Billy Bob Thornton has recently risen to prominence within the cultural conversation, as his starring role in the TV show Landman is a great reminder to revisit the actor’s best movies. Known not only for his contributions to cinema as an actor but also behind the camera as a writer and director, Thornton has dabbled in many genres, consistently demonstrating his ability to disappear into any role, even though he’s a familiar face. Though he began his career on television, Thornton has had great success on the big screen as well, earning nominations and accolades for his most iconic performances.
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Billy Bob Thornton’s performance in Taylor Sheridan’s Landman has received critical acclaim on the heels of his work in the legal drama Goliath, which ended in 2021. He’s consistently lent his talents to many arresting television dramas, but throughout this time, he’s also appeared in a variety of films, in parts large and small. However, even when Thornton is onscreen for a brief time, he makes an impact on the narrative. There’s a reason why adding Thornton to a project helps ensure its long-term success.
You are watching: Billy Bob Thornton’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked
10
Love Actually (2003)
As The U.S. President
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Love Actually
R
Comedy
Drama
Holiday
Romance
8/10
16
7.7/10
Release Date
November 14, 2003
Runtime
135 minutes
Cast
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Colin Firth
-
Emma Thompson
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The way the U.S. President is characterized in Love Actually is almost comically villainous, but Thornton is more than up for the challenge. Love Actually is an iconic Christmas romance movie that’s quickly developed into a modern classic of the holiday season. Though Thornton doesn’t have a love interest and is one of the film’s most notorious villains, he commits to the lecherous nature of his character and shines in his brief time onscreen as a foil to Hugh Grant’s charming Prime Minister.
It’s interesting to see Thornton in a rom-com, even if it is as an antagonist, as the actor is more traditionally associated with thrillers, crime dramas, and intense character studies.
Love Actually has come under fire for some of the more dated and downright confusing storylines in the film. However, it’s unlikely that the movie is going to fade from the cultural memory anytime soon. It’s interesting to see Thornton in a rom-com, even if it is as an antagonist, as the actor is more traditionally associated with thrillers, crime dramas, and intense character studies. Despite this, he holds his own within the narrative, and it’s fun to see him onscreen year after year in Love Actually.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Love Actually (2003) |
64% |
72% |
9
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)
As General Hollanek
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Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Not Yet Rated
War
Comedy
5/10
Release Date
March 4, 2016
Director
John Requa, Glenn Ficarra
Cast
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Margot Robbie
-
Christopher Abbott
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Though Whiskey Tango Foxtrot isn’t Thornton’s most critically acclaimed project, it’s always fun to see how he performs in a comedy. Starring Tina Fey as Kim Barker, an American journalist hopelessly out of her depth when she takes on an assignment in a war zone, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot features Thornton as a General she initially butts heads with. General Hollanek is a familiar character for Thornton, who plays into the stern and by-the-book characteristics of the role.
The friendly relationship that blossoms between Kim and Hollanek is representative of Kim’s overall arc in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. As she adapts to her surroundings, learning to be more confident and rely on herself, she earns the respect of seasoned military personnel like Hollanek. In terms of politics and culture, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is woefully out of its depth, but some genuinely funny performances from the cast and Fey’s charisma help uplift the narrative.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) |
68% |
54% |
8
Friday Night Lights (2004)
As Coach Gary Gaines
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Friday Night Lights
PG-13
Drama
Release Date
October 8, 2004
Runtime
118 minutes
Cast
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Billy Bob Thornton
Coach Gary Gaines
-
Lucas Black
Mike Winchell
-
Garrett Hedlund
Don Billingsley
-
Derek Luke
Boobie Miles
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Though Kyle Chandler would go on to play Thornton’s character in the hit TV series Friday Night Lights, in the original movie of the same name from 2004, Thornton is the coach who anchors the story. Following the journey of a high school football team in a small Texas town that places significant importance on the team’s performance, Friday Night Lights was hailed as a film that understands the nuances of high school sports in the U.S. and small-town dynamics. Thornton is firm and tough but also fair in his performance as Gary Gaines.
