The 21st century has seen a remarkable evolution within the history of Hollywood, as the film industry has become more reliant than ever beforeon developing blockbuster franchisesthat generate massive financial success. While this is a significant change from the way in which the industry used to be operated, film fans can still have hope for the future based on the extraordinary number of great actors that are still working.
Although it may be easy to bemoan the lack of movie stars,there have been many fresh faces that have emerged throughout the 21st century, and many living legends that have continued to do great work. Every franchise will ultimately fade from relevance at some point, butit is the great characters and the performersthat embodied them that will ultimately stand the test of time. Here are the ten most perfectly acted movies of the 21st century, ranked.
10‘Mystic River’ (2003)
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Mystic Riveris one of the best filmsthat was directed by Clint Eastwood, a former actor who has a keen ability to get the most out of his talented cast.Mystic Riveris a deeply unsettling crime drama about the ramifications of generational trauma and childhood abuse;Sean Pennhas never been as starkly terrifying or completely heartbreaking as he is inMystic River, as his performance won him the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Although the greatKevin Baconshows once again why he’s among the most “in-demand” character actors working today,the devastating performance by Tim Robbins is what makesMystic Rivermore impactful than most crime thrillers.Robbins won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance inMystic River, and dedicated his victory to the victims of abuse that he so beautifully embodied with his soul-shattering performance.
Mystic River
The tragic murder of a 19-year-old girl reunites three childhood friends still living in Boston–the victim’s gangster father, a detective, and the disturbed man they both suspect of killing her.
Rent on Amazon
9‘The Holdovers’ (2023)
Directed by Alexander Payne
The Holdovershas instantly solidified itself as a modern Christmas classic, even if it does not have a scale comparable to the ensembles inLove ActuallyorThe Holiday. WhatThe Holdoversdoes have is three amazing performances from actors that completely embody their characters; by the time thatAlexander Payne’sheartfelt dramedy wraps up, the characters begin to feel a little bit like family.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, as she completely embodied a sense of optimism and kindness that is rarely seen on screen. WhilePaul Giamattiis just as brilliant as one may imagine from one of the greatest living actors, it was the discovery of breakout starDominic Sessa, making his debut with the first film role of his entire career,that truly madeThe Holdoversfeel like something special.
The Holdovers
A cranky history teacher at a remote prep school is forced to remain on campus over the holidays with a troubled student who has no place to go.
Watch on Prime Video
8‘Marriage Story’ (2019)
Directed by Noah Baumbach
Marriage Storyis among the most devastating movies evermade about a broken family,as it succeeds in showing that both warring parties may still have affection for each other.Adam DriverandScarlett Johanssondo the best work of their respective careers, as the non-linear way in whichNoah Baumbachconstructs his story allows for them to both show moments of affection and difficult arguments.
Although both Driver and Johansson were nominated for their work,Laura Dern won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actressfor her performance as a vindictive lawyer who threatens to tear the couple apart in the most bitter way possible.Marriage Storyis also a real “who’s who” when it comes to legendary character actors that pop up in small roles, as legends likeRay LiottaandWallace Shawnare gifted with scenes that allow them an opportunity in the spotlight.
Marriage Story
Directed by Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story follows Charlie and Nicole Barber, a theater director and his actress wife, through the dramatic disintegration of their marriage and subsequent divorce. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson star as Charlie and Nicole, with a further cast that includes Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta.
Watch on Netflix
7‘The Brutalist’ (2004)
Directed by Brady Corbet
The Brutlalisthas already established itself as one of the best films of the 21st century, and could feasibly be remembered as a classic in the vein ofThe GodfatherorThe Deer Hunterin the years that come. At the center of the film is an outstanding performance byAdrien Brodyas a Jewish architecttrying to achieve the American dream; while Brody famously became the youngest actor ever to win the Best Actor Oscar for his work inThe Pianist, his work inThe Brutalistindicates just how much he has grown on screen.
Brody’s work is nearly impossible to forget, butThe Brutalistfeatures one of the most terrifying villains in recent memorythanks to the performance byGuy Pearce, an actor who has always deserved more credit for the versatility that he has shown himself to be capable of.
The Brutalist
The Brutalist follows visionary architect László Toth and his wife Erzsébet as they flee Europe, aiming to rebuild their legacy in modern America. Their journey takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious and wealthy client alters the course of their lives, intertwining ambition with the challenges of a new world.
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6‘Lincoln’ (2012)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Lincolnis a powerful biographical drama about one of the most important moments in American history, andSteven Spilebergput together an amazing cast of actors to embody many of these iconic historical figures. There isn’t a bad performance inLincoln,but it was the career-defining performance by the greatDaniel Day-Lewisasthe 16th President of the United States that won him the third Academy Award for Best Actor in his career.
