10 Best Jesse Plemons Movies, Ranked
It often takes an actor many years to establish themselves before they earn the reputation of being one of the best of their generation. However, Jesse Plemons has firmly established himself as one of the most exciting actors working today despite his relative youth. While Plemons built the foundation of his career through his scene-stealing performances on Friday Night Lights, Breaking Bad, and Fargo, he’s certainly managed to appear in more than a few modern classic films.
Great actors often choose talented collaborators, and Plemons has worked with many of the greatest filmmakers in cinema. Between Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Yorgos Lanthimos, and Charlie Kaufman, Plemons has a wealth of experience to draw from. While there’s no doubt he will remain a mesmerizing figure on the small screen, it’s exciting to think about where Plemons’ cinematic career will head next. These are Plemons' best movies so far, showcasing his versatility as a performer and his ability to pull focus, even when he only has one scene.
10 ‘Vice’ (2018)
Directed by Adam McKay
A razor-sharp satire about the reign of one of American history’s most enigmatic figures, Vice weaponizes Plemons to create one of the most shocking plot twists in recent memory. Plemons serves as the film’s narrator, explaining how Dick Cheney (Christian Bale) used his power and influence to expand the power of the Vice President of the United States. While Plemons serves as the rare friendly face in a film filled with villains, a twist reveals that it was his heart that Cheney used as his transplant.
Adam McKay is best known for his more comedic films starring Will Ferrell and other popular comedians, but Vice is a harrowing examination of the issues that still affect the world today. The film has some unorthodox ways of making its points, including a bizarre musical sequence that can feel a tad jarring at first. However, it's the strength of actors like Plemons that makes the material so refreshing, engaging, and often disturbing.
9 ‘Bridge of Spies’ (2015)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Sometimes, working with a great director means taking a small part, which might explain why Plemons’ role in Spielberg’s 2015 spy thriller Bridge of Spies is fairly brief. Despite not having many lines, Plemons plays an important role as Joe Murphy, an American CIA trainee captured by the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War. In order to secure his release, American lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks) negotiates to trade Murphy in exchange for Russian spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance).
Bridge of Spies is an excellent spy thriller with a more realistic approach to espionage. It takes its time to examine Donovan’s reasoning and principles, allowing it to showcase the human aspect of this otherwise political trade. Despite the brevity of his screen time, Plemons effectively conveys the importance of Murphy’s mission and why his safety is of the utmost importance to the United States military. It's tough to be memorable with only a few scenes, but Plemons aces the task.
Bridge of Spies
PG-13ThrillerDrama Where to Watch*Availability in US
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Release Date October 15, 2015 Cast Tom Hanks , Mark Rylance , Amy Ryan , Alan Alda , Billy Magnussen , Eve Hewson Runtime 135 minutes Writers Ethan Coen , Joel Coen8 ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ (2021)
Directed by Shaka King
An incendiary and inspirational analysis of history, Judas and the Black Messiahexamines systematic racism and governmental corruption in a manner that couldn’t feel more relevant today. Plemons plays the role of the FBI agent Roy Mitchell, who convinced criminal Bill O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) to work as an undercover agent to inform on Fred Hampton’s (Daniel Kaluuya) activities as the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party.
Judas and the Black Messiah contains one of Plemons’ most villainous characters. Mitchell uses fear and intimidation to create a conspiracy within the Black Panther Party, allowing Plemons to shine with a creepy and menacing performance. His terrifying work, as well as the film’s tragic ending, ensure that Judas and the Black Messiah is a great movie that may be too disturbing to watch again.
Judas and the Black Messiah
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Release Date February 12, 2021 Cast Jesse Plemons , Daniel Kaluuya , LaKeith Stanfield , Martin Sheen , Dominique Fishback , Ashton Sanders Runtime 126 Writers Will Berson , Shaka King , Keith Lucas , The Lucas Brothers7 ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2023)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
While he doesn’t appear until the final act of Martin Scorsese’s nearly four-hour crime epic, Plemons plays a pivotal role in Killers of the Flower Moon. He stars as the real Bureau of Investigation Agent Thomas White Sr., dispatched by the federal government to investigate the murders committed on Osage territory in Oklahoma. Plemons perfectly embodies the diligence and commitment White had in handling this critical investigation; it was his work that led to the arrest of King Schultz (Robert De Niro) and his cronies.
Killers of the Flower Moon is an absorbing epic that examines the disturbing ramifications of generational violence, and ensures that the perspective of the Osage people that is most prominent. While the storyline featuring White is important in the film’s historical context, Scorsese makes the right decision to put the victims at the center of the narrative. Through his unique ability to command the screen, Plemons is striking without ever pulling too much focus.
Killers of the Flower Moon
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Release Date October 20, 2023 Cast Leonardo DiCaprio , Robert De Niro , Lily Gladstone , Jesse Plemons , John Lithgow , Brendan Fraser , Tantoo Cardinal , Cara Jade Myers Runtime 206 minutes Writers David Grann , Eric Roth 6 ‘The Master’ (2012)
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Plemons is an actor whose career could be compared to that of the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman, as they both have incredible range and often play scene-stealing idiosyncratic characters. It only makes sense that Plemons plays the son of Hoffman’s character in The Master. Paul Thomas Anderson’s modern masterpiece stars Hoffman as the founder of an enigmatic organization that preys upon emotionally stunted young men and pushes them to think more radically about society and politics.
The Master is a brilliant examination of how a cult of personality can become seductive and features astounding work from Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Amy Adams. Plemons may not have a huge role, but he plays a pivotal part in “humanizing” Hoffman’s character by showing his fragile personal life. It speaks to Plemons’ great screen presence that he is able to hold his own when in the company of such a stacked supporting cast.
