Adam Driver's 10 Best Performances, Ranked
Everyone's favorite wall walker has an impressive resume!
Actor Adam Driver has proven himself to be one of the funniest performers in cinema, with his idiosyncratic personalities and diverse approaches to an equally wide range of projects. Regardless of genre or tone, Driver brings a lot to each new role he takes on, and utterly immerses himself in each one he takes on. With White Noise now streaming on Netflix, and several other projects like 65 and Ferrari coming later this year, there's never been a better time to look back at his best work to date. While he's sure to land more big roles in the future, here are 10 of Driver's best performances to date.
10. Frances Ha
Noah Baumbach's Frances Ha is one of the best black-and-white films of the past decade and one of Driver's earliest roles. He plays Lev, a supporting role to Frances played by Greta Gerwig and a playboy of the highest order. From scene to scene, he'll introduce another partner, whom he invites back to the apartment Lev shares with Frances. The driver is quietly charming with a boyish smile and carefree posture that belies a rather humorous and twisted character. Lev gets some The best jokes and scenes in a movie full of jokes and scenes. An early scene of him having dinner with Francis is simple and engaging, a testament to Driver's commitment to even straightforward dialogue. The actor's underrated performance suggests there will only be more great roles to come.
9. Logan Lucky
Logan Lucky is an offbeat heist film that could only be brought to life by a director like Steven Soderbergh, a story full of memorable and eccentric characters. Key among them is Driver's Clyde Logan, one half of a brotherly duo who hatch a daring plan to rob Charlotte Motor Speedway in the biggest race of the year. Clyde, a soft-spoken bartender and veteran who lost his arm in Iraq, isn't your typical member of a criminal conspiracy. It's through Driver's understated performance that he's such a standout character, as deeply humorous and engaging as you could hope for. He hits all the right comedic and dramatic beats to keep you locked into the wild ride.
8. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
a movie That's still at odds with how it subverts and challenges much of the franchise's existing mythology, and The Last Jedi is a bold entry that centers on Driver as the conflicted Kylo Ren. Like the films he's in, Driver's antagonists can't be simply categorized while remaining eccentrically appealing. He keeps you on your toes and constantly makes you question where he's going because he brings a deeper emotional resonance to his performance. While the rest of the new trilogy isn't quite sure what to do with him, it's through Driver's enigmatic performance that the new series finds some interesting new territory. The insecurity and anger he brings to the villains makes him all the more terrifying because he's always on the edge. The sequence in the throne room still represents a high point, and it subtly hinges on the driver, pulling you into his multi-layered emotional vortex. It works even if most of the story doesn't.
7. BlacKkKlansman
A complex film that marks director Spike Lee's return to the right track, BlacKkKlansman is buoyed by its strong central performance. Key among these is Driver as Detective Flip Zimmerman, John David's partner Washington's Ron Stallworth. The chemistry the two share is unparalleled, and the subtle jokes they share are all the more impactful when mixed with the stakes of the rest of the film. It lives and dies by their relationship. In the scene where the undercover Flip takes a lie detector test from a violent white supremacist, there are moments of dark humor while also being very tense. Driver navigates moments like this with confidence, making sure he walks the tightrope of tone without missing a step. It's a tough role to pull off, but one he pulls off with absolute ease.
6. The Dead Don’t Die
The first Jim Jarmusch film on this list, The Dead Don't Die, is far from a perfect production, but it's always a surprisingly entertaining one. It also features Driver's most deviant and engaging performance as Officer Ronnie Peterson, a quick-witted man with some zombie problems. He jokes around in the film while making unique observations while fighting off the undead that begin to attack the town. Calling this movie wacky would be an understatement, and it often has a bite More than it can really chew. Yet it is through the performances of all its actors that it finds life amidst all death. Driver and his co-star, played by the great Bill Murray, approach the material with a whimsical air that's occasionally elusive but always charismatic. Without a doubt, this is the strangest entry on this list and one of Driver's most underrated performances.
