The 10 Best Pete Postlethwaite Movies, Ranked (2024)

The term “character actor” can often be viewed as a derisive one that refers to actors who never reach the level of commercial popularity like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, or Denzel Washington. However, being a “cinematic chameleon” has merits in its own rights, as sometimes actors succeed when they are able to transform themselves for any given role. Pete Postlethwaite may have never been the star of a major project, but he’s appeared in some of the best films of the past several decades.

Postlethwaite's aptitude for playing strange and usual characters have made him a favorite actor of directors like Steven Spielberg, who often cast him in roles that many of his contemporaries would have turned down. While he is now sadly gone, Postlethwaite leaves behind a great legacy of cult genre classics, excellent franchise sequels, and more than a few prestigious biopics. Here are the ten best Pete Postlethwaite movies, ranked.

10 ‘Animal Farm’ (1999)

Directed by John Stephenson

George Orwell’s highly metaphorical classic novel Animal Farm has been taught in school for generations because of its relevance to the politics of the Cold War era. While there have been many attempts to bring the novel to the big screen, the 1999 adaptation of Animal Farm from director John Stephenson captures the unflinchingly bleak tone of the original source material. Postlethwaite plays the important role of the abusive farmer whose animals decide to stage a revolution against in order to establish their own government.

Postlethwaite deserves a lot of credit for signing on to the role, as it would have been easy for him to look very silly when compared to the talking animals. Nonetheless, Animal Farm works as a disturbing parallel to the evils of fascism that is more relevant today than it has ever been; Postlethwaite’s intensity proved that is almost certainly not a film for younger viewers.

Watch on Prime Video

9 ‘Alien 3’ (1992)

Directed by David Fincher

Alien 3is almost certainly one of the most underrated science fiction sequels ever made. Audiences may have expected a more straightforward frightfest like Ridley Scott’s Alien or another action-packed blockbuster like James Cameron’s Aliens; instead, David Fincher created a disturbing prison movie the delved into how Ellen Ripley (Sigoruney Weaver) coped with the death of her “nuclear family.” Postlethwaite has a key role as one of the prison’s most intimidating inhabitants.

The Alien franchise is superior to other science fiction sagas because the characters all feel like they exist within a recognizable version of reality. Postlethwaite's performance works brilliantly because he acts like he is in a legitimately grounded prison film, and not the third entry in a densely packed science fiction blockbuster series. The subsequent film Alien: Resurrection failed because it did not have an actor who could fill Postlethwaite's shoes.

Alien 3

r

Action

Horror

Sci-Fi

See Also

Oscar-nominated actor Pete Postlethwaite dies aged 64Actor Pete Postlethwaite dies: Your memoriesStars pay tribute to Pete PostlethwaiteMake the Case: 5 Best Pete Postlethwaite Performances

Thriller

Returning from LV-426, Ellen Ripley crash-lands on the maximum-security prison Fiorina 161, where she discovers that she has unwittingly brought along an unwelcome visitor.

Release Date

May 22, 1992

Director

David Fincher

Cast

Sigourney Weaver , Charles S. Dutton , Charles Dance , Paul McGann , Brian Glover , Ralph Brown

Runtime

114minutes

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Writers

Dan O'Bannon , Ronald Shusett , Vincent Ward , David Giler , Walter Hill , Larry Ferguson

Studio

20th Century Fox

Tagline

The bitch is back.

Watch on Hulu

8 ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ (1997)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

The expectations that The Lost World: Jurassic Park were tremendous, as the 1993 film Jurassic Park had surpassed all expectations and become the highest grossing film ever made. However, The Lost World: Jurassic Park was a far darker sequel that delved into the twisted morality of the human characters. While obviously the audience was there to see the dinosaurs create carnage, Postlethwaite was equally compelling as a ruthless animal hunter who wants to hunt the creatures for sport.

Postlethwaite did a great job at providing a villain who was worthy of Jeff Goldblum’s Ian Malcolm, a character who had quickly become a fan favorite of the series. While Malcolm is a character defined by his highly personable behavior, Postelthwaite managed to give a genuinely sinister performance that got under his skin, positing him as a more emphatic protagonist for the second entry in the blockbuster series.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

pg-13

Sci-Fi

Adventure

Release Date

May 19, 1997

Director

Steven Speilberg

Cast

Jeff Goldblum , Julianne Moore , Pete Postlethwaite

Runtime

134minutes

Main Genre

Action

Writers

Steven Speilberg

Tagline

Something has survived.

Watch on Tubi

7 ‘Amistad’ (1997)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Postlethwaite was undeniably a favorite actor of Spielberg’s, which makes sense considering that he cast him in one of the most challenging films of his career. Amistad is a gripping work of historical drama that examines the evils of America’s past as it relates to slavery and judicial ignorance. The film explores the trial held to determine the fate of the slaves of the Amistad, who overthrew their oppressors and took the ship for themselves. Postelthwaite joins an excellent cast as one of the many members of the judicial proceedings.

