I think that Josh Brolin is one of the best actors working today. He picks creative directors and challenging roles, and always seems like he’s down to push himself to the limits.
Whether it’s playing an absolute badass or just a weirdo, he’s a guy who has brought some of the most interesting people to the big screen.
Today, I want to go over ten roles that made him a star and that are his best.
Let’s dive in.
1. No Country for Old Men (2007)
This Coen Brothers’ masterpiece features Brolin in a breakout role as Llewelyn Moss, a Vietnam veteran who stumbles upon a bloody crime scene and a suitcase full of cash.
To me, this was maybe the most important role for Brolin, because it showed the entire world how much he could do with a look and a grunt. His gritty performance is central to the film’s neo-western heart.
2. Sicario (2015)
Even in small roles, Brolin is memorable and intense. In this gripping thriller from director Denis Villeneuve, Brolin plays Matt Graver, a cocky and enigmatic CIA operative leading a task force to take down a powerful Mexican drug cartel.
It takes you half the movie to realize he’s a bad guy, but he’s maybe a bad guy for the right side. It takes so much talent and nuance to get you to like someone who is also so scary.
3. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) & Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Marvel needed a big, bad villain to help carry the gravitas of these movies, and they turned to Brolin to embody Thanos. He delivered a motion-capture performance that was both menacing and surprisingly nuanced.
4. Milk (2008)
Brolin earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Dan White, the murderous political rival of Harvey Milk.
His performance is a complex and layered depiction of a man at odds with the changing social landscape and holding the intent to kill within his heart.
5. True Grit (2010)
In a movie full of great performances, Brolin reunites with the Coen Brothers to play the villainous Tom Chaney in this critically acclaimed adaptation of Charles Portis’ novel.
Brolin is barely in this movie and playing a complete idiot, but you are terrified of him, and you also sort of feel sorry for him. It paints a much more morally grey look at the Old West and at the idea of good and evil.
6. Inherent Vice (2014)
In Paul Thomas Anderson’s psychedelic neo-noir, Brolin shines as the straight-laced, flat-topped LAPD detective Christian “Bigfoot” Bjornsen.
This movie needed balance, and Brolin brings it. He lets everyone else be goofy, but he gets to deliver these funny punch lines with dry wit and stoicism.
7. Dune (2021)
Brolin brings a rugged charm and fierce loyalty to the role of Gurney Halleck, the weapons master of House Atreides and a mentor to Paul Atreides. His gruff exterior and poetic soul are a perfect fit for Denis Villeneuve’s epic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel.
8. The Goonies (1985)
In his film debut, a teenage Brolin played Brand, the older brother and reluctant chaperone to the adventurous group of kids known as “The Goonies.”
He’s kind of perfect in this role, and even early on, we see him be the romantic lead, the mentor, the straight man, and being funny.
It’s a fun glimpse.
9. W. (2008)
Tackling the monumental task of portraying a sitting U.S. President, Brolin delivered a remarkable and transformative performance as George W. Bush in Oliver Stone’s biopic.
It was funny and weird, and Brolin was more than up to the task to find all the different facets of this guy and show us who he was on the inside.
10. Hail, Caesar! (2016)
I think this movie is cruelly underrated. It’s such a fun celebration of genre, Hollywood, and zany antics. In his fourth collaboration with the Coen Brothers, Brolin takes the lead as Eddie Mannix, a 1950s Hollywood “fixer” trying to keep his studio’s many scandals under wraps.
Brolin is so funny in this movie. He’s stressed out and hits all the zingers and gives all the befuddled looks you want out of this kind of movie.
Summing It All Up
To me, Josh Brolin is just a great artist who can also blend into any role and who brings a sense of gravity to even his craziest performances.
I’m so happy he has many years ahead of him to act, and I can’t wait to see what roles he undertakes next.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
