ActorAdrien Brodyhas been appearing in great movies for several decades now, but some of his most powerful and timeless movies have actually been from the past few years.Brody is the frontrunner for Best Actorat this year’s Academy Awards, which has understandably spurred many audiences into exploring his existing filmography and discovering the many hidden gems that hide within it. His work inThe Brutalistis some of his best, but it’s far from the only masterpiece under his belt.
Adrien Brody was famously the younger-ever Best Actor winner for his staggering performance inThe Pianist, buthe’s continued to choose his projects carefullyand maintained a quality catalog that’s very rare among actors who receive such immense acclaim at such a young age.Brody’s second Best Actor victory would break a long-running trendof the Academy rewarding newcomers in this category, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt just how consistent and talented he is.
Despite being one of the earlier hits in Brody’s filmography,Liberty Heightsremains one of the actor’s most interesting and captivating projects. With the ever-talented Barry Levinson behind the camera,this movie tells the story of a Jewish man who falls in love with a Black womandespite their cultural differences and troublesome family dynamics. As their romance evolves, the pair learn just how difficult it can be to stay together when society tells them they shouldn’t be.
The Brutalist First & Final Scenes Explained: Why László’s Niece Is So Important
The Brutalist begins and ends with László’s niece, Zsófia, which proves that she is actually one of the most important characters in the movie.
AlthoughLiberty Heightsisn’t as groundbreaking or innovative as some of Brody’s (and Levinson’s) later works,it’s still a very effective romancethat speaks poignantly to issues about racism and classism in America. Certain aspects of the narrative may not have aged perfectly, but the compassionate heart of the story still shines bright.
Detachmentis one ofAdrien Brody’s most underrated projects, telling the story of a sorrowful teacher who learns from both his peers and his students about the importance of staying positive and having something tangible to live for.The film is a very powerful drama that places its characters at the center of the story, using them as mouthpieces for some very effective commentary on purpose, belonging, and connecting with the people around us.
WhileDetachmentfeatures a rich and vivid screenplay from filmmaker Tony Kaye, it’s fair to say thatAdrien Brody is the real spectacle of this project. His lead performance is the beating heart of this story, and his on-screen chemistry with the rest of the ensemble really sells this character’s dejection. This allows for a rewarding character arc that teaches the audience important lessons that can be applied to the real world.
There have been several on-screeniterations of King Kongthroughout the decades, but Peter Jackson’s cinematic spectacle is undeniably one of the most engaging and entertaining. The story follows an ambitious filmmaker and his camera crew as they travel to an exotic island in search of a mysterious ape-like creature that’s reported to live there. After catching the creature and bringing it back to New York, they accidentally unleash chaos on the entire city.
The film exemplifies everything that’s always been so captivating about this franchise; huge-scale action, staggering creature designs, and the ability to weave light social commentary into an otherwise straightforward story.
Despite not playing the film’s protagonist,Adrien Brody certainly leaves an impression inKing Kongthanks to his bold, ambitious performance as fictional screenwriter Jack Driscoll. The film exemplifies everything that’s always been so captivating about this franchise; huge-scale action, staggering creature designs, and the ability to weave light social commentary into an otherwise straightforward story.
Brody has worked alongside Wes Andersonon several occasions, butThe Darjeeling Limitedwas his first appearance in the director’s filmography.The narrative centers around three brothers(the other two portrayed by Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman), as they travel across India by train in a misplaced effort to reconnect with each other following their father’s death. Much of the film consists of sharp, biting conversations between the brothers as Anderson dissects the fraternal dynamic in fascinating ways.
While Anderson’s movies are usually recognized for their creative visuals and stylish direction, it’s the lead performances that serve asThe Darjeeling Limited’s main draw.Each of the main actors does a brilliant job of bringing these figures to lifein fresh and unpredictable ways, delving deep into their complex relationships while maintaining a tangible sense of humor throughout.
King of the Hillwas among Adrien Brody’s first leading roles, and it’s probably the film that most people saw him in for the first time. While Soderbergh had already made a name for himself as a talented director by 1993, this film served as a star-making vehicle for Brody, whose character Lester steals the show whenever he’s on-screen. The film centers around a young boy named Aaron (played by Jesse Bradford), who finds himself separated from his family during the Great Depression in St. Louis.
Oscars 2025: Timothée Chalamet’s Best Actor Hopes Are Hanging By A Thread Now, Despite Adrien Brody’s Controversy
With Adrien Brody picking up another Best Actor gong last night, Timothée Chalamet now needs to hope for a major upset at the Oscars.
