Ranking the Best Performances So Far From Jesse Eisenberg

It’s easy to accuse Jesse Eisenberg of turning in the same performance every time out, but it’s also a lazy (as well as inaccurate) accusation. Throughout his career, not only has he chosen really interesting projects, he’s often put a unique spin on the parts he’s played. With Eisenberg’s sophomore filmmaking effort now in theaters with A Real Pain (where he’s also one of the main characters), it seemed only appropriate to look at his best performances to date. So, that’s what I did!

In my review of A Real Pain from back at Sundance (here), I had the following to say about his work, alongside Kieran Culkin:

Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg are both excellent, with Culkin especially going above and beyond. His blend of coolness and spaciness, as well as the deep well of sadness he’s tapping into is something to behold. This might just be the best work of his career so far. Eisenberg is playing a part that he can easily do, but he’s giving it some new edges. Together, they make for a consistently compelling pair to watch.

Below, you can see how Eisenberg stacks up for me. It’s hard to argue for anything but The Social Network up top, but after that, it’s really a list up for very individual grabs. For example, I’m very partial to his turns in Adventureland and The Art of Self-Defense, likely more so than most. So, there’s that. Where does A Real Pain fall? Find out next…

Here now are my picks for the ten best Jesse Eisenberg performances to date. Behold:

Honorable Mention: Café Society, Holy Rollers, Solitary Man, Vivarium, and Zombieland

10. The Education of Charlie Banks

9. Resistance

8. The Double

7. The End of the Tour

6. Adventureland

5. A Real Pain

4. Roger Dodger

3. The Art of Self-Defense

2. The Squid and the Whale

1. The Social Network

What are your favorite performances from Jesse Eisenberg? Let us know!