Joey Magidson
Pierce Brosnan is the sort of classy movie star that we’re not generating nearly as much these days. After all, he’s one of a select few to have been James Bond. Beyond that, he’s the sort of infinitely cool cat that you just like to see on film. Brosnan has got it, plain and simple, even if you sometime wish he’d be in more (or occasionally, better) things. With today being St. Patrick’s Day, why not take some time and honor one of our favorite Irish actors and rank Brosnan’s best work so far?
Brosnan was most recently seen as part of the ensemble of Steven Soderbergh‘s Black Bag (reviewed here), as well as giving his thoughts on the casting for the next 007. To some degree, he’ll always be Bond, though as he reaches the third act of his career, possibilities are opening up for him in many ways. Personally, I’m very excited to see where he goes next, as he’s no longer an action hero, but an elder statesman.
Below, you can see how Brosnan’s career has gone for me. For my money, while he’s a solid Bond, despite some criticism, his best work is in The Matador, where he deserved an Academy Award nomination. The Ghost Writer is also excellent work, where he did pick up some light Oscar buzz. Throw in the underrated Seraphim Falls and there’s a top three for him that many haven’t seen, but do highlight his work in a spectacular way. Your mileage may vary, but those are at the top of the mountain for yours truly.
Here now is my ranking of the best Pierce Brosnan performances to date. Behold:
Honorable Mention: Evelyn, A Long Way Down, Mamma Mia!, Married Life, The World’s End, and The World is Not Enough
10. Tomorrow Never Dies
9. Mars Attacks!
8. Mrs. Doubtfire
7. The Thomas Crown Affair
5. GoldenEye
4. Love Is All You Need
3. Seraphim Falls
2. The Ghost Writer
1. The Matador
What are your favorite Pierce Brosnan performances? Let us know!
Big fan of him in Mrs. Doubtfire. Changing their minds from originally having his character be a villain and letting Pierce be just a normal good guy was a very good decision
100%
Remember when Pierce Brosnan‘s character in The Ghost Writer was universally agreed to be a corrupt war criminal working on behalf of foreign interests to the detriment of his own country until a grieving, mentally unstable father of a slain veteran assassinated him and suddenly everyone decided to whitewash his legacy and paint him as a Great Statesman?
That scene hits… a little harder now than it did back then.
I was actually just thinking about how that character would be perceived today, believe it or not.