Islamabad December 19 (Online): As the Oscar-winning actor turned 60, here’s looking back at 7 of the most definitive roles of Brad Pitt’s decades-long career. How many of them have you seen?
Brad Pitt is one of the most recognizable faces in the world, a true movie star of the generation. Here are 7 of the finest performances of the star who has gifted fans (and moviegoers-turned-fans) a variety of films and performances, skillfully weaponizing his star power to make his mark in more unpredictable projects.
Brad Pitt in stills from Se7en, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Moneyball.
Fight Club
Amid the chaos and upheaval of David Fincher’s cult classic lies Brad Pitt’s Tyler Durden- a character brimming with raw intensity and enigma. Pitt plays with his tone and body language to match the constant shift of perspective. Note how he commands a scene while he walks with his arms swinging as opposed to how he behaves while cracking a joke. He is a truth-teller, a criminal and someone who wears his attitude on his sleeve- never to be misled with. It’s also the willingness to display that rugged brand of masculinity on screen that makes Pitt’s Tyler Durden so indelible.
Where to watch: Apple TV
Se7en
Safe to say that David Fincher gave Brad Pitt some of his most memorable roles? The actor is unforgettable in the crime thriller, disappearing into the role of David Mills- a somewhat impulsive homicide detective who has just been transferred to the city police department after years of working upstate. The film’s most horrifying sequence in the end, the ‘what’s in the box’ climax plays out like gut punch majorly because of the force of Pitt’s performance. Suddenly the world closes down on him, the forces enveloping his will. Note how he tries to shake off that pain in that scene alone- shaking, crying, and steadily holding his gun and to take aim.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Brad Pitt played Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film- using his laid-back charm to full conviction. As the dedicated stuntman to Leonardo DiCaprio’s stressed-out Rick Dalton, who serves both as his employer and best friend, Pitt brings a much needed depth and gravitas to the narrative. He is living in the moment- not looking back at the past, or worrying about the future. It’s a performance that feels written for a performer like Brad Pitt, yet there’s a certain sense of humility and woundedness in it, which makes his turn as Cliff Booth so unforgettable.
Where to watch: Netflix
Thelma & Louise
The role that skyrocketed Brad Pitt’s name in every casting director’s sheet was that of J.D. in Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise. He arrives midway through the narrative, when Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) are stranded in the motel, and infuses it with a breezy and irresistible charm. Pitt plays the dreamboat hunk with a precious mix of innocence and charisma- showing off his dimples, acting out a bank robbery with a hair dryer with total conviction. This was just a tease, here was a star waiting to show what he is capable of. A true star-marking performance.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Ocean’s Eleven
What does it take to be Rusty Ryan? Guts? Love for junk food? Blond hair cut short? I firmly think the answer is you need to be Brad Pitt. The actor’s work as Robert ‘Rusty’ Ryan in Steven Soderberg’s blockbuster heist movie firmly cemented the actor to a kind of superstardom that still feels unmatched. Pitt adds oodles of charm and ferocity to the role, with a dependable mix of cool bravado that only he could tap on. The film almost feeds off the rebellious appeal that Pitt injects into the scenes, even as he is constantly eating away his junk food. Its always okay to trust him at the end.
Where to watch: Jio Cinema
Moneyball
In Moneyball, Brad Pitt plays the Oakland Athletics’ general manager Billy Beane, in charge of a failing baseball team. He cannot afford to buy more. As he gets around to work with the advise of the young analyst Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), he knows how big the stretch is this time. But it’s the determination and persistence with which Pitt dials up the energy of his scenes, that make Moneyball such an enduring delight. It’s like watching an actor in full control, keenly aware of the innate mechanics of what this movie demands. And, he delivers exactly as the game requires.
Where to watch: Netflix
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Brad Pitt’s most unusually brave and breathtaking work comes in the Western psychodrama The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, directed by Andrew Dominik. He plays the notorious 19th century folk legend who always stays a step ahead, the one who fascinates the Coward (Casey Affleck). Even as the spaces become clear as the film approaches the end, the actor glides through the scenes with serenity and attentiveness. Even in scenes when he is simply present without a word of dialogue, Pitt is simply fascinating to watch. Note how his face recognizes the wave of turmoil that awaits him in a while.
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