Day-Lewis manages to capture the softness, humanity, and charisma of Lincoln, andSally Fieldis just as compelling as his embittered wife, Mary Todd. Although Day-Lewis is impossible to look away from whenever he is on the screen,Lincolnalso features impressive work fromTommy Lee Jones, Walton Goggins, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adam Driver, Hal Holbrook, James Spader, Jared Harris, David Strathairn, Lee Pace, Jackie Earl Haley,andJeremy Strong.
As the Civil War rages on, U.S President Abraham Lincoln struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on his decision to emancipate the slaves.
5‘Brokeback Mountain’ (2005)
Directed by Ang Lee
Brokeback Mountainis one of thegreatest romantic dramas ever made,and broke new ground for Hollywood in terms of LGTQIA representation; although it infamously lostthe Academy Award for Best Pictureto the overrated dramaCrash,Brokeback Mountainwill continue to be cited as a masterful classic in the years to come.
The chemistry between Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger is absolutely extraordinary; both actors were nominated for their performances, and were able to play their characters over the course of many decades as their relationship evolves, and becomes more tragic.Ang Leeis a filmmaker who is sensitive to giving every character a chance to shine, asBrokeback Mountainstill spends time dedicated to the female characters portrayed byAnne HathawayandMichelle Williams. The intimacy, honesty, and timely message about acceptance and love makeBrokeback Mountaina truly heroic feat of filmmaking.
Brokeback Mountain
Ennis and Jack are two shepherds who develop a sexual and emotional relationship. Their relationship becomes complicated when both of them get married to their respective girlfriends.
Watch on Max
4‘The Social Network’ (2010)
Directed by David Fincher
The Social Networkis the film that seemingly defined a generation, asDavid Fincherwas able to capture the unique ways in which communication and relationships had changed through the development of technology and the Internet. Although it promises to be an epic origin story about how Facebook changed the world,The Social Networkreveals itself to be avery personal character dramaabout the splintering of a single relationship.
Jesse Eisneberg is able to capture all the mannerisms of Mark Zuckerberg, and pulls off a performance that is surprisingly empathetic before it becomes completely terrifying. Although Eisenberg received his first and only Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance, it is unfortunate thatAndrew Garfieldwas not also recognized by the Oscars for his amazing work, as Eduardo is in many ways the heart of the film.
The Social Network
As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.
Watch on Paramount Plus
3‘The Departed’ (2006)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
The Departedis a masterpiece that only Martin Scorsese would have been capable of, as he managed to remix elements of the classicInfernal Affairsaction trilogy and turn it into an epic, sprawling crime saga about the development of the mafia in modern day Boston.
Jack Nicholson is aboutley unleashedwith his role as Frank Costello, a character that certainly ranks among the most memorable villains in recent memory. Although it was surprisinglyMark Wahlbergthat received an Oscar nomination for his hilarious performance as the scene-stealing, foul-mouthed Sergeant Dignam,Leonardo DiCaprioplays a very dynamic, dark hero, andMatt Damonwas able to show one of the more despicable characters of his career. BetweenAlec Baldwinas a police captain andMartin Sheenas a lifelong cop,The Departedwas able to cast amazing performers in even the most minor of roles.
The Departed
An undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.
Watch on Tubi
2‘Once Upon A Time in Hollywood’ (2019)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Once Upon A Time in Hollywoodwas the ultimate love letter by Quentin Tarantinoto the “Golden Age of Hollywood,”as the film celebrates an age of innocence before the murder ofSharon Tatetriggered significant changes within the way that the industry developed new projects.
Brad Pitt deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actorfor his role as Cliff Booth, a charismatic stuntman who ends up being able to change history for the better. However, DiCaprio was also nominated for what may have been the most vulnerable performance of his career; playing a struggling actor facing anxieties about his future may have been a role that he could relate to. As with every Tarantino film,Once Upon A Time In Hollywoodfeatures an amazing ensemble; some of the memorable supporting players in the film includeKurt Russell, Timothy Olyphant, Margaret Qualley, Bruce Dern, Dakota Fanning, Sidney Sweeney,andLena Dunham.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
A faded television actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the final years of Hollywood’s Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles.
Watch on Hulu
1‘There Will Be Blood’ (2007)
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
There Will Be Bloodfeatures a performance by Day-Lewis that is often cited as one of the greatest of all-time.Although winning the Academy Award for Best Actor was certainly recognition of his great work, Day-Lewis’ performance inThere Will Be Bloodhas continued to age well as the ultimate example of what a great anti-hero should look like.
Day-Lewis showed an extraordinary amount of vulnerability, rage, and entitlementplaying a character that was utterly revolting, yet never less than completely compelling to watch. While spending theentirety of a historical epicin the company of a character that was so vile may have been a challenge, the strong supporting performance byPaul Danohelps ensure thatThere Will Be Bloodis more balanced in terms of its division of time. It is because of his work inThere Will Be Bloodthat every new Day-Lewis movie feels like an event.
There Will Be Blood
A story of family, religion, hatred, oil and madness, focusing on a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business.
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