Ranking the Best Performances So Far from John Malkovich

John Malkovich is an actor’s actor, plain and simple. Whether the film or show in question is high art, mainstream entertainment, or anything in between, Malkovich turns in committed work that only could have come from him. That’s led to two Academy Award nominations earlier in his career, but less attention lately. That, however, is about to change, as his performance in Wild Horse Nine is not just poised to score him his first Best Actor nomination at the Oscars, he’s arguably the frontrunner right now to win. As the flick, which I loved when I saw it at the Telluride Film Festival, is beginning its theatrical run, it felt like the right time to turn the spotlight towards Malkovich and his career so far.

In my review of Wild Horse Nine (here) from Telluride, I raved about Malkovich, alongside co-star Sam Rockwell, like so:

John Malkovich gives easily one of the best performances of his career, while Sam Rockwell turns in another excellent bit of work. Their bickering and bittersweet chemistry generates a lot of laughs, but also some genuine emotion. Malkovich initially alternates between troublemaking scamp and confused older man, but as things progress, more sides of him emerge. He absolutely delights, especially when he develops an affection for one of the wild horses on the island. Rockwell gives depth to a character that easily could have been second fiddle. Together, especially towards the end, they break your heart.

Below, you can see my Malkovich ranking. I’ll spoil things up front and say that Wild Horse Nine comes in at number one, as I’ve grown to think it’s his best performance yet. His Oscar nominated turns are both here, as In the Line of Fire and Places in the Heart crack the list. So too do more populist fare like Con Air. Some of his most underrated turns for me include Being John Malkovich and Burn After Reading, which should give you an idea how good he is. The full list is next, so take a gander…

Here now is my ranking of the best John Malkovich work to date. Behold:

Honorable Mention: The Great Buck Howard, RED, and Rounders

10. The Killing Fields

9. Shadow of the Vampire

8. Dangerous Liaisons

7. Of Mice and Men

6. Places in the Heart

5. Con Air

4. In the Line of Fire

3. Being John Malkovich

2. Burn After Reading

1. Wild Horse Nine

What are your favorite John Malkovich performances? Let us know!