Jude Law has enjoyed a successful career despite never hitting the big time. He’s a dependable actor with a strong resume. Still, I’d be lying if I claimed any of the best Jude Law movie performances knocked my socks off. I’d call Law the ultimate character actor, someone who surprises you every time they appear on the screen — oh, it’s Jude Law!
Hollywood tried to make the man a thing following his breakout role in The Talented Mr. Ripley, with mediocre results. Law does his best work when placed in an ensemble – think Side Effects, The Holiday, Closer, The Aviator, Contagion, and I Heart Huckabees – but displays plenty of panache when given the opportunity – nobody saw King Arthur, but damn, he’s pretty great in it!
So, to celebrate his role as Captain Hook in Disney’s Peter Pan & Wendy, I’ve compiled the best Jude Law movie performances listed in order of release.
Gattaca (1997)
I mean, you must include Gattaca on any list of the best Jude Law movie performances, right? While he’s only a supporting player in what is essentially an Ethan Hawke/Uma Thurman vehicle, Law still does a great job as Jerome, a paralyzed former Olympian who aids our hero in his quest to attain significance in a future society dictated by genetics.
The film, directed by Andrew Niccol, is an intelligent sci-fi drama with solid performances, sharp writing, and enough twists and turns to hold viewers’ attention. Sure, it’s not the classic some claim it is, but Gattaca dares to challenge its audience while offering a tease of Law’s potential as an actor.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Shortly after Gattaca, Law snuck into Anthony Minghella’s lavishly produced adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s acclaimed novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley. For those unaware, Ripley tells the tale of Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) and his attempts to live the life of his idol, Dickie (Law), after murdering him.
The 1999 pic is creepy in all the right ways due to Minghella’s direction and a strong cast that includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jack Davenport. Law enjoys a small but pivotal role which landed him an Oscar nomination and led to one of the most unsettling deaths in movie history.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Following his breakout in the previous years, Law teamed up with Steven Spielberg for the generally well-received A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Personally, I think this movie (adapted from a story by the late Stanley Kubrick) about an abandoned child robot named David (Haley Joel Osment) searching for his mother ranks among Spielberg’s best. Spielberg’s camerawork is imaginative, the special effects are exquisite, and John Williams’ score ranks among his greatest work.
Law co-stars as Gigolo Joe, a robot sex worker who gets caught up in David’s adventure and bids adieu by claiming, “I am. I was.” The actor does a solid job in the role but never gets to fully flex his acting chops. Regardless, A.I. is a sci-fi wonder packed with lavish visuals, fascinating questions, and a powerful ending that owes as much to Blade Runner as Pinocchio. Unforgettable.
The Road to Perdition (2002)
Jude Law’s kookiest performance occurs in Sam Mendes’ somber Road to Perdition, where he plays a photographer/hitman in search of Tom Hanks’ ruthless gangster. Again, Law shares screentime with an incredible cast – Hanks, Paul Newman, Daniel Craig, and Stanley Tucci – but manages to impress in a handful of scenes. The film never reaches the glorious heights it aspires to.
Still, there’s plenty here to admire, including Conrad L. Hall’s incredible cinematography, Newman’s performance, and Thomas Newman’s haunting score. There are far better mob movies out there, but Road to Perdition is still worth a look, if only to see how far Law will go for his craft.
Cold Mountain (2003)
A fascinating war film, viewers remember Cold Mountain for Renee Zellweger’s go-for-broke Academy Award-winning performance. Still, it deserves far more recognition as a powerful anti-war film. Jude Law stars as a Confederate army soldier who abandons his post and travels back to his lover (Nicole Kidman). Along the way, he participates in several misadventures, including a terrific bit where he saves Natalie Portman from a bunch of no-good soldiers.
Directed by Anthony Minghella, Cold Mountain occasionally feels like Oscar bait at its worst. Still, the early 2000s effort swings for the fences and delivers an old-fashioned, emotional, heart-wrenching adventure, which is why it lands on our list of the five best Jude Law movie performances.
