Billy Bob Thornton is one of the most iconoclastic actors of his generation. The atypical leading man and scene-stealing character actor paved his own success in Hollywood, first by co-writing the superb crime film One False Move in 1991, which he also starred in. Five years later, Thornton set the industry ablaze with his deeply personal film Sling Blade, which he wrote, directed, and starred in en route to winning Best Original Screenplay.
Thornton has amassed nearly 100 big and small screen credits since the mid-80s. Of all those movies he's starred in, there are ten that are deemed his best.
10 Monster's Ball (2001) 85%
Halle Berry became the first Black woman to win an Oscar for Best Leading Actress for her work in Monster's Ball, in which she starred opposite Thornton. The controversial film unfolds a torrid love affair between a bigoted White redneck and a widowed Black woman.
Directed by Marc Forster, the film is set in the deep American south. Hank (Thornton) is an overtly racist security guard working at the Death Row institution where Leticia's husband was recently executed (Halle Berry). Despite their world of differences, the two develop a love affair that makes both question their identity.
9 Puss In Boots (2011) 86%
In Dreamworks' Puss in Boots, Thornton and Amy Sedaris play Jack and Jill, a pair of serial killing outlaws who remain hot on the talking tabby's (Antonio Banderas) trail on a quest across the American West.
The adventure kicks off when Puss and his two pals Kitty (Salma Hayek) and Humpty (Zach Galifianakis) set out to obtain the priceless eggs laid by a Golden Goose. Along the way, the trio steals magic beans from Jack and Jill, leading to an epic cross-country cat-and-cartoon chase.
8 Ain't In It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm (2010) 87%
Although it was produced in 2010, A Film About Levon Helm was not released in the U.S. until 2013. The film honors the personal and professional life of Levon Helm, the iconic drummer for the 1970s musical act The Band.
The film was made prior to and released after Helm's death in 2012. In addition to feting his past work, the documentary centers on Helm writing and recording his first album in 25 years. Thornton is on hand to voice his admiration for Helm's lasting musical contributions.
7 A Simple Plan (1998) 90%
Thornton earned the second Academy Award nomination as an actor for his remarkable turn in Sam Raimi's Fargoesque crime-thriller A Simple Plan.
When Hank (Bill Paxton), Lou (Brent Briscoe), and Jacob (Thornton) accidentally stumble on a crashed airplane full of cash in the snowy woods, they decide to hide the money before dividing it equally among themselves. When it becomes clear the cache is dirty drug money that a phony FBI Agent (Gary Cole) is looking for, paranoia increases and the simple plan becomes a complicated nightmare.
6 The Apostle (1997) 90%
Robert Duvall wrote, directed, and starred in the predominantly praised comeback story The Apostle, for which he was nominated for Best Leading Actor.
Duvall plays Sonny Dewey, a Texas preacher who beats his wife's lover with a softball bat upon discovering their affair. Afterward, Dewey packs up and heads to Louisiana where he reinvents his image as a small-town mechanic. However, Dewey soon becomes a popular figure after preaching on the radio. Thornton plays Troublemaker, a racist mechanic who Dewey helps convert.
5 Princess Mononoke (1997) 93%
In the English-language dub of Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, Thornton voiced the role of Jigo, a dedicated monk who helps Ashitaka (Billy Crudup) on his quest to the west.
When his village homeland is stricken with a curse, Ashitaka ventures into the nearby woods. When he discovers humanity stripping the forest bare, Ashitaka eventually meets Princess Mononoke, a warrior princess who grew up under the care of a wolf-god. Jigo uses his skills as a spy, ninja, and good friend to help Ashitaka reach his destination.
4 One False Move (1991) 96%
Thornton wrote his way into the film business by penning One False Move with fellow scribe Tom Epperson. Thornton also co-stars in the film alongside Bill Paxton and Cynda Williams.
Directed by Carl Franklin, the film revolves around a threesome of criminals who steal a horde of drugs in Los Angeles. When the trio heads southeast towards Arkansas, the LAPD warns local police officer Dale "Hurricane" Dixon (Paxton) of their impending arrival. Thornton plays violent con Ray Malcolm, one of the three criminals Hurricane must confront before more damage is inflicted.
3 Sling Blade (1996) 96%
The finest hour of Billy Bob Thornton's career to date has to be the sweeping success of Sling Blade, his directorial debut. Thornton won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and earned a nomination for Best Leading Actor.
The movie centers on Karl Childers, a mentally-impaired man convicted of murdering his mother and her abusive lover. When Karl is released from the hospital and reenters society, he sets out to prove he's a corrected man. Karl soon befriends a young boy named Frank (Lucas Black) and begins to stay with him and his mother Linda. When Karl witnesses Linda's drunk and abusive boyfriend Doyle (Dwight Yoakam), he does whatever necessary to protect the young boy.
2 Down From The Mountain (2000) 97%
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the two best movies of Thornton's career include documentary films. In second place comes Down from the Mountain, a celebration of the regional bluegrass music featured in the Coen Brothers' 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Thornton is credited as an Audience Member in the documentary, which also features fellow actors Holly Hunter and Tim Blake Nelson. The live concert film is co-directed by D.A. Panabaker, one of the most celebrated documentarians in the history of Hollywood.
1 Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson (2004) 100%
Speaking of preeminent documentarians, Ken Burns' Unforgivable Blackness won three Primetime Emmys in 2005. As its subtitle suggests, the documentary traces the ups and downs of Jack Johnson, the first African American heavyweight boxing champion in U.S. history.
Keith David narrates the film, while Thornton joins several celebrities such as Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Harris, Brian Cox, Jeffrey Wright, Courtney B. Vance, and more to discuss the trials and tribulations Johnson endured in his career.
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