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The true story that inspired the Friday Night Lights movie and TV show came from the 1990 book Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H. G. Bissinger. One of the reasons that the story of Friday Night Lights is still so enduring is because it takes the personal and professional highs and lows of the characters so seriously. Thornton is intensely believable as Gaines, a man who cares deeply for his players but also about his reputation and the way the game is played.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Friday Night Lights (2004) |
82% |
85% |
7
Puss In Boots (2011)
As Jack
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Puss in Boots
PG
Adventure
Animation
Comedy
7/10
Release Date
October 28, 2011
Runtime
90 minutes
Cast
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-
Antonio Banderas
-
Salma Hayek Pinault
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The Shrek spinoff series, Puss in Boots, began in 2011 with the first film starring Antonio Banderas as Puss. Thornton voices Jack, a character from the Jack and Jill fairy tale, and has no trouble fitting into the offbeat fantasy world that pokes fun at the tropes and pitfalls of the fairy tale. Though the Shrek movies were enormously popular by this point, Puss in Boots was something of a risk. However, the animated spinoff managed to justify itself and demonstrate why it needed to happen.
With Amy Sedaris portraying Jack’s partner in crime, Jill, Puss in Boots is elevated by the chemistry between Thornton and Sedaris, making the villainous couple hilarious.
Thornton taps into his work as an animated antagonist, a skill for which he first displayed in his voice acting in Princess Mononoke. Though Jack and Jill aren’t historically terrifying murderers, Puss in Boots transforms them into a Bonnie and Clyde-esque couple who are pursuing Puss. With Amy Sedaris portraying Jack’s partner in crime, Jill, Puss in Boots is elevated by the chemistry between Thornton and Sedaris, making the villainous couple hilarious.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Puss in Boots (2011) |
86% |
68% |
6
Monster’s Ball (2001)
As Hank Grotowski
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monster’s ball
R
Drama
Romance
Release Date
June 7, 2001
Runtime
113 minutes
Cast
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Billy Bob Thornton
Hank Grotowski
-
Heath Ledger
Sonny Grotowski
-
Halle Berry
Leticia Musgrove
-
Sean Combs
Lawrence Musgrove
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Halle Berry gives an unforgettable performance in Monster’s Ball alongside Thornton and Heath Ledger. This all-star cast, coupled with the dramatic script, helped Monster’s Ball become a critical and commercial success. Berry went on to win for Best Actress at the Academy Awards, as her work as Leticia is the anchoring performance of Monster’s Ball. Leticia gets involved with Thornton’s Hank, but the two struggling characters are unaware of their dark connection.
Monster’s Ball weaves a morally ambiguous narrative, as Leticia and Hank are both imperfect and, at times, abusive characters grappling with intense loss. Bonded by this grief and their desire for human connection, the pair slowly build a relationship and attempt to become better people. Though the amount of tragedy and devastation in Monster’s Ball can be difficult to grapple with, it’s worth watching, if only for the fantastic performances from Thornton and Berry.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Monster’s Ball (2001) |
85% |
67% |
5
The Apostle (1997)
As Troublemaker
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The Apostle
PG-13
Drama
Release Date
December 19, 1997
Runtime
134 Minutes
Cast
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Robert Duvall
-
Farrah Fawcett
-
Miranda Richardson
-
John Beasley
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Though The Apostle is really Robert Duvall’s movie, as he wrote, directed, and stars in the film, Thornton’s work as part of the supporting cast is a key piece of the project’s success. As the Troublemaker, Thornton isn’t onscreen for very long. However, he’s incredibly memorable, stealing many scenes. Sonny (Duvall), the protagonist, leaves his congregation behind and starts anew after murdering his wife’s new lover in cold blood, instantly grabbing the audience’s attention.
The best thing about The Apostle is that though Sonny gives plenty of sermons, the movie doesn’t preach to you.
The Apostle has a lot of interesting things to say about faith, redemption, and the role of the church in society. It’s a complicated story, made even more layered by the audience’s conflicting feelings about Sonny. The best thing about The Apostle is that though Sonny gives plenty of sermons, the movie doesn’t preach to you. It’s up to the audience to decide how they feel about the characters and their journeys.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
The Apostle (1997) |
88% |
79% |
4
Princess Mononoke (1997)
As Jigo
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Princess Mononoke
PG-13
Animated
Epic
Historical
Fantasy
9.8/10
Release Date
July 12, 1997
Runtime
133 Minutes
Cast
See All
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Yôji Matsuda
-
Yuriko Ishida
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One of the most visually stunning fantasy movies, Princess Mononoke is another on the long list of expertly crafted films by the director Hayao Miyazaki. Though watching Studio Ghibli movies with Japanese audio and English subtitles has grown more popular in recent years, Thornton’s voice work as Jigo adds a lot to the story. His character turns out to be one of the movie’s primary antagonists, as he collaborates with the humans to kill the Forest Spirit for his own greed and selfish pursuits.
