“But above all, I am a man, a hopelessly inquisitive man just like you.”

November 23, 2015 7:48 AM

Every Philip Seymour Hoffman Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best By Nathan Rabin [Vulture.com]

“...we figured this would be a good time to delve deep into Hoffman’s filmography to determine what art of Hoffman’s is objectively, definitively better than his other art. In making our selection, we considered both the quality of the film as well as Hoffman’s performance. Though we strived to be as complete as possible, we were not able to see Mockingjay Part 2 ahead of this article, nor were we able to track down two of his most obscure early films, Szuler and Joey Breaker, left behind in VHS format. We still, however, had an awful lot to sift through, much of it awfully good.”

posted by Fizz (49 comments total)

Glad to see a Dissolve feature live on elsewhere.

And number one is indeed correct.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 7:54 AM on November 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

It was so sad to see him (or some computer simulation of him) in Mockingjay this weekend knowing that was his final performance.
posted by octothorpe at 7:59 AM on November 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

I will read this list, quibble with it, and then watch all of the movies.
posted by Going To Maine at 8:01 AM on November 23, 2015

(psh club?)
posted by Going To Maine at 8:01 AM on November 23, 2015 [7 favorites]

This list did reveal one thing to me, that he voiced Max in the animated feature: Mary and Max. I some how missed knowing that the first time I watched the film. And now I love it even more than I already did. Such a talent.
posted by Fizz at 8:02 AM on November 23, 2015 [3 favorites]

One surprising similarity between this list and Patrick McGoohan's trippy 1960s spy series The Prisoner is that what they've given the number 6 to is actually number 1 all along.

I will say without hesitation that I consider Synecdoche New York to be the best movie of the millennium so far. At a certain point I realized the only reason I was even scrolling through the article was to see if they put Synecdoche New York first, or if they were wrong.
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 8:14 AM on November 23, 2015 [11 favorites]

At a certain point I realized the only reason I was even scrolling through the article was to see if they put Synecdoche New York first, or if they were wrong.

For me, I was scrolling to see how high The Master would be placed. Despite the fact that the film isn't perfect (it sometimes feels tedious), I believe that Hoffman's performance is one of the greatest in his career. I've only watched The Master twice, but his performance in that film is something that I carry with me. I often think about his mannerisms, his behaviours, the way he speaks his dialogue. There's something there that just sticks in my brain and I will forever be thankful for the gift of his art and acting.

I personally would have reversed #1 and #2. But, that's the fun of this list, even after all the arguments that this list will inevitably spawn, we're still left with a body of work that is worth revisiting.
posted by Fizz at 8:20 AM on November 23, 2015 [4 favorites]

I was even scrolling through the article was to see if they put Synecdoche New York first, or if they were wrong.

I thought did the same thing! The top 5 are all great movies. But, for me, Syndoche stands out as a real masterpiece.
posted by Drab_Parts at 8:20 AM on November 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

I watched "A Most Wanted Man" recently and realized how sad it makes me that he's gone. The only actor I feel similarly about is James Gandolfini, who also died way too young.

Take care of your health, MeFites. Someone out there needs you.
posted by Sheydem-tants at 8:36 AM on November 23, 2015 [3 favorites]

Surprised to see Capote so far down on the list; I thought that was an amazing performance, especially considering how badly matched physically he was for Truman Capote. He managed to somehow shrink himself just through his physical acting.
posted by octothorpe at 8:39 AM on November 23, 2015 [6 favorites]

I scrolled down to make sure Almost Famous was first and that The Big Lebowski, Magnolia, and Punch Drunk Love were way up there. And now I'm unbelievably sad. I am usually not a person touched by celebrity deaths, but Hoffman's hit me very hard. It felt like one of us had made good in a world where that never happens.
posted by hydropsyche at 8:41 AM on November 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

Leap of Faith deserves to be higher on that list, though granted, not really because of Hoffman, who is a minor presence in the film.
posted by Naberius at 8:45 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

He managed to somehow shrink himself just through his physical acting.