What’s so impactful aboutKing of the Hillis how effortlessly and impactfully Soderbergh manages to build this backdrop of economic instability and social unrest through his precise screenplay and the film’s excellent production design. His character work is as strong as one would expect, and his dialogue is as sharp as ever, but it’s the intricate worldbuilding that really stands out inKing of the Hill.
AlthoughMidnight in Parisis often remembered for containing one ofOwen Wilson’s best movie roles,Brody’s supporting performance is arguably just as impressive. The film follows Wilson’s protagonist Gil, who travels to Paris with his fiance while working on his debut novel; when he is transported into a past version of the historic city, Gil encounters several recognizable faces and is inspired by their beguiling stories. It’s a narrative of hope and compassion, every scene outlined with Allen’s signature romanticism.
Brody’s role inMidnight in Parisis only a supporting one, but it leaves an impression nonetheless - he plays Spanish artist Salvador Dali, who encounters Wilson’s protagonist during a particularly confusing night in a Parisian bar. WhileBrody is best known for playing more subtle, toned-down charactersin lead roles, this project gives him full leave to try something louder and more comedic, which works surprisingly well. The film is brimming with romantic ideas and compelling character dynamics, making it one of Allen’s most comforting and rewatchable projects to date.
Terrence Malick’s films are known for their epic scope and often distressing themes, andThe Thin Red Linefalls neatly into that category.The movie centers around a group of WWII soldiers at the Guadalcanalon the Solomon Islands, where they face countless threats from the enemy and struggle to maintain the optimism and patriotism that brought them there in the first place. It’s one ofTerrence Malick’s best films, and one that’s stood the test of time better than most.
The Thin Red Lineis a relentless criticism of warfare, told from the perspective of those who suffer its consequences most viscerally. The film doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to depicting the horrors of war, and with its almost three-hour runtime, itmanages to fully immerse the audience in this worldand make them share the characters’ pain and suffering. Malick’s film is an extremely bleak watch, but it’s a significant one that everybody should experience at least once.
Another powerful collaboration between Adrien Brody and Wes Anderson,The Grand Budapest Hotelis arguably the filmmaker’s most ambitious project to date. It’sfilled with interweaving narratives and an enormous ensembleof talented actors, but somehow never allows itself to feel messy or overwhelming. The story follows a young bellboy at the titular hotel whose mentor is falsely accused of killing a wealthy dowager.
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With its eclectic cast of characters, gorgeous color palette, and well-written narrative that sucks the audience in from the beginning,The Grand Budapest Hotelis truly a modern masterpiece. It also featuresone of Adrien Brody’s funniest and most entertaining charactersto date - he plays Dmitri Desgoffe-und-Taxis, the villainous son of Tilda Swinton’s enigmatic murder victim. It’s a very bold and risky performance that easily could’ve come across as over-exaggerated, but Brody consistently manages to make it work.
The Brutalistis Adrien Brody’s most recent project, and it’s not hyperbolic to say that it’s one of his very best.The film tells the story of fictional architect Laszlo Toth, who traveled from Hungary to America to rebuild his career and achieve the wealth and success that he couldn’t find at home - but when he lands his first major client, Toth quickly learns about the hidden struggles of the American Dream.
Brody delivers a staggeringly empathetic performance that really pushes home the film’s key themes of success and sacrifice.
The Brutalisthas won countless awardsin the months leading up to this year’s Oscars ceremony, including multiple Best Actor recognitions for Adrien Brody. Alongside Corbet’s immersive direction and Lol Crawley’s artistic cinematography, he’s an integral part of this film and arguably the main reason that it works so well. Brody delivers a staggeringly empathetic performance that really pushes home the film’s key themes of success and sacrifice.
The Pianistisn’t the kind of film that audiences will be inspired to watch time and time again, butit’s a hugely important entry in Brody’s filmographythat allowed him to become the Hollywood star he’s seen as today. Polanski’s historical epic follows an acclaimed Polish musician named Wladyslaw, who finds himself separated from his family during the war and decides to hide in the ruins of occupied Warsaw.
Over two decades after the historic moment,Adrien Brodyremains one of theyoungest actors to ever win an Oscar. His performance inThe Pianistis an extremely vulnerable and emotional one that expertly captures how it must have felt to be so alone and afraid in such dangerous times for this country and its people. He takes the audience on a versatile journey throughout the film, balancing pure horror with tangible empathy in ways that never feel cliched or unearned.