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However, as in all of Miyazaki’s work, good and evil aren’t so easily distinguished. Humans fear the spirits of the forest and are destroying the environment, but many of them believe their intentions to be pure. They aim to give their communities more resources and improve their quality of life, even if they’re going about it the wrong way. Thornton immerses himself in the world of Princess Mononoke while playing Jigo, using his background of portraying morally ambiguous characters to great effect.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Princess Mononoke (1997) |
93% |
94% |
3
One False Move (1992)
As Ray Malcolm
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One False Move
R
Crime
Drama
Thriller
Release Date
May 8, 1992
Runtime
105 minutes
Cast
See All
-
Bill Paxton
Dale ‘Hurricane’ Dixon
-
Billy Bob Thornton
Ray Malcolm
-
Cynda Williams
Fantasia
-
Michael Beach
Pluto
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Co-written by Thornton and starring the actor Ray, One False Move was shot on a micro-budget and given a limited theatrical release. However, this doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth watching, as the film has developed into a cult classic and is considered an underrated addition to Thornton’s filmography. Though Thornton was still early in his career at this point, his work in One False Move predicts his illustrious future within the thriller genre, as the performer excels in these tense stories.
One False Move wouldn’t be the last time that Bill Paxton and Thornton collaborated, as the pair would reunite a few years later on A Simple Plan. The director, Carl Franklin, would go on to helm other iconic films like Devil in a Blue Dress and Out of Time, but One False Move was his feature-length debut. Thornton is intensely cruel and corrupt as Jacob, one of the criminals we follow in One False Move, but his performance makes it impossible to look away from the narrative.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
One False Move (1992) |
93% |
75% |
2
A Simple Plan (1998)
As Jacob
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A Simple Plan
R
Crime
Drama
Thriller
Release Date
December 11, 1998
Runtime
121 Minutes
Cast
See All
-
Bill Paxton
Hank Mitchell
-
Billy Bob Thornton
Jacob Mitchell
-
Bridget Fonda
Sarah Mitchell
-
Brent Briscoe
Lou Chambers
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The chemistry between Bill Paxton and Thornton in A Simple Plan is reason enough to watch the 1998 crime thriller. Released a few years after Thornton’s breakout role in Sling Blade, A Simple Plan helped cement Thornton as a singular talent, showcasing him in a tense story that required the actor to show a new side of himself. Directed by Sam Raimi, A Simple Plan sees a trio of men torn apart and driven to murder after they discover millions of dollars inside a crashed plane.
Thorton’s later contribution to the TV series Fargo was clearly inspired by his work in A Simple Plan.
Thorton’s later contribution to the TV series Fargo was clearly inspired by his work in A Simple Plan. The two projects share elements of the crime and neo-noir genres and are set in the Midwest. For his portrayal of Jacob, one of the men who comes undone at the prospect of becoming rich, Thornton earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars. It’s clear that A Simple Plan is going to end in disaster for our heroes. However, watching them make misstep after misstep is excruciatingly compelling.
|
Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
A Simple Plan (1998) |
91% |
81% |
1
Sling Blade (1996)
As Karl Childers
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Sling Blade
R
Drama
10/10
Release Date
August 30, 1996
Runtime
135 Minutes
Cast
-
Billy Bob Thornton
-
Dwight Yoakam
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Directed by and starring Thornton, Sling Blade is one of the highest-rated and critically acclaimed movies of the actor’s career. Thornton was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won for Best Adapted Screenplay, as Thornton also penned the script. Sling Blade is largely considered the film that catapulted Thornton to stardom, kicking off his movie career in earnest and bringing attention to his skills as a filmmaker and performer.
A massive hit at the box office as well, Sling Blade is a harrowing story about the cycles of abuse and childhood trauma. Though it isn’t an easy watch, Thornton is fully committed to his role as Karl, building empathy with the audience and creating a fully fleshed-out, complex character. Set in the American South, Sling Blade is in conversation with the stereotypes and associations with the area, but Billy Bob Thornton is determined to craft a universal story, which comes through in the final result.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Sling Blade (1996) |
97% |
92% |
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Category: Entertainment