Paul Dano has performed a mess of complicated characters over the course of his over 20-year profession. His filmography is one that will make any aspiring actor jealous. Not solely has he starred in various broadly profitable and acclaimed movies, however he has additionally held his personal in opposition to appearing greats resembling Hugh Jackman and Daniel Day-Lewis. The most effective Paul Dano motion pictures are people who problem his appearing expertise and have him alongside his well-known friends. They’re motion pictures that fulfill each the cinephile and the informal movie-lover with thorough character research and fascinating plotlines.
In 2022 alone, Dano confirmed off his unimaginable vary in addition to his expertise for choosing fascinating tasks. He started the 12 months along with his unsettling villainous flip in The Batman as The Riddler and ended it along with his reserved and heartwarming fatherly position in The Fabelmans. Although two standard and acclaimed motion pictures are simply a part of the unimaginable assortment of flicks that Dano has been concerned in all through his profession. The most effective Paul Dano motion pictures have allowed him to develop into some of the fascinating actors in Hollywood as we speak.
20 L.I.E. (2001)
L.I.E is an unbiased drama that tells the story of a relationship between a 15-year-old boy and a middle-aged man. It premiered on the Sundance Movie Competition, the place it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. The film is a relatively disturbing and uncomfortable watch that options stand-out performances from its two leads. For his position as Howie, the teenage boy who enters into an inappropriate relationship with an grownup, Dano received the Impartial Spirit Award for Greatest Debut Efficiency, solidifying his rising position as an expert actor. His co-star Brian Cox was additionally nominated for Greatest Male Lead.
19 The King (2005)
The King is a 2005 drama starring Gael Garcia Bernal as Elvis Valderez, a discharged veteran who makes an attempt to forge a bond along with his father, regardless of having by no means met the person. Within the movie, Paul Dano portrays Paul Sandow, the son of an area pastor with whom Elvis stays whereas trying to find his father. Although The King tried to discover a significant plot within the midst of its overbearing drama, it failed to seek out its viewers, leaving lots of these concerned in its creation unrecognized for his or her work — and Dano himself must proceed on the lookout for his breakout position.
18 The Good Coronary heart (2009)
Paul Dano and Brian Cox labored collectively greater than as soon as, together with a really early position in Dano’s profession in L.I.E. when he was solely 17. Eight years later, they have been again collectively in The Good Coronary heart, the place Cox performs a bartender who has a coronary heart assault and Dano is a homeless man who tried suicide. The 2 find yourself sharing a hospital room and find yourself altering one another’s lives. The small film didn’t discover a lot of an viewers, although it had a good essential reception with the chemistry within the oddball pairing of Cox and Dano famous because the film’s spotlight.
17 The Ballad Of Jack And Rose (2005)
The Ballad of Jack and Rose is a star-studded movie with a solid that features Daniel-Day Lewis within the main position and Camilla Belle, Catherine Keener, Jason Lee, and Jena Malone in supporting roles. This drama additionally stars Paul Dano as Thaddius, a younger man who’s attacked to Belle’s character, advancing on her even when she is not herself. This position allowed Dano to entry a extra sinister aspect of his appearing ability, portending sure main roles in his future. Whereas the movie was not an all-out success, it did enable the younger actor to play the sort of position with which he was not notably acquainted.
16 Ruby Sparks (2012)
Within the romantic comedy Ruby Sparks, which was written by his accomplice Zoe Kazan, Dano performs a author named Calvin whose protagonist involves life. The protagonist, Ruby, is Calvin’s dream girlfriend. The plot of Ruby Sparks is totally distinctive and ingenious and initiates many conversations about relationships and energy. When Ruby begins to drag away from Calvin, he makes use of his typewriter to tweak her character in order that she continues to like him. Dano is great because the hopeless author, and there may be apparent chemistry between him and Kazan whereas Kazan herself was nominated for an Impartial Spirit Award for her screenplay.
15 The Emperor’s Membership (2002)
The Emperor’s Membership was a 2002 drama film with Kevin Kline starring as a trainer in a prep college who developed an curiosity in a scholar whose father, a U.S. Senator, does not appear to care about his training. This causes the trainer to do what he can to assist the younger man succeed. Paul Dano stars as Martin Blythe, one other scholar and one whose aspirations are dashed when Kline’s trainer cheats him out of an award to assist the senator’s son. Kline provides an exquisite efficiency main the younger solid, and whereas the film would possibly really feel overly acquainted at instances, it does have a stunning ending that elevates it.
