Culture / Film

A king of the screen: We round up 8 of Adam Driver’s best movies for required viewing

Adam Driver best movies

It is quite frankly no secret, that here at RUSSH we might have a thing or two for our main man, Adam Driver. Between his chiseled jaw, luscious locks and unforgettable onscreen moments, it's almost impossible to ignore his charm. Although we have spent more hours than would be considered healthy pouring over his good looks, (shall we bring you all back to that Burberry fragrance campaign), it's about time we also recognise Driver for his film contributions. The hardest part, as you can imagine, is narrowing the list of Adam Driver movies down to his best 10.

Throughout his career so far, we have seen more than a few iterations of the actor. There's been happy Driver, focused Driver, humorous Driver and angry Driver. What has remained consistent despite the changes in storyline or cast is his ability to make his signature 'deadpan' look work across any and all genres. It truly knows no bounds, and honestly we're grateful for it. It's what makes Driver so damn good, after all.

Whether as an undercover cop infiltrating one of America's most disturbing hate groups, or bringing unparalleled poignancy and raw emotion to his role in Paterson, the man certainly knows his way in front of a camera. Below, we bring to you in no particular order, eight of the best Adam Driver movies, now and forever.

 

1. While We're Young (2014)

 

While We're Young was the second of four collaborations (so far) between Driver and director Noah Baumbach. Driver portrays Jamie, a wannabe, hipster and entirely insufferable but confident film director, who befriends Josh, an established director played by Ben Stiller. As Josh and his wife Cornellia (Naomi Watts) – whose relationship is on the rocks – grow closer to Jamie and his wife Darby (Amanda Seyfried), they uncover the real side of this young couple. Although it's not his most talked about Baumbach film, Driver does a remarkable job of bringing the stereotypical hipster filmmaker archetype to life.

 

2. Paterson (2016)

 

In one of his most sincere and riveting performances to date, Paterson saw Driver portray a week in the life of the bus driver and poet. Paterson, who lives in the New Jersey town of Paterson, is an amateur poet who admires the poem of the same name by William Carlos Williams about his hometown. His life is simple and he is content – walking his dog, driving his bus, going to his favourite watering hole at night and writing poems in his breaks – yet Driver brings an incredible sense of humility, poignancy and raw emotion to execute a deeply nuanced performance.

 

3. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)

 

It took director and screenwriter Terry Gilliam nearly 30 years to get his adaptation of the classic novel Don Quixote off the ground, but when he finally did, Driver was the man for the job. Arguably one of his more bizarre roles, Driver plays Toby, an advertising agent who revisits the location of a low budget film he shot years ago. Only to find that one of the non-professional actors he used, an old Spanish shoemaker named Javier (Jonathan Pryce), is convinced that he is actually Don Quixote and Toby is his trusty squire Sancho Panza.

 

4. The Dead Don't Die (2019)

 

Sure, not everyone loved The Dead Don't Die; but with a stellar cast of Driver, Bill Murray, Chloe Sevingy, Tilda Swinton and Tom Waits it's hard not to. Regardless of what you think about the actual movie; the opportunity to witness a cast of such greatness on screen together is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Driver plays Officer Ronald Peterson; one of several inhabitants of a small town that becomes ground zero for a zombie invasion. His deadpan delivery strikes again – making this wildly absurd zombie film a worthy laugh.

 

5. Logan Lucky (2019)

 

Logan Lucky was yet another excellent example of what Driver can do in the sphere of dark comedy; starring in Steven Soderbergh’s quirky redneck heist film. Driver plays Clyde Logan, a veteran who lost the lower half of his left arm in Iraq, who teams up with his brother Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) and Joe Bang (Daniel Craig) to rob a motor speedway. Above all, we love to see Driver with a twangy southern accent and we always will.

 

6. Star Wars VII-IX (2015-2019)

 

There's a lot we could say about Driver's role as Kylo Ren – the grandson of one, Darth Vader – but we'll keep it simple. Hot, hot and hot. We shouldn't have to explain the Star Wars universe to you, so we'll leave you with that.

 

7. Marriage Story (2019)

 

Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before. I present to you Marriage Story. And no, this is not an exaggeration, this movie is downright excellent, and so is Driver's contribution. The film is a painstaking portrayal of divorce, which sees Driver and Scarlett Johansson's characters fight tooth and nail for a marriage that can't be fixed. The film is based on director Noah Baumbach’s own breakup with Jennifer Jason Leigh, which adds a new dimension to the heartbreaking tale. Undoubtedly, one of the best Adam Driver movies of all time.

 

8. BlacKkKlansman (2018)

 

Finally, we round this list out with BlacKkKlansman, which sees Driver star opposite leading star John David Washington. Spike Lee's satirical comedy is based on the true story of Ron Stallworth (Washington); the black Colorado officer who in the 70s masterminded the infiltration of a KKK chapter. How? By using his partner Flip (Driver), a Jewish man as an imposter.

 

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