Postlethwaite did a great job at capturing the mannerisms of the era in a way that felt accurate, thus making the empowering story about the slaves freeing themselves more effective. Amistad, like many of the historical films that Spielberg has made, works because it amidst that there are few clean cut heroes in history.

Amistad

R

Drama

History

Mystery

Amistad is a historical drama directed by Steven Spielberg, depicting the 1839 mutiny aboard the Spanish slave ship La Amistad. Starring Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey, and Anthony Hopkins, the film follows the legal battle faced by the captured Africans as they fight for their freedom in American courts. Spielberg's film sheds light on complex issues of slavery, justice, and human rights in early 19th-century America.

Release Date

December 10, 1997

Director

Steven Spielberg

Cast

Morgan Freeman , Nigel Hawthorne , Anthony Hopkins , Djimon Hounsou , Matthew McConaughey , David Paymer

Runtime

155 minutes

Main Genre

Drama

Writers

David Franzoni

Tagline

Freedom is not given. It is our right, at birth. But there are moments in time when it must be taken.

Website

http://www.amistad-thefilm.com/

Watch on Prime Video

6 ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ (1992)

Directed by Michael Mann

Given the patient, paternal presence that Postlethwaite often brings to his screen performances, it's not all that surprising that he is often cast as an authoritative military figure. Postlethwaite plays a key role in The Last of the Mohicansas Captain Beams, a military leader who witnesses the conflict between Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Magua (Wes Studi). Accuracy is often a highlight of Michael Mann’s work, and there’s not a second of Postlethwaite's performance that is not completely believable.

The Last of the Mohicans succeeded where other adaptations of the novel failed because it was willing to engage with the Native American culture, and show the challenges that came with Manifest Destiny and cross-culturalism. Although it works as an adventure story with a sweeping sense of romance first and foremost, Mann does not ignore the realities of the history that he is dealing with.

The Last of the Mohicans

R

Action

Adventure

Drama

History

Release Date

September 25, 1992

Director

Michael Mann

Cast

daniel day-lewis , Madeleine Stowe , Russell Means , Eric Schweig , Jodhi May , Steven Waddington

Runtime

112 minutes

Main Genre

Drama

Writers

James Fenimore Cooper , John L. Balderston , Paul Perez , Daniel Moore , Philip Dunne , Michael Mann

Tagline

The first American hero.

See Also

Pete Postlethwaite on his road to stardom

Rent on Amazon

5 ‘Romeo + Juliet’ (1996)

Directed by Baz Luhrmann

Romeo + Julietis unlike any other interpretation of William Shakespeare’s most iconic romantic tragedy. While Baz Luhrmann chose to retain all the original dialogue from the classic text, he reframes the story of Romeo’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) lusting for Juliet (Claire Danes) in the Verona Beach in modern times. This has a unique way of modernizing the material, and showing how Shakespeare’s words are relevant to any context.

Postlethwaite has an important role in Romeo + Juliet as the priest that marries the two lovers before they each take their own lives in the story’s iconic tragic ending. It’s the rare moment of jubilation within the story, and Postlethwaite gives an appropriately measured performance that still fits within the erratic tone that Luhrmann is intending to create. It’s impressive that his work was so noteworthy in a stacked cast that also includes Paul Sorvino, John Leguizamo, and Brian Dennehy among others.

Romeo + Juliet

PG-13

Drama

Romance

Shakespeare's famous play is updated to the hip modern suburb of Verona still retaining its original dialogue.

Release Date

November 1, 1996

Director

Baz Luhrmann

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio , Claire Danes , John Leguizamo , Harold Perrineau , Pete Postlethwaite , Paul Sorvino

Runtime

120 minutes

Main Genre

Drama

Writers

William Shakespeare , Craig Pearce , Baz Luhrmann

Studio

20th Century Fox

Tagline

My only love sprung from my only hate.

Watch on The Criterion Channel

4 ‘The Town’ (2010)

Directed by Ben Affleck

The Townis much more than a standard heist movie because it engages with the personal lives of its criminal characters. Few characters within the Town are more intimidating than Postlethwaite's “Fergie,” an Irish mobster who disguises himself as a simple florist. It’s Fergie’s strict command of loyalty that forces Doug (Ben Affleck) to undertake a dangerous heist that changes his life forever.

Postlethwaite's performance in The Town showed just how much he could add to a film within a limited capacity. Even though he has only a few lines, Fergie’s demands are the inciting incident of the story, and can be terrifying without lifting a finger. Although Postlethwaite did end up receiving a posthumous nomination at the BAFTA awards for Best Supporting Actor, he was unfortunately overlooked by the Academy Awards, who chose to nominate Jeremy Renner in the same category.

