By now, it’s common consensus that Jack Nicholson is one of Hollywood’s greatest actors, starring in iconic films such as The Shining and Chinatown. Having worked in the industry for more than half a century, Nicholson made his lead debut with The Cry Baby Killer, but it was Easy Rider that really put him on the map.
Known for his vast range, Nicholson can go from playing a suave detective in Chinatown, to a creepy killer that’s lost his mind in The Shining. In an acknowledgment of his prowess and pedigree as an actor, Nicholson’s won three Academy Awards out of 12 nominations, making him the most-nominated male actor in the Academy’s history. Here are 10 of his best movies, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes.
10 Five Easy Pieces (1970) - 89%
Earning Nicholson his first nomination as a leading man, Five Easy Pieces has him step into the role of a classical musician that’s evading his past by rebelling against his wealthy upbringing and taking up a blue-collar job. Working as a miner, Robert “Bobby” Dupea (Nicholson) hangs out with people who don't belong to his class and have no idea about his past. This changes when Bobby's father falls ill, requiring him to abandon his life as a miner and re-enter the upper middle class world he left behind.
Five Easy Pieces is a testament to Nicholson’s craft as he treats Bobby as a complex character, hot and cold in his mannerisms, but with his heart in the right place.
9 Reds (1981) - 90%
JRS Productions
Warren Beatty’s epic drama follows the life and times of John Reed, (who he played himself). Harnessing Nicholson's softer side, Beatty had him play the role of playwright Eugene O’Neill, a man that’s madly in love with Reed's then-wife, Louse Bryant (Diane Keaton). Nicholson layers him with an exuberance of poetry, sultry sensuality, and an abundance of charm and charisma, going against the typical choice of roles he was known for.
8 The Departed (2006) - 91%
Inspired by Infernal Affairs, Martin Scorsese’s The Departed follows Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), a Boston police officer that’s tasked with infiltrating Frank Costello’s (Nicholson) criminal empire. Meanwhile, Costello plants Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), to infiltrate the police force and update him about their moves. This suspenseful game of cat and mouse, layered with betrayals and double-crosses, is a nail-biting drama that is bound to keep you on the edge of your seat.
7 Ride in the Whirlwind (1966) - 92%
Jack H. Harris Enterprises
Favorite Films
Back in the heyday of the Westerns, Jack Nicholson shot two at a time (The Shooting and Ride in the Whirlwind), both directed by Monte Hellman. Cashing in on the popularity of Westerns, Hellman, along with producer Roger Corman, decided it would be cheaper to shoot two films back-to-back than separately. Written by Nicholson himself, Ride in the Whirlwind explores the brutal consequences of blind justice set in the lawlessness of the Old West.
6 The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) - 93%
The Filmgroup
American International Pictures
In one of his earlier roles, Nicholson stars as Wilbur Force, in Roger Corman’s The Little Shop of Horrors. Working on the classic tenets of Corman’s production technique, The Little Shop of Horrors is a low-budget movie that scores high on thrill and entertainment. Fueled by a wacky premise, an enigmatic Nicholson and a silly, yet cute, Jonathan Haze, Corman’s film is a laugh riot with a few scary moments in between.
5 One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) - 93%
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest serves as a watershed moment in Nicholson’s acting career, winning him his first-ever Academy Award. Based on Ken Kesey’s bestselling novel of the same name, the film stars Jack Nicholson as R.P. McMurphy, who is transferred from prison to a mental health facility, in hopes that life will be more comfortable and easy. Upon arrival, McMurphy’s hopes are squashed by Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), as he discovers that patients are treated with contempt and brutality, ultimately leading him to rebel against the nurse and the system.
4 Broadcast News (1987) - 98%
In one of the rare instances where he hasn’t taken center stage, Jack Nicholson still manages to carve out a noteworthy performance as he stars in James. L Brooks' Broadcast News. Approaching the genuine dichotomy of an office romance filled with corporate humor and surface-level flirtation, Broadcast News features one of the most holistic love triangles in modern-day movies.
Sadly for Nicholson fanatics, he's not at the center of things, but manages to light up the screen wherever and whenever he's used.
3 Chinatown (1974) - 98%
Chinatown’sscreenplay is used as a case-study in film schools all across the world. Considered by many to be the best-written film of all time, Chinatown is a layered Neo-noir experience that twists and turns at the drop of a hat and has one of the darkest plot twists in film history. In an attempt to craft out the perfect screenplay for his best friend, Robert Towne wrote Chinatown specifically with Nicholson in mind after studying the actor's mannerisms and his appetite for suspense.
2 The Shooting (1966) - 100%
Jack H. Harris Enterprises
Favorite Films
Monte Hellman’s visual odyssey is an ode to the Old West unlike any other, culminating into a brutal and bloody ending. The plot follows two guys that are hired by a strange woman to escort her to her destination, while being pursued by an eerie gunman, hellbent on killing them.
The Shootingis a strange film that works on the classic motif of a villain dressed in all black, ticking off all the boxes of the classic Western flick. In addition to this, Hellman spices a somewhat simplistic plot with some fascinating characters alongside a strange setting, creating a steady supply of atmospheric tension.
1 On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970) - 100%
Paramount Pictures
Vincente Minnelli’s On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, might not ring a bell now, but back in the '70s, the movie was a big deal. The musical was adapted from a stage play and centers around Barbra Streisand with Nicholson, Yves Montand, and John Richardson playing the role of the supporting cast. Despite getting mixed reviews upon its release, Minelli’s film is one of the few films to have a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
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