An Ivorian actor, Isaach de Bankolé is mostly known for his parts in French and American productions. And although you may not be familiar with his name, or even if you don't recognize this performer by looking at his face, you've undoubtedly seen a few of the films in which he's featured.
From critical darlings to blockbuster successes, Isaach de Bankolé has appeared in a great variety of motion pictures since debuting in the 1980s. He's collaborated on several occasions with talented directors and actors alike, and he's built a great name for himself in a certain sphere of the industry. But for the most part, he deserves more credit for all his hard work — these are the ten best Isaach de Bankolé movies, ranked.
10 Chocolat (1988)
A period drama and Claire Denis's directorial debut, Chocolat (1988) follows a woman named France, who's played by Cécile Ducasse. Her parents are played by François Cluzet and Giulia Boschi, while De Bankolé shows up as the family's house servant, named Protée. The plot kicks off when Cécile and Protée develop a friendship, with Chocolat going down as a deep dive into the human condition's complexities.
Why It's So Great
Though she perhaps peaked with Beau Travail (1999) in the following decade, Denis proved capable of high-quality direction right out of the gate. She co-wrote Chocolat with Jean-Pol Fargeau, who's among her most frequent collaborators. Another figure among Denis's recurring stable is the actor at hand, Isaach de Bankolé. They would collaborate again with No Fear, No Die (1990). But between the two, Chocolat takes the cake.
9 Mother of George (2013)
An international co-production between Nigeria and the United States, Mother of George (2013) features Isaach in a co-starring role. He plays Ayodele, while Danai Gurira shows up as his wife, named Adenike. The film begins at their wedding, then chronicles their struggles with fertility issues while balancing daily life at a small restaurant of which they manage. It's a compelling journey, and as a whole, Mother of George proved quite the hit not just with industry pundits, but also with fans from around the world.
Why It's So Great
Featuring dialogue in English and Yoruba both, De Bankole and Gurira deliver their lines with careful intonations and pinpoint facial expressions, and the two share a tremendous chemistry until the film's final frame. The leading efforts drew great praise, along with the wit of the script from Darci Picoult. And thanks to brilliant direction from Andrew Dosunmu, this entry holds up well today as a high-quality piece of storytelling.
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8 Calvary (2014)
Calvary
- Release Date
- April 11, 2014
- Director
- John Michael McDonagh
- Cast
- Brendan Gleeson, Chris O'Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran, Isaach De Bankole
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Starring Brendan Gleeson as a priest, Calvary (2014) kicks off when he accepts confession from an unseen parishioner. The latter informs Father James that he intends to kill him, giving the priest exactly one week to live. The actor of the hour appears in a supporting role as Simon, with every name among the cast of Calvary performing to valiant extents.
Why It's So Great
Written and directed by John Michael McDonough, this entry deserves far more love in the eyes of fans considering its widespread acclaim from critics. On consensus website Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of 90%, with Calvary also receiving nominations at plenty of prominent award ceremonies. The brother of fellow Irish writer-director Martin McDonough, the filmmaker at hand goes rather underappreciated in comparison. And for those unfamiliar with John's work, Calvary is arguably his best.
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7 Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)
An anthology film with a star-studded cast, Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) features eleven segments, with De Bankolé appearing in the fifth. He shows up alongside Alex Descas, one of the most frequent collaborators of the actor at hand. The two had appeared on screen together four times prior to Coffee and Cigarettes, with each story in this anthology film following various pairs of friends and family members as they partake in the titular indulgences.
Why It's So Great
No one has allowed De Bankolé to shine on the silver screen to the extent of American writer-director Jim Jarmusch. Later in this very decade, the two collaborated again on The Limits of Control (2009), with De Bankolé playing the lead. It's their most divisive film together from a perspective of critical reception, while Coffee and Cigarettes is held in high regard today. It's easily among Isaach's bests.
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6 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Black Panther Wakanda Forever
A sequel that will continue to explore the world of Wakanda and all the characters introduced in the 2018 film.
- Release Date
- November 11, 2022
- Director
- Ryan Coogler
- Cast
- Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong'o, Daniel Kaluuya
- Rating
- PG-13
- Genres
- Superhero, Action, Adventure, Drama
For those who may be unfamiliar, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) is among the many sequels found within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though his role in is by no means one of particular plot prominence, you should without a doubt recognize De Bankolé's contributions upon hearing his character's name: River Tribe Elder.
Why It's So Great
A member of the Wakandan Tribal Council, he's the character with the abnormally large disc in his lip. That should definitely jog your memory. Isaach went through extensive costume processes for the role — not just for the lip plate, but also for the gauges in his ears. At the 95th Academy Awards ceremony, Wakanda Forever film picked up five nominations, winning Best Costume Design thanks to the efforts of Ruth Carter. With good reason.
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5 Black Panther (2018)
Black Panther
- Release Date
- February 13, 2018
- Director
- Ryan Coogler
- Cast
- Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Action
Even for entries in the MCU, the first Black Panther (2018) holds astounding name value as Chadwick Boseman portrays the titular superhero. For those unfamiliar: its plot follows T'Challa as he returns to his home of Wakanda following the untimely death of his father. A power struggle ensues between the lead character and Eric Killmonger, who's portrayed by Michael B. Jordan.
Why It's So Great
Everyone performs brilliantly in Black Panther to render this one of the most financially successful movies ever made. But as far as superhero films go, this is also of the utmost quality. Upon release, critics doled out rave reviews for the film at hand, which also picked up three wins out of seven nominations at the 91st Academy Awards. Those statistics make Black Panther an all-time great.
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4 Night on Earth (1991)
After two Claire Denis collaborations, De Bankolé appeared in Night on Earth (1991), made by an auteur from America named Jim Jarmusch. This began one of the most overlooked partnerships in all of modern cinema, with a couple of their other collaborations appearing on this very list. And although you may not recognize this anthology masterpiece by name, its chronicling of five adventures in respective taxis will hit home across the board of emotional resonance.
Why It's So Great
The first story takes place in Los Angeles, with Winona Ryder playing the cabbie. Things move next to New York, then to De Bankolé driving a taxi in Paris. The third story, his segment features great insight into the human condition while also delivering well-written jokes and memorable performances. Two parts come thereafter, set in Rome and then Helsinki, with each story holding up well from all angles of quality. An underrated gem, Night on Earth deserves far more love today.
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3 Casino Royale (2006)
Casino Royale
- Release Date
- November 14, 2006
- Director
- Martin Campbell
- Cast
- Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Action
- Writers
- Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis, Ian Fleming
Among the greatest entries of the James Bond franchise is Casino Royale (2006), starring Daniel Craig as 007. It's a famous plot as the protagonist takes on a terrorist financier (played by Mads Mikkelsen) in a game of high-stakes poker. De Bankolé plays one of many villains, named Steven Obanno, with other members of the cast including Ava Green, Judi Dench, and Jeffrey Wright.
Why It's So Great
The actors show up in valiant fashion, leading to widespread praise from critics and audiences alike. And that's not just thanks to the efforts of its star-studded cast, but also through various facets of behind-the-scenes filmmaking. Well-shot fight scenes, palpable tension within the plot, masterful tactics of film editing — this is among the greatest action movies of the twenty-first century. It's a seminal piece of De Bankolé's filmography, and that will forever be the case.
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2 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
- Release Date
- May 23, 2007
- Director
- Julian Schnabel
- Cast
- Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne Consigny, Patrick Chesnais, Niels Arestrup
- Runtime
- 112
- Main Genre
- Biography
With Julian Schnabel in the director's chair, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) chronicles Jean-Dominique Bauby's experiences with locked-in syndrome that arose after a life-altering stroke. It's a true story, with Ronald Harwood's adapted script being based on Bauby's 1997 memoir of the same name. Mathieu Amalric plays Bauby, while De Bankolé appears as his friend, named Laurent.
Why It's So Great
For those unfamiliar with its reverence: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly goes down among the most critically acclaimed movies from its decade in general. It holds a whopping approval rating of 94% on critical consensus website Rotten Tomatoes, for starters. And at the 80th Academy Awards, the film received four nominations: Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Director. Those honors perfectly showcase the quality of the overall product.
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1 Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
- Release Date
- June 2, 1999
- Director
- Jim Jarmusch
- Cast
- Forest Whitaker, John Tormey, Cliff Gorman, Dennis Liu, Frank Minucci, Richard Portnow
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Action
With Forest Whitaker in the titular role, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) follows a mysterious hitman who operates based off the codes of ancient Japanese texts. Known by friends and foes alike as Ghost Dog, he communicates with his clients via carrier pigeons. Quite the collection of quirks. What's more is that his best friend is an ice cream man who solely speaks French — that's where Isaach comes into play.
Why It's So Great
Both thespians perform to their greatest extents, sharing a tangible rapport until the film's final frame. They rattle off some of the most well-written dialogue you're ever likely to hear, thanks in large part to the script from writer-director Jim Jarmusch. With their combined efforts, this entry received great acclaim from critics upon release. Justifiably so. Even at the worldwide box office, Ghost Dog accrued an admirable amount. And in the end, it's easily among the finest films from everyone involved. That includes Isaach de Bankolé.
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