The Town

R

Crime

Drama

Thriller

Directed by and starring Ben Affleck, The Town is a crime thriller detailing a robber developing romantic feelings for one of his victims after a robbery takes place. As these complicated feelings develop, the team makes plans to Rob Fenway Park. Aside from Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Blake Lively, and Jeremy Renner also star in the movie.

Release Date

September 15, 2010

Director

Ben Affleck

Cast

Ben Affleck , Rebecca Hall , Jon Hamm , Jeremy Renner , Blake Lively , Slaine

Runtime

123 minutes

Main Genre

Crime

Writers

Peter Craig , Ben Affleck , Aaron Stockard , Chuck Hogan

Tagline

Welcome to the bank robbery capital of America.

Website

http://www.thetownmovie.com/

Rent on Amazon

3 ‘Inception’ (2010)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Inception is certainly one of the most ambitious science fiction films ever made, as Christopher Nolan managed to build a totally original examination of dreams and nightmares that nonetheless succeeded as a character study about its flawed protagonists. While the mission by Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) to return home to his children is the emotional crux of the story, the central scheme to get the son (Cillian Murphy) of a powerful business tycoon (Postlethwaite) to split up his father’s empire ends up becoming unexpectedly moving.

Postlethwaite and Murphy share a heartfelt father-son conversation at the end of the film that speaks to the importance of creating one’s own legacy without concerns about formal familial obligations. Considering that the film itself was released shortly before Postlethwaite’s death, the performance makes the jaw-dropping final act of Inception even more moving in retrospect.

Inception

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Mystery

Sci-Fi

Thriller

A thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O., but his tragic past may doom the project and his team to disaster.

Release Date

July 15, 2010

Director

Christopher Nolan

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio , Ken Watanabe , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Marion Cotillard , elliot page , Tom Hardy

Runtime

148

Main Genre

Action

Writers

Christopher Nolan

Studio

Warner Bros. Pictures

Tagline

This summer, your mind is the scene of the crime.

Website

http://inceptionmovie.warnerbros.com/

Rent on Amazon

2 ‘The Usual Suspects’ (1995)

Directed by Bryan Singer

The Usual Suspects is known for having one of the greatest plot twists in movie history, but it's somewhat underrated for how genuinely entertaining the film is as a neo-noir crime thriller. The film has a brilliant hook revolving around the cowardly criminal Verbal (Kevin Spacey), who claims to possess knowledge about a mastermind known as “Keyser Soze.” Postelthwaite appears as the mysterious Mr. Kobayashi, who claims to represent Soze’s interests.

Postlethwaite's performance is intimidating because he is the audience’s only link to the reality of Soze before his true identity is revealed in the now iconic final shot. The Usual Suspects may not be a particularly easy film for some fans to rewatch considering the allegations of sexual assault leveled against both Spacey and director Bryan Singer, but Postelthwaite undeniably gives one of his best performances in the film.

The Usual Suspects

R

Crime

Mystery

Thriller

The sole survivor of a pier shoot-out tells the story of how a notorious criminal influenced the events that began with five criminals meeting in a seemingly random police lineup.

Release Date

July 19, 1995

Director

Bryan Singer

Cast

Gabriel Byrne , Benicio Del Toro , Kevin Pollak , Kevin Spacey , Chazz Palminteri

Runtime

106 minutes

Main Genre

Crime

Writers

Christopher McQuarrie

Studio

Gramercy Pictures

Tagline

Five Criminals . One Line Up . No Coincidence.

Website

http://www.mgm.com/usualsuspects/

Watch on Tubi

1 ‘In The Name of the Father’ (1993)

Directed by Jim Sheridan

Postlethwaite's only Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor couldn’t have been more deserving, because In The Name of the Father is one of the most moving and upsetting courtroom dramas ever made. Based on a disturbing true story, Jim Sheridan’s 1993 masterpiece explores an Irish father (Postlethwaite) and son (Daniel Day-Lewis) who are falsely accused of staging an IRA bombing, and imprisoned for years.

Postlethwaite and Day-Lewis have an amazing father-son connection that delves into the depth of masculine sensitivity. Postlethwaite's character is particularly emphatic, as he is willing to put his own livelihood at stake for the sake of protecting his son’s innocence. Tommy Lee Jones may have ended up walking away with the Oscar for his impressive performance in The Fugitive, but it's hard to argue that Postlethwaite didn’t deserve to win the trophy for his all-time great work in In The Name of the Father.

Rent on Amazon

KEEP READING: Every Jack Ryan Movie, Ranked By Rewatchability