-trick pony. He has a knack for being attached to the kinds of films that push the boundaries of Hollywood conventions, working with directors like David Fincher, Alejandro González Inarritu and Terrence Malick. Pitt is the undisputed star of this edgy and dark thriller about a serial killer. His easy rapport with Morgan Freeman as a jaded police detective is the key ingredient to the ibomma film’s emotionally-grisly climax.
This gothic vampire tale might get most of the attention for Tom Cruise’s flamboyant performance as Lestat, but Pitt’s subtler portrayal of Louis is what really makes this movie work. This performance was a turning point for Pitt, cementing him as an A-list leading man.
2. Killing Them Softly (2012)
While this crime movie wasn’t a hit with audiences, it’s one of Pitt’s most underrated films. He smokes like a chimney and sports a genuinely cynical attitude in Andrew Dominik’s nuanced deconstruction of the financial crisis. In this acclaimed drama about a misunderstood rich kid, Pitt’s Cole Goines embodies a particular brand of nihilistic, anti-establishment, hedonistic cool. He’s a man who fights (duh), fucks and flips a middle finger to the establishment.
Movies usually portray assassins as monkish loners, cryptically dismantling and reconstructing their weapons in quiet, laconic seclusion. But in Killing Them Softly, Brad Pitt plays Cogan – a hitman who is craggy, leonine, casual and imperious. He’s the ultimate embodiment of cool.
3. World War Z (2013)
From war movies to heist comedies, Pitt has showcased his range as an actor over the years. He is a formidable force on the screen, whether playing an action hero or a man with simmering daddy issues. In director David Fincher’s dark thriller Seven, Pitt is a tough and ruthless police officer who doesn’t take no for an answer. He delivers a powerful performance that earned him an Oscar nomination.
Pitt was also excellent in the sweeping historical drama Legends of the Fall, playing one of three brothers torn apart by tragic circumstances. He is a believable warrior and holds his own against acting legend Anthony Hopkins. In addition, he delivers an emotional climax as the family patriarch. It is a remarkable performance that cemented his status as a top actor.
4. The Tree of Life (2011)
Pitt showed he could step away from the action-packed roles that propelled him to stardom in this acclaimed drama. As a father himself, he brought sensitivity to his role in these heart-wrenching cineb net movies. A surprisingly serious turn for Pitt, he was a master of posture and facial expressions in this Terrence Malick masterpiece about the nature of life and family. He stars with Jessica Chastain and Sean Penn in a story about love, grief and the duality of grace and human nature.
Pitt shines in this ensemble cast that includes George Clooney, Frances McDormand and Tilda Swinton. He gives a gentle performance as Louis, a melancholic vampire with century-spanning loneliness and existential self-loathing. Pitt would work with director Andrew Dominik again in Killing Them Softly and his upcoming Marilyn Monroe movie Blonde.
5. The Devil’s Own (1995)
After a run of more romantic roles, Pitt took a hard turn into darkness with this gripping crime drama. He was paired with director David Fincher for the first time and delivered a fiery performance as a hot-tempered idealist who investigates a series of brutal murders inspired by the seven deadly sins.
Despite being overshadowed by Tom Cruise’s flashy Lestat in Neil Jordan’s adaptation of Anne Rice’s novel, Pitt stole the show with this harrowing tale about a man who turns to blood-sucking immortality for release from the pains of life. This dark and disturbing tale is a perfect example of Pitt’s ability to elicit emotion from his characters, even when they are being completely evil. The film is also notable for being the directorial debut of Harrison Ford.