The Master
RDramaPsychologicalRelease Date September 7, 2012 Cast Joaquin Phoenix , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Amy Adams , Laura Dern Runtime 137 minutes Writers Paul Thomas Anderson5 ‘Civil War’ (2024)
Directed by Alex Garland
Both a thrilling work of dystopian sci-fi and a disturbing analysis of modern political instability, Alex Garland’s Civil War presents a shocking vision of the United States torn apart by domestic combat. Although the film focuses on the journalists Lee (Kirsten Dunst) and Joel (Wagner Moura”) as they attempt to interview the President of the United States (Nick Offerman), Plemons has an important scene as an enemy soldier hiding a series of murders.
It’s impossible to forget Plemons’ character, as he is a radicalized militia member whose xenophobia leads him to commit shocking acts of murder. While determining the theme of Civil War may be difficult given the film’s lack of exposition, Plemons’ character encapsulates the toxic masculinity and lack of reason that Garland is warning against. The film has no shortage of shocking moments, but the plainspoken vitriol that Plemons conveys in his performance is perhaps its most disturbing moment.
Civil War
RDramaActionRelease Date April 26, 2024 Cast Nick Offerman , Kirsten Dunst , Cailee Spaeny , Wagner Moura , Sonoya Mizuno , Jefferson White Writers Alex Garland4 ‘Game Night’ (2018)
Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein
Although he may have built the foundation of his career on playing cold and austere characters, Game Night proves Plemons has a great sense of comic timing. The suburban action comedy follows a group of adults who gather for a weekly “game night,” only to find themselves at the center of a real crime ring. Plemons co-stars as the idiosyncratic police officer Gary Kingsbury, who remains confused as to why he is no longer invited to join them for evening festivities.
Plemons’ blunt line delivery and melancholy performances make Game Night even funnier, as it comes in contrast to the more eccentric performances by Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams. It hopefully won’t be the last time that Plemons appears in a star-studded ensemble comedy, as he is an absolute scene-stealer in a film filled with comedic veterans. His delivery and uneasy yet comedic performance are a large reason why Game Night has become such a modern classic.
Game Night
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Release Date February 22, 2018 Cast Jason Bateman , Rachel McAdams , Kyle Chandler , Sharon Horgan , Billy Magnussen , Lamorne Morris Runtime 100 minutes Writers Mark Perez3 ‘The Irishman’ (2019)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
While The Master allowed him to act alongside Hoffman, Plemons got to play the son of another great actor when he was cast as Chuckie O’Brien in The Irishman. As the foster son of Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), O’Brien works in close relation with Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) yet remains ignorant of the conspiracy to assassinate his father. Plemons’ reaction to Hoffa’s shocking demise is perhaps the most heartbreaking moment in the entire film.
Despite being one of the longest Best Picture nominees in Oscar history, The Irishman is a highly entertaining epic about the inescapability of violence. Scorsese uses the film’s brilliant de-aging CGI effects to analyze how a life committed to the mafia leaves criminals feeling dejected and abandoned. While certainly inspired by his work on gangster classics like Mean Streets and Goodfellas, it’s great to see Scorsese embracing a younger generation of stars like Plemons, who makes the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The Irishman
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Release Date November 27, 2019 Cast Jesse Plemons , Robert De Niro , Anna Paquin , Al Pacino , Joe Pesci , Harvey Keitel Runtime 209 minutes Writers Charles Brandt , Steven Zaillian2 ‘The Power of the Dog’ (2021)
Directed by Jane Campion
After a career of giving great performances that were overlooked by the Academy, Plemons received his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his work in The Power of the Dog. Set in Montana during the 1920s, this emotional arthouse Western from director Jane Campion focuses on the rancher Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose cruelty greatly affects his brother, George (Plemons), and George's new wife, Rose Gordon (Kirsten Dunst).
The romance between George and Rose is particularly effective, as Plemons and Dunst are partners in real life. George is perhaps the most sympathetic character in the whole film, as he must care for his brother while rejecting his malevolent behavior. It's a subtle and clinical but profound and affecting performance, much like the film itself. Plemons uses silence to emote, saying more with one expression than he ever could with a thousand words.
The Power of the Dog
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Release Date November 17, 2021 Cast Benedict Cumberbatch , Kirsten Dunst , Jesse Plemons , Kodi Smit-McPhee , Thomasin McKenzie , Keith Carradine Runtime 125 minutes Writers Jane Campion , Thomas Savage1 ‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’ (2020)
Directed by Charlie Kaufman
While he has a talent for playing eccentric characters, I’m Thinking of Ending Things presents Plemons with one of the most complex roles of his career. The highly metaphorical adaptation of Iain Reid’s bestselling novel centers on the relationship between Jake (Plemons) and his girlfriend (Jessie Buckley) yet slowly reveals itself to be a surrealist analysis of male fantasy.
While it may take multiple viewings to completely comprehend the thematic depths of the film, I’m Thinking of Ending Things hits on an emotional level, thanks to Plemons’ sensitive performance. Interpretations of the film may vary, but Plemons perfectly conveys the deep loneliness within Jake that causes his imagination to take physical form. While some actors may have felt burdened by such dense material, Plemons commits to the sheer audacity of I’m Thinking of Ending Things with a darkly amusing yet highly emotional performance that ranks among the best in his career and makes the film itself his crowning achievement thus far.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things
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Release Date September 4, 2020 Cast Jesse Plemons , Jessie Buckley , Toni Collette Runtime 134 minutes Writers Charlie Kaufman , Ian ReidncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51kt6a%2F0p5kqaSVoryvv4ympq%2Bhlah6s63NpJydZw%3D%3D