5 best Adrien Brody movies to watch if you loved him in The Brutalist
Adrien Brody has once again displayed his acting prowess in The Brutalist. In the movie, he portrays the role of László Tóth, a Jewish Holocaust survivor who emigrates to the U.S. in search of success. The performance bagged Brody his recent Golden Globe award and is expected to reign in more accolades as the awards season sets off.
The award-winning actor first graced the screen in the independent film The Boy Who Cried Bitch. Following this, his performances in Steven Soderbergh’s King of the Hill and Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line helped his career gain momentum.
His performance in The Brutalist is one of the many great roles he has played throughout his career. For viewers of the movie who loved his performance, here are 5 more Adrien Brody movies to watch.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed solely belong to the author of the article.
The Jacket, The Pianist and more great Adrien Brody movies to watch
1) Midnight in Paris (2011)
Adrien Brody depicts the renowned Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí in this Oscar-winning (Original Screenplay) movie. Written and directed by Woody Allen, the film is based around Gil Pender, an aspiring novelist who travels back in time to the 1920s at midnight each night. Salvador Dalí is one of the many characters the novelist keeps running into after midnight.
Despite his limited screen time in the movie, Brody’s acting capability and comedic timing shine through. He delivered one of the most memorable lines from the movie when he exclaimed “I see a rhinoceros!” as his interpretation of Gil Pender’s relationship problems.
Midnight in Paris features a stellar cast starring alongside Brody including actors Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Tom Hiddleston, and Micheal Sheen.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV
2) The Jacket (2005)
In one of his most underrated performances yet, Adrien Brody portrays the role of Jack Starks, a Gulf War veteran suffering from amnesia in The Jacket.
After being framed for murder, Brody’s character is committed to a hospital for the criminally insane where he undergoes experimental treatment. As part of the treatment, he is shoved into a morgue drawer which leads him to time travel back and forth between his present time in 1992 and the future in 2007.
Keira Knightley joins Brody in the movie as she tries to help him make sense of the happenings in both timelines.
Where to watch: Prime Video
3) The Pianist (2002)
Adrien Brody delivers one of his greatest performances in The Pianist. Brody plays Władysław Szpilman, a Polish Jewish radio station pianist. Szpilman ends up being separated from his family due to World War II and struggles to escape Nazi German soldiers.
Brody’s harrowing portrayal of a Holocaust survivor won him an Oscar in the Best Actor category, making him the youngest recipient in history.
The film is based on the memoir of Polish-Jewish pianist and Holocaust survivor Władysław Szpilman. Directed by Roman Polanski, the film was named one of the 21st century’s greatest films by the BBC in 2016.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Netflix
4) The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
The Darjeeling Limited helped Adrien Brody break free from the serious roles he had been playing until then to explore comedy and showcase his range as an actor. In an article for The Academy, he recalled his role in the film being a “big blessing.”
Brody wrote, “When you do certain films and roles and become known for them, I think it's harder for people to give you opportunities to find more levity. In talking about meaningful films like The Pianist and the implications of repercussions of those times in history, it’s not really the space to represent a more comedic aspect.”
In The Darjeeling Limited Adrien Brody plays Peter Whitman, one of three estranged brothers who meet in India after their father’s funeral to embark on a spiritual journey. The film also stars Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman in lead roles.
Where to watch: Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV
5) Detachment (2011)
Adrien Brody delivers another emotional performance in Detachment. In the movie, he plays the role of Henry Barthes, a substitute teacher who shuns emotional connections. Constantly changing schools to avoid developing a bond with his students, he inadvertently ends up connecting with a few troubled students at his new public school.
Brody, whose father is a history teacher, spoke about how he drew inspiration from his childhood for this movie in an interview with Variety.
“I grew up in the home of a teacher. When my character is guiding these kids and passionate about the work and feeling connected, those are all pulled from the essence from how my father communicates.”He shared with the magazine
Where to watch: Peacock, Prime Video, Netflix
These are a few of the many great movies in which Adrien Brody has acted. Viewers can also watch his performances in Liberty Heights (1999), King Kong (2005), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), and Son of Sam (1999).