5. The Last Duel
Ridley Scott's The Last Duel, one of the newer films on this list, lands Driver in one of his most repugnant roles, And because of how he sneaks up on you, the character becomes even more impactful. He plays Jacques LeGris, friend and eventual foe of Matt Damon's Jean de Carrouges. It initially seems like these two are the focus of the film before turning to how these two characters deeply wronged Jodie Comer's Marguerite de Carouge. Driver's final heel roll is nauseating and uncomfortable, based on horrific realities that reflect the past and present. It's a testament to how he can embody this seemingly good-natured character who's really just another slimy man serving himself. this The cruelty and lack of empathy that boils beneath the surface makes Jacques a truly memorable villain precisely because he ultimately doesn't care about anyone but himself.
4. House of Gucci
Another of Scott's films (the man apparently doesn't sleep), The House of Gucci is a decadent look at the enclaves of the rich and the ruthlessness within them. Driver plays Maurizio of the Gucci family, who develops a fraught relationship with Lady Gaga's Patrizia Reggiani that quickly consumes the family. Even though Gaga gets the most hilarious moments in the movie, don't underestimate what Driver brings to every scene he gets. Here's another movie where he goes from a seemingly kind character to a more brutal one. Driver captures this brilliantly, showing how greed and selfishness are key ingredients to his success, even if he himself denies it. The longer it goes on, the more it becomes clear how his approach to the character makes this movie so good. Driver as a balance of chaos and camp that draws you in despite the yourself.
3. Silence
"Silence," the decades-long passion project of one of our greatest living directors, Martin Scorsese, is a harrowing watch that remains influential today. It follows Driver's Garupe and Andrew Garfield's Rodrigues, two 17th-century priests who travel to Japan in search of their missing mentor. What they discover there will test their faith and commitment to the cause, changing who they are as people forever. With the help of Driver, it's quietly devastating. Garupe is even more disappointed and uncertain about their quest, as he questions whether it's worth the continued suffering. However, the growth he experiences as a character will allow him to fully commit to staying true to what he believes in. It was unexpected, especially when juxtaposed with the path taken by the more devout Rodriguez, though the driver was fully aware of it. His last scene in the movie is a very sad scene, and he takes it to beautifully profound heights, even though they mark a major moment of loss.
2. Marriage Story
Driver and Baumbach's reunion film "Marriage Story" is a master class in acting, capturing the pain that a broken relationship can bring separate. Driver plays Charlie, a neurotic theater director who is the husband of Scarlett Johansson's Nicole. The pair had apparently been estranged for some time and began the divorce process. To make matters worse, they also had a son named Henry who was caught up in the fallout from their relationship. The film has become the fodder of many memes, with one central argument scene being edited into several humorous reinterpretations. Don't be fooled by this, it's also just a really great look at a broken relationship and its effect on two people who still care about each other. Neither is perfect, and both keep their flaws up their sleeves as they try to figure out what the path forward is. It's through Johansen and Driver's performances that it finds an emotional honesty unlike anything they've done before.
1. Paterson
Another Jarmusch film, Poetic Patterson's tale of finding beauty in life's quietest everyday, is Driver's best work to date. He plays Paterson, a bus driver who works in Paterson, NJ! he lives a regular life He continued on his route, listening to snippets of conversation from the man he was driving. He writes poems he doesn't share with anyone, not even his wife Laura (Golshifteh Farahani), who still encourages him to break out of his comfort zone. Patterson, however, is content to live a simple life. He took his dog for a walk and had a beer at his neighborhood bar after get off work before getting up to do it all. It's a movie that flaunts tradition and expectations to create something more unique. It's full of kindness and beauty, masking a sadness laced with the joie de vivre. Driver does an excellent job of portraying Patterson's even-tempered character, as he talks a lot and says little. It's a high point in his career, commanding every scene with his own sublime sensibility. It is a sensational and exquisite work that no one has ever been able to match.
