Joey Magidson
It goes without saying, but Ralph Fiennes is one of our best actors, full stop. A project that lands Fiennes is always better for it. This week, audiences are getting to see Fiennes in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, following up his impressive turn in 28 Years Later last year. Of course, the year prior also featured him blowing us away in Conclave. Given how we’ve recently seen one of his best turns to date, as well as a pair of very fun genre efforts, another top ten list of his is very much in order. For a true legend, he deserves nothing less.
My review of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will be up this afternoon, but it’s very good, with Fiennes also delivering strong work. Look for the review in a few hours, but for now, this is what I posted on social media after my screening:
Last year, I said the following here in my review of 28 Years Later about Fiennes:
Alfie Williams is our lead here, and gives a solid, if passive performance. Best in show, though only appearing in the third act, is Ralph Fiennes, who has a hell of a character to play. Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson are good, to be sure, but they do feel slightly overqualified for their parts. So does Fiennes, but he’s just such a talent, you don’t really care.
In my review of Conclave here back at the Telluride Film Festival, I spoke of Fiennes like so:
Ralph Fiennes leads an impeccable cast. This is one of his best roles and best performances, which is saying something. Fiennes wears the weight of his job in every frame he appears in, keeping his cool until moments when his frustrations boil through.
Below, you can see what I think Fiennes’ finest hours have been. Like almost anyone else, I have The Grand Budapest Hotel and Schindler’s List in the top five, and in fact, in the top three. It’s hard to deny those two, as is Conclave, which rules. The rest of the list? Well, there’s flicks of all sorts, so you’ll see both indies and popcorn films, as well as potentially a surprise or two. Of course, be sure to chime in with your own selections as well. It’s only fair. Where do 28 Years Later and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple land? Find out next…
Here now are my picks for the best performances so far from Ralph Fiennes. Behold:
Honorable Mention: A Bigger Splash, The Constant Gardener, Coriolanus, The English Patient, Official Secrets, and Spider
Special Citation: Fiennes’ turns in the most recent James Bond films (Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time to Die), as well as his voice work in The LEGO Batman Movie
10. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
9. Hail, Caesar!
8. In Bruges
6. The Menu
5. Quiz Show
4. Red Dragon
3. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. Conclave
1. Schindler’s List
What are your favorite Ralph Fiennes performances? Let us know!
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