14 The Lady Subsequent Door (2004)
Paul Dano has principally appeared in adult-oriented, typically darkish motion pictures. Nevertheless, he has some lighthearted fare in his physique of labor as nicely. That features the 2004 raunchy comedy The Lady Subsequent Door, the place Emile Hirsch realized the woman who moved in subsequent door that he begins so far was a porn star. Dano performs one in every of his finest mates within the film, Klitz. The film was a modest teen comedy hit and located extra followers on house video. Some dismiss it as a ripoff of Dangerous Enterprise whereas others see it as a loving homage.
13 Taking Woodstock (2009)
Taking Woodstock is a 2009 Ang Lee movie that’s primarily based on the memoir of Elliot Tiber and Tom Monte, who attended the notorious 1969 Woodstock Competition. Paul Dano performed one half of a hippie couple reverse Kelli Garner, marking comparatively small roles for the 2 actors. Although Taking Woodstock made the rounds at movie festivals, it was removed from the hit that the filmmakers have been hoping for, failing to resonate with critics or audiences. On condition that this was the follow-up to Ang Lee’s Greatest Director win for Brokeback Mountain, the film was a disappointment but nonetheless an interesting topic with a powerful solid.
12 Youth (2015)
Paul Dano stars alongside display legends Jane Fonda, Michael Caine, and Harvey Keitel on this Oscar-nominated drama directed by Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino. The movie follows a retired orchestra conductor, performed by Caine, who, whereas on trip along with his daughter and his finest pal, receives an invite to carry out for Prince Philip. Within the film, Dano performs a pissed off actor who’s vacationing on the identical resort. Youth competed for the Palme d’Or on the 2015 Cannes Movie Competition however misplaced out to Jacques Audiard’s movie Dheepan. The film was critically acclaimed for its intimate and compelling take a look at such grounded subject material whereas the performances have been highlighted as elevating the fabric additional.
11 Okja (2017)
Directed by Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho, Okja tells the story of a younger woman who befriends the genetically modified “tremendous pig” that her household raised as a part of a worldwide venture run by a big company. The movie is essential of the meat trade and incorporates a very off-brand efficiency by Jake Gyllenhaal as an eccentric tv persona. Within the movie, Dano performs the chief of the environmentalist group Animal Liberation Entrance who rescues Okja from the company. The actor obtained waves of reward for his efficiency, even amongst different hard-hitters like Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton, Steven Yeun and extra. The Netflix film was one other essential hit for Joon-ho, displaying his wonderful expertise for balancing totally different tones in a humorous, thrilling, and heartbreaking journey.
10 The place The Wild Issues Are (2009)
The place the Wild Issues Are is a 2009 live-action adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s iconic kids’s e-book. The movie, which is directed by Spike Jonze, follows the story of a younger boy named Max who’s whisked away to a fantastical land of his personal creativeness. Paul Dano voices Alexander, one of many “Wild Issues” who resembles a large goat. The movie obtained principally constructive critiques from critics, although it was removed from the smash success some have been anticipating. Nevertheless, maybe a part of the explanation for its underperforming is that Jonze prevented telling a easy family-friendly tackle the supply materials permitting the film to achieve a passionate following from those that cherished the dangerous strategy.
9 Looper (2012)
This science-fiction movie tells the story of a gaggle of individuals often known as “loopers,” employed assassins who execute the enemies of their employers which can be transported from the long run. Looper stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Joe, the youthful model of Bruce Willis’ looper. Dano performs a supporting position within the movie as Seth, a fellow looper and pal of Joe who will get into bother after failing to kill his older self when he reaches the top of his contract. His position is important for the suspenseful plot, and Dano performs the jittery and anxious Seth completely. Earlier than Rian Johnson stepped into the Star Wars universe, Looper was his first brush with the style and proved an enormous success. The modestly budgeted thriller was successful and stays standard on streaming providers due to its good and thrilling script.
8 Swiss Military Man (2016)
Swiss Military Man is perhaps some of the uncommon Paul Dano motion pictures ever made. Dano is Hank Thompson, a person marooned on an island who considers suicide earlier than he sees one other physique wash ashore. Whereas this can be a useless man, Hank begins to befriend the corpse, performed by Daniel Radcliffe, who can solely reply by farts. When the corpse in some way helps Hank get again house, issues get much more weird. Earlier than the directing duo often known as The Daniels helmed Greatest Image winner All the things In every single place All At As soon as, they teased their distinctive, chaotic, and impactful imaginative and prescient with Swiss Military Man which makes use of it odd idea to ship a robust and emotional story.