He lost 40 pounds to play the part.
posted by The Whelk at 8:49 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

My wife and I watched Love Liza shortly after Hoffman died; not his best film, but solid. The timing of it, however, left us a little impacted.
posted by nubs at 8:52 AM on November 23, 2015

I once read that as a young actor Jack Black was constantly going for the same roles as PSH

Jack Black : Mozzarella :: Phillip Seymour Hoffman : Parmigiano-Reggiano.

They're both enjoyable but they have very different tastes and flavours.
posted by Fizz at 8:57 AM on November 23, 2015 [7 favorites]

Synecdoche, The Master and Punch Drunk Love for me, but I love everything I've seen out of the Top 10 (still haven't seen Owning Mahoney) so I'm generally happy with this list.
posted by downtohisturtles at 8:59 AM on November 23, 2015

I haven't seen at least 60% of the films on the list but I can't really imagine loving anything more than his agonizingly awkward performance in Boogie Nights.
posted by poffin boffin at 9:02 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Yeah, I don't get that #1 at all. He's barely in the movie. I think when I was watching it I thought "Oh, it's him, cool."

He's also barely in The Big Lebowski, although he does an amazing job in that film.

I mean, eh? I'm not a film expert but I feel like I would put Capote or something higher because at least it feels like a big, full-film effort.
posted by selfnoise at 9:04 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

The Whelk: "He managed to somehow shrink himself just through his physical acting.

He lost 40 pounds to play the part."

But even so, Hoffman was seven inches taller and much bigger framed. They did a bit with oversized clothing and careful blocking of the scenes but a lot of it was just he physical performance.
posted by octothorpe at 9:09 AM on November 23, 2015

Pretty sure I dated Brandt at some point in my early 20s.
posted by pxe2000 at 9:11 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Either Synecdoche or Capote at number 1 for sure.
posted by Splunge at 9:13 AM on November 23, 2015

The Hunger Games movies would be near the top spot if this were a list of how much better a movie is than I expected it to be. Even though by the time PSH joined the cast of the second movie, my expectations were a whole lot higher, the sequels still exceeded them so far ( I haven't seen the last movie yet).
posted by straight at 9:14 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

> we're still left with a body of work that is worth revisiting

and this is a great guide to it. Enough about the performances to provoke more careful watching without giving too much away and full of fun writing like "Al Pacino’s obnoxious performance as a nightmarish sentient shout of a man".

> The Master... it sometimes feels tedious

I know that some of us have work in the morning, but I went in knowing it was long and "cinematically" shot in 70mm. Patience is rewarded.

> Jack Black : Mozzarella :: Phillip Seymour Hoffman : Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Funny, but J.B.'s choice to work a lot doesn't mean he's only a clown. In Margo at the Wedding, he's funny, but he is not in on the joke.
posted by morganw at 9:19 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

With Brandt as my witness, I tell you this: I will not abide another list.
posted by maxsparber at 9:22 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

side note: i just now for the first time realized that listicle is a combination of list and article and not some weird frozen popsicle list thing that makes no fucking sense at all but i just went with it because why not
posted by poffin boffin at 9:24 AM on November 23, 2015 [4 favorites]

Funny, but J.B.'s choice to work a lot doesn't mean he's only a clown.

Without getting too off-topic, you're absolutely correct. I find Jack Black to be a wonderful actor. I just think it's unfortunate for him, when seeking out the same roles, knowing how talented PSH is, it's not surprising that he lost out to PSH. IMO he's just a better actor.
posted by Fizz at 9:26 AM on November 23, 2015

Watch Bernie if you want to see Jack Black's best performance.
posted by octothorpe at 9:35 AM on November 23, 2015 [8 favorites]

Yeah, I don't get that #1 at all. He's barely in the movie. I think when I was watching it I thought “Oh, it's him, cool.”

Presumably it requires you to think that that one scene dominates the film. I’m reminded of how Beatrice Straight won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Network despite only being on screen for five minutes and two seconds.
posted by Going To Maine at 9:39 AM on November 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

At a certain point I realized the only reason I was even scrolling through the article was to see if they put Synecdoche New York first, or if they were wrong.

For me, I was scrolling to see how high The Master would be placed.

I too was looking for The Master (#1) and Synecdoche (#2). I didn't even remember he was in Big Lebowski (a great turn, but not much of a role) or Almost Famous (still can't place him in it ... the old writer?).

