Paul Giamatti’s 10 Best Movies And TV Shows

Paul Giamatti
started working professionally in the acting world in the 1980s, but did not get his true big break until the early 2000s, and many of his best movies and TV shows are from the time period after that break. Giamatti studied acting at the Yale School of Drama, which might be why he is such a great character actor who can simply disappear into a role today. He worked in theater and on Broadway before movies like American Splendor and Sideways, two of his best, provided him with his breakthrough roles.

In addition to theater, movies, and television, Giamatti has expanded his work to lend his voice to video games and audiobooks. All of his roles are different from one another while still allowing him to show the depth of his skills. Giamatti often takes on roles as the ordinary man experiencing what seems like an extraordinary conflict. He takes what should be an ordinary character and makes them leap from the screen with their emotional storylines, and his best movies and television shows showcase how good he is at that – even in supporting roles.

10

Private Life (2018)

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As Richard Grimes

Giamatti in particular is more subtle in his performance here than he is in some of his other projects, and that makes it all the more powerful.

Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn are both equally adept at comedy and drama, so pairing them up for a movie seems like a no-brainer. They worked together, playing a husband and wife, in this independent movie that it’s unlikely many people saw until it landed on streaming platforms.

Giamatti and Hahn both star in the movie as writers. The couple has been struggling with fertility issues, and they both desperately want to have a child. Their chemistry and the easy believability of their performances is what makes the movie work. The movie is grounded by their warmth even as their world seems particularly heartbreaking.

Giamatti in particular is more subtle in his performance here than he is in some of his other projects, and that makes it all the more powerful. His turmoil is played mostly quietly, but it’s still very affecting for the audience.

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9

Barney’s Version (2010)

As Barney Panoksky

Giamatti has a quality that makes the audience care about someone, makes the character a star, when in another story, that character might be a footnote.

Barney’s Version is an often forgotten movie in Giamatti’s catalog, which is a shame because his performance is fantastic. It was a critical darling when it was released, but a box office failure, not earning back its budget. It’s inspired by a 1997 novel of the same name.

The story follows the titular Barney, an alcoholic and soap opera producer who is not always the easiest person to get along with, even though he is very much loved by those close to him. Throughout the movie, his three different marriages, his relationship with his father, and the disappearance of his friend all make huge marks on his life.

What’s most interesting about Giamatti’s performance here, as Roger Ebert noted when reviewing the film, is that he plays an “unremarkable but memorable” man, and that is true of many of the characters in Giamatti’s best movies. Giamatti has a quality that makes the audience care about someone, makes the character a star, when in another story, that character might be a footnote.

8

American Splendor (2003)

As Harvey Pekar

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American Splendor

R
BiographyComedyDocumentaryDrama

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Release Date

August 15, 2003

Runtime

101 minutes

Cast

Chris Ambrose
, Joey Krajcar
, Josh Hutcherson
, Cameron Carter
, Daniel Tay
, Mary Faktor

Director

Shari Springer Berman
, Robert Pulcini

Writers

Harvey Pekar
, Joyce Brabner
, Shari Springer Berman
, Robert Pulcini

American Splendor is one of the earlier highlights of Giamatti’s movie career. The movie provided a window into just how great his work could be as a movie lead instead of in a supporting role.

American Splendor sees Giamatti play cartoonist Harvey Pekar. The movie itself is based on Pekar’s comic book series of the same name, which is semi-autobiographical. It combines Giamatti’s performances with actual art and thought bubbles from the comics, creating a unique take on a comic book movie that is not about superheroes or magical beings. Instead, it brings the everyday life of someone working behind the scenes to the screen.

The movie was well received by critical circles, even if it is a mostly forgotten comic book movie today. It earned several nominations across different film critic societies, specifically for the screenplay, but Giamatti was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for his work.

7

Cinderella Man (2005)

As Joe Gould

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8.7/10

Cinderella Man

PG-13
RomanceDramaHistory

Cinderella Man, directed by Ron Howard, stars Russell Crowe as boxer James J. Braddock, whose comeback during the Great Depression inspires a nation. Renée Zellweger plays his supportive wife Mae, while Paul Giamatti portrays his loyal manager Joe Gould. The film follows Braddock’s journey from washed-up fighter to unexpected champion, capturing the era’s struggles and hopes.

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Release Date

June 2, 2005

Runtime

144 Minutes

Cast

Russell Crowe
, Renée Zellweger
, Paul Giamatti
, Craig Bierko
, Paddy Considine

Director

Ron Howard

Writers

Cliff Hollingsworth
, Akiva Goldsman

Yet again, Paul Giamatti takes on the role of a supporting player in a story who really helps to provide the emotional backbone of a movie. Giamatti is known for his emotional and grounded portrayals of “the everyman.” Here, that man just happens to be a coach.