7 Love & Mercy (2014)
Love & Mercy is a biographical drama that follows The Seaside Boys chief Brian Wilson throughout two totally different phases in his life. The movie alternates between the Sixties, as Wilson works to finish his Pet Sounds album amidst his struggles along with his psychological well being, and the Nineteen Eighties when a closely medicated Wilson is underneath the management of his therapist. Dano performs the Sixties Wilson to John Cusack’s Nineteen Eighties model. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his position and obtained reward from viewers calling it one in every of Dano’s finest performances of his profession. The film itself was seen as a refreshing tackle the drained music biopic style.
6 Prisoners (2013)
Prisoners, the thriller by Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, tells the story of Dover (Hugh Jackman), a person who seeks vengeance after his daughter is kidnapped and the police fail to seek out her. Prisoners is a darkish movie whose plot twists provoke a lot dialogue among the many viewers. Within the movie, Dano performs Alex, a person who lives in an RV the place Dover’s daughter was final seen. After he’s launched by the police, Alex is kidnapped by Dover, who tortures him in an try and get a confession. Dano provides probably the greatest performances of his profession because the broken Alex. It’s a gripping and darkish thriller that leaves the viewers on the sting of their seats proper up till Prisoner’s highly effective ending.
5 Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Little Miss Sunshine is an unbiased comedy a couple of dysfunctional household that goes on a street journey after the daughter qualifies for a magnificence pageant. Dano performs Dwayne, the teenage son who has taken a vow of silence till he completes his life purpose of turning into a pilot. Though he doesn’t converse for almost all of the movie, Dano nonetheless manages to seize the viewer’s consideration along with his portrayal of the rebellious and tortured teen. When he lastly speaks after discovering out that he can by no means fulfill his dream, it is like a bomb has been launched. Little Miss Sunshine was seen as a small stunning success story with the indie incomes a Greatest Image nomination and over $100 million on the field workplace.
4 The Batman (2022)
Paul Dano took on the villain position in The Batman, reverse Robert Pattinson. It went down as one of many highest-rated motion pictures of Dano’s profession, kickstarting a brand new franchise for the DC Comics character, portending the return of the Riddler in some capability within the close to future. Dano starred as The Riddler, however this was a really totally different portrayal than what followers have seen earlier than. For a lot of the film, he was a fundamental serial killer of Gotham’s elite and corrupt. Followers cherished Dano’s efficiency, even when it wasn’t the character most followers acknowledged. Matt Reeves’ gritty tackle the Caped Crusader has been praised as the very best iteration since Christopher Nolan’s Darkish Knight trilogy. Unsurprisingly, there may be loads of anticipation for the upcoming The Batman 2.
3 The Fabelmans (2022)
The Fabelmans is the newest movie from legendary director Steven Spielberg, which tells a semi-autobiographical story about his childhood and early love of cinema. The movie additionally acts as a tribute to the artwork of filmmaking, whereas additionally trying on the household drama that helped to form Spielberg’s youthful years. Michelle Williams performs younger Sammy Fabelman’s mom whereas Paul Danos performs his father. Dano provides a reserved efficiency that was praised by critics. The film itself was known as an attractive love letter to Spielberg’s ardour in addition to his dad and mom. It earned seven Oscar nominations, together with Greatest Image.
2 12 12 months A Slave (2013)
12 Years A Slave is a biographical drama that tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free Black man in New York State in 1841 who’s bought into slavery. Paul Dano performs a supporting position as John Tibeats, a slave driver on the plantation who tries to lynch Northup. The movie is predicated on the autobiography of the identical title and obtained widespread essential acclaim and received the Oscar for Greatest Image, Greatest Supporting Actress, and Greatest Tailored Screenplay. Dano performs a small position within the movie although memorable as a vicious plantation employee whose impotency exhibits as quickly as his cruelty is challenged.
1 There Will Be Blood (2007)
In Paul Thomas Anderson’s fifth characteristic movie, Dano works double-time taking part in twins Paul and Eli Sunday. Nevertheless, his efficiency as Eli, the native preacher in a small city in California, stands out among the many two. Though his character cowers underneath Daniel Day-Lewis’ oilman Daniel Plainview, Dano matches him in appearing capability. There Will Be Blood was nominated for 8 awards on the 2008 Oscars, successful for Greatest Actor for Day-Lewis and Greatest Cinematography. Day-Lewis’ efficiency is towering with many calling it one of many biggest film performances of all time. Although Dano is overshadowed, he’s nonetheless wonderful within the complicated position. Anderson creates an epic story of obsession and greed that earned There Will Be Blood a repute as one of many twenty first century’s finest motion pictures to date.