Boogie Nights should be #3, then Along Came Polly at #4 (I'm pretty sure he introduced the word "shart" to mainstream audiences.)

Not to disrepect the dead (and a great, great actor) but I personally was surprised at how many bland movies he was in (Twister, Getaway, Cold Mountain, etc.). I guess that's any actor working.
posted by mrgrimm at 9:46 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

The Hunger Games movies would be near the top spot if this were a list of how much better a movie is than I expected it to be.

Interesting. I couldn't have had lower expectations, and I still thought it (the first one at least, only one I've seen) was pretty bad.
posted by mrgrimm at 9:47 AM on November 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

If I'd made this list, I'm not sure I would have put Almost Famous at #1, but I also can't say, seeing it there, that I necessarily disagree.
posted by shakespeherian at 10:07 AM on November 23, 2015

It was so sad to see him (or some computer simulation of him) in Mockingjay this weekend

Can't remember which article I read it in, but the rumours of him being CGI'd were false--they only used footage he'd actually shot.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:11 AM on November 23, 2015

The smug, self satisified, and wholy aware, on the edge of camp, physicality of his performance in Talented Mr Ripley and the sexual amorality of that role--esp. the hows the peeping tommy line reading is my favourite work he did.
posted by PinkMoose at 10:13 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

It is an (unsurprising, given Rabin) feat of taste to put Almost Famous first, and the most heartfelt tribute to the lost potential of PSH that three of the top five and five of the top ten were supporting roles filmed in the 1990s.

He's so critical to Almost Famous. A lesser movie would have done one of two things: the Patrick Fugit character gets over his challenges with the fabulous Billy Crudup and Kate Hudson characters and "joins the band" literally or figuratively, or he retreats back from them satisfied that regular life is better. Instead, Hoffman gives him the tools to transcend that experience -- to be bigger and better rock writer with a deeper understanding of the cool kids, on it but not in it.
posted by MattD at 10:16 AM on November 23, 2015 [4 favorites]

Moreover, PHS as Bangs is the counterpoint to Frances McDormand as William's mom. Both are resolutely, proudly "uncool," but where she offers him unconditional parental love, he offers an understanding and kinship that William can't get from anyone else in his life.
posted by Navelgazer at 10:20 AM on November 23, 2015 [3 favorites]

Can't remember which article I read it in, but the rumours of him being CGI'd were false--they only used footage he'd actually shot.

He's pretty present in the film, and, with the exception of a few long-distance scenes and background shots where he seems to have been edited in, there is a lot of him actually performing in the film. There is a scene in which another character simply reads dialogue that his character is supposed to have written, and it's hard not to assume he was supposed to be delivering the dialogue, but, for the most part, it's a fine, oddball, weirdly cheerful final performance from him.
posted by maxsparber at 10:38 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

He's pretty present in the film, and, with the exception of a few long-distance scenes and background shots where he seems to have been edited in, there is a lot of him actually performing in the film. There is a scene in which another character simply reads dialogue that his character is supposed to have written, and it's hard not to assume he was supposed to be delivering the dialogue, but, for the most part, it's a fine, oddball, weirdly cheerful final performance from him.

Agreed. I'm guessing the footage of him on the platform during Coin's final appearance was CGI, and the brief shot of him at the wedding definitely was.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 10:44 AM on November 23, 2015

(psh club?)

Yesplease
posted by ersatzkat at 10:56 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

I was systematically adding these to my Netflix queue when searching for "The Master" turned up several martial arts flicks and now I want to see the man in one of these. What a genius. RIP
posted by exogenous at 12:27 PM on November 23, 2015

State and Main is one of my favorite movies and he helps make it a delight. Go you huskies! But when I saw #1, I thought, awww. As a young wannabe journalist, I loved that movie and still enjoy it. I think a lot of young wannabe journalists had a curmudgeonly mentor who would say things like "rock n'roll is dead" and if they didn't have one, PSH could serve as a decent stand-in.
posted by kat518 at 1:21 PM on November 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

I will say without hesitation that I consider Synecdoche New York to be the best movie of the millennium so far. At a certain point I realized the only reason I was even scrolling through the article was to see if they put Synecdoche New York first, or if they were wrong.