Cinderella Man centers on Russell Crowe as a boxer who is on the verge of being washed up. Giamatti is his coach whose faith in the boxer never wavers. It’s his sheer determination and commitment that helps to keep the athlete going and the audience invested in the story.

Though Giamatti was nominated for an Academy Award for his work in the movie, he lost out to George Clooney for Syriana. The movie received an additional two Oscar nominations. Giamatti and Crowe were also both nominated for Golden Globes for their work.

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6

John Adams (2008)

As John Adams

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John Adams

History

The main moments in the life of John Adams, one of the great founders of the United States, including his 54-year marriage to Abigail, considered one of the most moving relationships in American history.

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Release Date

March 16, 2008

Cast

Paul Giamatti
, Laura Linney
, Mamie Gummer
, David Morse
, Rufus Sewell
, Sarah Polley
, Tom Wilkinson
, Danny Huston

Creator(s)

Kirk Ellis

Seasons

1

There have been many biopics about figures related to the American Revolution. The Broadway musical Hamilton has certainly increased interest in those figures in recent years, but before Hamilton (and after the classic musical 1776), there was the HBO miniseries John Adams.

The series is not a musical, and it is not as lavish of a period piece as streaming shows today. It is, however, grounded by the performances of Giamatti as the titular character and Laura Linney as his wife. The miniseries takes place over seven episodes and chronicles the first 50 years of the United States of America with President John Adams and his family at the center.

Giamatti’s and Linney’s performances were so well received that they largely swept the award show circuit that season. Both actors won Golden Globes and Emmys for their work.

John Adams also won two additional Golden Globes and 11 Emmy Awards.

5

12 Years A Slave (2013)

As Theophilus Freeman

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8.5/10

12 Years a Slave

r
Drama

Directed by Steve McQueen and based on the 1853 memoir by Solomon Northup, 12 Years a Slave tells the story of Northrup, a free black man from New York who, in 1841, is captured and sold into slavery in the south. Separated from his family, and forced to endure intense brutality at the hands of his new masters, Northrup works tirelessly to stay alive and regain his freedom. The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Northrup, with a cast that includes Lupita Nyong’0, Michael Fassbender, Paul Dano, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

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Release Date

January 9, 2014

Runtime

134minutes

Cast

Chiwetel Ejiofor
, Michael Fassbender
, Brad Pitt
, Lupita Nyong’o
, Benedict Cumberbatch

Director

Steve McQueen

Writers

Steve McQueen
, John Ridley

He is calculating and cold in the role, and it’s a very different one for audiences to see him do so well, which is why it is one of his best.

12 Years A Slave is a modern classic that depicts a particularly cruel aspect of American history. It follows the life of a man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery as a result of a false identity created for him. Giamatti plays a small supporting role in the movie as the man who creates the identity and sells him.

Giamatti has been known throughout his career for playing men who are overlooked, down on their luck, or nice guys who make mistakes. He is not known for his take on cruelty, but here, he does it masterfully. Giamatti perfectly transforms himself into a man who has no regard for human life, or more accurately, no regard for those he considers less than human. He is calculating and cold in the role, and it’s a very different one for audiences to see him do so well, which is why it is one of his best.

4

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

As Sergeant William Hill

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9.5/10

Saving Private Ryan

R
WarDrama

Tom Hanks stars as Captain John Miller in Steven Spielberg’s 1998 WWII film. Saving Private Ryan tells the story of Miller’s command of a company of soldiers who risk their lives in an attempt to extricate Private James Ryan from the fighting in Europe, in order to spare his family from losing all of their sons after Ryan’s brothers are killed in the war. Matt Damon, Edward Burns,  and Tom Sizemore also star. 

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Release Date

July 24, 1998

Runtime

169 minutes

Cast

Tom Sizemore
, Adam Goldberg
, Vin Diesel
, Tom Hanks
, Edward Burns
, Matt Damon

Director

Steven Spielberg

Writers

Robert Rodat

Long before Giamatti was leading any series or movies, he was something of a character actor. He often played small roles – sometimes in just a single scene – in some big-budget movies. One of those roles was in Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. While audiences will remember Tom Hanks and Matt Damon in the movie, Giamatti’s single sequence is a sign of just how talented he was.

Giamatti plays a sergeant who crosses paths with Tom Hanks’ captain while on his search for Private Ryan during World War II. Giamatti is the picture of a soldier who is battle weary and beaten down by the enemy as they take on enemy fire. His anguish and the intensity of the sequence make it clear, even in 1998, that he is an actor to watch.

Saving Private Ryan won two Golden Globes and five Oscars.