This is a movie that I almost didn't want to watch again in case it isn't as good as I remember. I think now that you brought it up I have to though. Nothing has ever so effectively conveyed the sense that everything is falling apart (and spiralling out of control) which happens to be how it feels to be me a lot of the time.
posted by atoxyl at 1:23 PM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Instead, Hoffman gives him the tools to transcend that experience -- to be bigger and better rock writer with a deeper understanding of the cool kids, on it but not in it.

I recently watched Almost Famous for the first time in a long time, and his bit about uncoolness and connection just about knocked me over:

The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool.

Such a great line. I regret - but am not surprised by - the fact that I completely missed this when I saw the movie in my early twenties. Now that I'm in my early thirties, this seems like such wisdom. And I know PSH didn't write these lines, but the way he delivers them is just so perfect.
posted by lunasol at 1:30 PM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Philip Seymour Hoffman, may he rest in peace, is responsible for some of the strongest emotions I've ever experienced. As with many great actors, his range and what he brought to the table was huge, but the dynamic control of his acting really makes his performances worth watching.

I'd seen Hard Eight many years ago and fell in love with Paul Thomas Anderson's work (not to be confused with Paul W.S. Anderson) and PSH. I had the opportunity to briefly play craps with someone who may or may not have been PSH himself.

My friends and I used to go to Vegas often because a) we all wanted to see each other, b) we all wanted to get out of our own respective cities, and c) it was supercheap, because nearly everything was comped. On one particular trip, The Roll (whose name's origin has nothing to do with craps), and I made the decision to go see "O" at the Bellagio. The previous evening had been rough but rewarding, and we followed the usual detox/retox routine on waking: hydrate and hit the spa. Hoark food from the high-roller lounge. Maybe walk. Always talk: more seriously, on things we'd touched on the night before.

No gambling before sunset. In fact, as time went by, we gambled less and less mainly out of curiosity: how far will the comps go (it turns out they went very far indeed, and only when we'd stopped going plus a year did I stop receiving word from various hosts)? But yes, no gambling during the daytime. That's a no-no.

I'd never seen a Cirque show, and the Roll and I got tickets to "O." It was still daylight, and we were up for the trip, so before we left we confirmed that neither of us had any plans to gamble at the Bellagio. We'd wait until late in the evening before playing any games, or if we were going to gamble at all.

Anyway. "O" was fun. We left the show and tried to get out of the gaggle of people leaving the theater. This resulted in a diversion around the casino floor, and the craps tables. No sweat: no gambling. We didn't bring any dough, but it's always fun to see if tables were having fun, or if there were any people wearing hats (we had a superstition that we should always play if the shooter was wearing a hat). No one was wearing a hat at the table we passed.

But the energy was good. Everyone was going bananas between rolls, and falling dead silent before the dice were thrown. Out of the shooter's mouth ran a mumbling, nearly incomprehensible stream of table observations and sucker bets. Occasionally he'd chuckle. Then he'd shoot with one hand and at the same time take a drink with the other. If he cared what the outcome was, he didn't show it. But the other players tried to compress their hootin' and hollerin' and get it all out before the dice were pushed back to him and all fell into a deep hush.

"Uh. That guy."
I know.
"We should've brought some fucking dough, man."
...
"You motherfucker. I thought we had agreedahfukkitlet'splayIbroughtsometoo."
We're both such liars.

So we simultaneously pulled out the bills from the inside pocket of our jackets, waited briefly and respectfully for the roll to be called, and threw down everything on the pass line. If PSH cared for the slight delay for the cash to be counted and the dice to be pushed to him, he didn't show it. PSH didn't give a shit. He just kept mumbling to himself and chuckling.

He rolls a four. A goddamn four. When I said that we threw down everything on the pass line, I lied: we had some in reserve for odds. So we max out the odds on a damn four. If PSH was concerned about hitting a four, or rather, not rolling out, as many people would given the amount of money on the table, he didn't show it apart from mmmmaaybe squinting his eyes across the table just before throwing the dice, as if he were aiming for a spot on the felt.

(A brief aside: four is a tough roll. The most common roll is a seven, but in this case, rolling a seven would cause nearly everyone to lose their money. The next most common rolls are sixes and eights, then fives and nines, then fours and tens.)

So he rolls. I remember the outcomes exactly: 5. 8. 8. People are flipping out. I had no money for any other bets. How I wish I could've placed just a bit on a hard eight! 9. Totally flipping out. Everyone. The Roll and I are standing off to the side a bit. We hear the numbers, but can't stomach to see the actual dice. We are no longer part of the action: we cannot place any more bets. All our money was already placed on the table. All we could do is try to look askance and be cool with who's rolling the dice, not speak about the most likely outcome: sevening out and losing. Not think about the different combinations that add up to seven.

Ears are cottonwool. The dice are thrown high and land and tumble. I can only see one die from where I was at: a three. Awesome. We've lost. The other die is surely a four, cause he's been hitting so many damn fours, and three plus four equals we're losers. The other die is out of sight, resting near the wall of the tub nearest to us.

And then the stickman hollers out "FOUR!" And we peek over the edge, and see the sum of the dice: 3+1=4. We just won a whole shitload of money.

We'd won a whole shitload of money. If PSH was impressed with our win, he showed it only by looking just a tiny bit thirsty. Like his throat was dry. No, like one particular lip line on either his upper or lower lip was dry. Point is: he didn't give a shit. He just took a sip and got back to mumbling and chuckling.

The dealer to the right of the stickman looked at us and, as per his job, encouraged us to continue playing. You know, for the casino to win its money back. He said, quite loudly, and while shaking his head from side to side: "NOBODY. LIKES. A. QUITTER."

The Roll and I are puzzled at his diction. All becomes clear when the dealer than says "I hear the Petrossian has some great Bellinis." Got it. Color. Abscond. Have the finest Bellinis ever to put a cap to the single most stupid, lucky, and incredible bet we've ever put down on a man who wore no hat.



Aaaand then one day I watched Love Liza and had a most miserable weekend, but that's much more boring to talk about.
posted by herrdoktor at 2:24 PM on November 23, 2015 [12 favorites]

Love Liza features someone I went to high school with and acted in a couple of plays with at the time, so it goes irrationally high on any such list that I might make myself.

But really there's nothing on this list that I wouldn't watch or rewatch with the exception of Patch Adams, because I just...can't.
posted by Stacey at 3:16 PM on November 23, 2015

I was wondering if Happiness would be in there, and smiled when it showed up at #14. I don't know if I can watch that movie again, but man, what a performance.

I enjoyed his performance in A Most Wanted Man, too. When I saw the movie, it felt to me like he wasn't even acting in it. It seemed to me that he was that character. I guess you could say that about a lot of his roles, but really, in the perspective of his untimely passing, it was devastating.

What a loss.
posted by Chuffy at 3:34 PM on November 23, 2015

I would have put Flawless higher up. I'm not sure how much higher... but higher. At any rate I've got a lot of movies to watch now... and maybe after I'm done I'll feel differently.
posted by one4themoment at 3:50 PM on November 23, 2015

When I saw the movie, it felt to me like he wasn't even acting in it. It seemed to me that he was that character. I guess you could say that about a lot of his roles

That's the thing. While he's perfectly recognizable as Phil Hoffman whenever he's onscreen, he so effortlessly inhabits Scotty, Brandt, Phil Parma, Lancaster Dodd, or Lester Bangs and makes you believe that that's how he really is-- and they're all totally different sorts of people with different sorts of behaviors.
posted by shakespeherian at 5:25 PM on November 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

I don't think I've ever seen anything that PSH did that didn't delight me immensely.

There's on role that stands out for me, though, as one I wish he'd done: Steve Rubell in 54. Mike Myers did a surprisingly transcendent job, but I think Hoffman would have sliced things just a little bit finer and delivered a masterpiece-for-the-ages kind of performance. I realize it's a bit beanplatey to analyze a not that great but fun movie like that, but still: PSH would have nailed that shit to the fucking wall.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 8:08 PM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

The juxtaposition up there with McGoohan makes me realize that Hoffman is maybe the only person I'd trust in a modern version of The Prisoner.

His turn as Owen Davian in MI:3 airplane scene, count to ten, "the highlight of what is a largely incomprehensible movie"
posted by the man of twists and turns at 9:04 PM on November 23, 2015