3

Sideways (2004)

As Miles Raymond

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Sideways

R
RomanceComedyDrama

Sideways is a 2004 film directed by Alexander Payne, chronicling the road trip of two friends—struggling writer Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) and actor Jack Cole (Thomas Haden Church)—through California’s wine country. As they explore vineyards and reflect on their lives, both men confront personal and professional challenges. The film blends humor and drama, providing an in-depth look at friendship and life’s mid-course corrections.

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Release Date

October 22, 2004

Runtime

127 minutes

Cast

Jessica Hecht
, Marylouise Burke
, Thomas Haden Church
, Sandra Oh
, Virginia Madsen
, Paul Giamatti

Director

Alexander Payne

Writers

Jim Taylor
, Alexander Payne

Though Paul Giamatti was active in Hollywood long before Sideways, it could be considered the movie that really gave him his big break. Sideways is the movie that made audiences, critics, and even Hollywood organizations take notice of the actor.

The movie follows two men in their forties who decide to take a week-long trip through wine country in California. Both men are facing a lack of success in their lives – one is a struggling actor and the other is a teacher and writer who cannot get his work published. The latter is traveling right before he gets married, but along the trip through wine country, the two men cross paths with two women that pique their interest.

The movie saw huge success at the time, making over $109 million against an estimated $16 million budget. Though the movie was inspired by a book, it’s the movie that helped bring more tourism to wine country and increase sales for the specific types of wine mentioned in the movie. TIME named Giamatti the world’s best character actor following his work in the film, and it provided breakthrough roles for Thomas Hayden Church, Sandra Oh, and Virginia Madsen as well.

Sideways was nominated for six Golden Globes, winning one, and five Academy Awards, winning one. Both wins were for the screenplay.

2

The Holdovers (2023)

As Paul Hunham

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7/10

The Holdovers

R
ComedyDramaHoliday

The Holdovers is a comedy-drama film starring Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham, a prep academy professor hated by peers and students alike. Stuck at the academy for the holidays with no family or friends to visit, he finds himself in the company of a bright-but-troublemaking young student named Angus and the school’s head cook, Mary. Together, the three will create a makeshift family as they bond during the holiday season.

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Release Date

November 10, 2023

Runtime

133 Minutes

Cast

Paul Giamatti
, Da’Vine Joy Randolph
, Dominic Sessa
, Carrie Preston

Director

Alexander Payne

Writers

David Hemingson

It’s at turns heartfelt and tense, providing Giamatti with one of the best and most layered performances of his career.

Director Alexander Payne helmed Sideways and then reunited with Paul Giamatti nearly 20 years later on The Holdovers. Payne and Giamatti make for a winning team, telling stories of average people that become emotional and memorable, standing out from what others might consider “boring.”

The Holdovers follows the employees responsible for watching the students who are “held over” at a boarding school during the Christmas break. Giamatti plays the teacher begrudgingly responsible for keeping an eye on things at the boarding school. It’s at turns heartfelt and tense, providing Giamatti with one of the best and most layered performances of his career.

The Holdovers was named one of Comic Book Resources‘ best Christmas movies of the 2020s, but it is also Paul Giamatti’s best movie. It also earned nominations from a slew of different critical organizations and guilds. The Holdovers received five Oscar nominations, winning one, and three Golden Globe nominations, winning two, including one for Giamatti.

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Billions (2016-2023)

As Chuck Rhoades

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Billions

Drama

Billions is a drama series created for Showtime that follows hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod’s quest to accumulate power and wealth, often leading him to utilize unscrupulous tactics. The one man standing in his way is U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades – who will do what it takes to ensure Axelrod is brought to justice. The series is based on several real-world cases featuring dramatizations and embellishments for entertainment purposes.

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Release Date

January 17, 2016

Cast

Maggie Siff
, Toby Leonard Moore
, Frank Harts
, Malin Akerman
, Paul Giamatti
, Melissa Joyce
, David Costabile
, Damian Lewis
, Daniel K. Isaac

Showrunner

David Levien

…television provides him with a chance to really dig into the characters he plays.

Billions is one of Giamatti’s most recent television projects. While Giamatti is known better for his character work in movies than on television, television provides him with a chance to really dig into the characters he plays. That is part of why his work in Billions is so great. Instead of a two-hour story, the show lasted for seven seasons, bringing Giamatti’s performance to households all over.

The series follows a hedge fund manager (Damien Lewis) who engages in practices just on the other side of the law. Giamatti plays the District Attorney determined to take him down. The DA, despite his powerful job, is often overshadowed by his own family members and has to find outlets for his frustration, which includes bondage and other sexual games.

The role allows Giamatti to play the tension, the overconfidence, and the stress of a man in a high-powered position. While Billions did not earn Giamatti any Golden Globe nominations like his other projects, it still makes for Paul Giamatti’s best television show.

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment