[Editor’s Note: This list was originally published in April 2019. It has been updated to include new entries, including “Mickey 17.”‘]
Ten years in the past, nobody would imagine — of all of the franchises in Hollywood — the blockbuster film sequence that may yield probably the most compelling actors would find yourself being “The Twilight Saga.” Everyone knows about Kristen Stewart’s extraordinary arthouse endeavors, however the Edward to her Bella is each bit as dedicated to diving deep into character and dealing with visionary administrators. Robert Pattinson made legions of younger ladies swoon, however the roles he’s chosen because the Stephenie Meyer franchise ended have been as colourful as his romantic vampire was pale.
Like Robert Redford and Brad Pitt earlier than him, Pattinson exudes a profound ambivalence about his heartthrob standing and a need to be regarded as excess of a good-looking face. And, like his predecessors, he’s performed the work to show it. Even going again to his YA origins as Cedric Diggory within the “Harry Potter” movies or as Edward in “Twilight,” Pattinson introduced one thing elusive and enigmatic to these roles. Simply as he does in his newest triumph of character work in Claire Denis’ “Excessive Life.”
Denis’ movie unfolds slowly, intentionally, like a garrote wire being pulled from its spool: each second has been sharpened to its strongest essence, each shot rigorously calibrated with most precision. It takes an actor with an expansive ability set to channel Denis’ imaginative and prescient, and Pattinson proves he’s as much as the problem. She had initially thought of Vincent Gallo and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman for his position within the movie, however Pattinson “offers off an aura that instantly makes you need to movie him,” Denis informed IndieWire in 2016.
In honor of his ever rising, and ever extra achieved, resume, listed below are IndieWire’s picks for Robert Pattinson’s 15 best roles.
With editorial contributions from Christian Blauvelt, Kate Erbland, David Ehrlich, Michael Nordine, Eric Kohn, and Zack Sharf.
15. “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fireplace”
Within the books, Cedric Diggory was written as that rarest of creatures: the extraordinarily in style, handsome child who’s truly a stable dude. With that in thoughts, who else might have performed him however a pre-stardom Robert Pattinson? The soon-to-be-vampire had restricted time to make Hufflepuff’s star seeker likable regardless of competing towards Harry Potter within the ill-fated Triwizard Match, however handed with flying colours by exhibiting hints of the charisma that he’s since displayed in his auteur-driven main roles. (And actually, bless him for getting even just a few of his “Twilight”-obsessed followers into the arthouse for a film like “Maps to the Stars.”) On the receiving finish of certainly one of Voldemort’s most chilling strains — “Kill the spare” — Cedric additionally represents the success of a pronouncement made a lot earlier within the sequence: “All the time the harmless are the primary victims, so it has been for ages previous, so it’s now.” Had a lesser actor performed him, we’d not have felt the complete weight of that tragic finish. —MN
14. “The Childhood of a Chief”
Brady Corbet amassed a formidable forged for his directorial debut — along with Pattinson, “The Childhood of a Chief” stars Bérénice Bejo, Liam Cunningham, and Stacy Martin alongside the frighteningly good Tom Candy in his debut — however Pattinson was the one one tasked with enjoying twin roles. And although he portrays simply a type of characters for the overwhelming majority of his time onscreen, his presence contributes enormously to the movie’s more and more unsettling ambiance. You possibly can’t depict the early years of a future fascist with out additionally exhibiting the adults within the room who formed him into the particular person he ultimately turns into, and Pattinson excels in a small however essential position. “The tragedy’s not that one man has the braveness to be evil,” he says whereas enjoying pool in a deceptively necessary scene, “however that so many haven’t the braveness to be good.” The total significance of that line gained’t be clear till the final scene, which can make you would like you’d paid nearer to consideration to his character all alongside. —MN
13. “Water for Elephants”
Now that Pattinson is such a loyal indie darling, it’s nearly exhausting to keep in mind that — in the course of his “Twilight” run — he took a breather to play an orphaned veterinarian who joins a touring circus and begins crushing on the ringmaster’s spouse (Reese Witherspoon). “Water for Elephants” was a wierd mid-budget film, and a shocking hit, however Pattinson might be the rationale why such an old style melodrama linked with trendy audiences. His distanced, disaffected efficiency as Jacob Jankowski helps lower to the guts of a gussied-up spectacle; his steely, even-keeled strategy invitations you to get swept up within the story with out taking it too severely. And watching him romance a bona fide film star like Witherspoon proved as soon as and for all that Pattinson was greater than only a teen idol. —DE
12. “Damsel”
Maybe the true trick of Pattinson’s work in movies like — sure, these once more — the “Twilight” saga and his Cronenberg two-fer, is that he’s in on the joke. He’s definitely in on it with the Zellner brothers’ artful crack at a Western. “Damsel” performs out comparatively simple at first, with a placid Pattinson starring as American striver Samuel Alabaster, intent on taming the frontier and catching again up along with his beloved bride-to-be. It’s clear that there’s one thing else taking place slightly below the floor, regardless of Pattinson’s good-natured pluck and the Zellners’ skill to present their viewers loads of leisure worth. As Samuel’s persona crumbles, and as Pattinson builds on weirdo layer after weirdo layer, “Damsel” drives in the direction of some insane twists, however Pattinson stays grounded, and ultimately reveals how far more he was toying with. —KE
11. “The Boy and the Heron”
One in every of Pattinson’s most versatile tips as an actor is his spectacular vocal vary, supplying a wide selection of accents that make each character he performs really feel distinct. So it’s no shock that he’s a pure for voiceover work, however even nonetheless, his efficiency within the English dub of Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” is shockingly unrecognizable. Enjoying the titular Heron, a wierd spirit who lures important character Mahito into a wierd, metaphysical journey, Pattinson contorts his voice into an aged, gruff squawk, one which’s nearly disconcertingly pure coming from a gross hen. It’s a adequate vocal efficiency that you just would possibly mistake it for the work of a seasoned professional, somewhat than a star rent. —WC
10. “The Misplaced Metropolis of Z”
By the point he performed aide de camp Henry Costin in James Grey’s rousing journey story of real-life explorers on the lookout for a vanished civilization within the Amazon within the early 1900s, Pattinson had established himself as a daring actor. However in “The Misplaced Metropolis of Z,” he confirmed simply how far he was keen to commit: bearded, bespectacled, and affecting an aura of each English working-class roustabout and by-the-book army disciplinarian, Pattinson left any fairly boy, actually any main man, attract behind him. As Costin, he confirmed that he’s a personality actor at coronary heart, a sensibility he’s since dropped at his lead roles as nicely. And that he’s keen to serve the story and the imaginative and prescient of the filmmaker always: his screentime in “Z” could be very restricted — however he makes probably the most with the time he’s given. Watching the movie with my mother, two aged ladies within the row behind us reached over and tapped us on our heads because the credit rolled. They needed to share their shock with us: “Are you able to imagine it? That was Robert Pattinson…. from ‘Twilight’!” —CB
9. The “Twilight” Saga
A lot of what the overwhelming majority of moviegoers perceive to be Pattinson’s ability set is rooted within the recognizability of the “Twilight” franchise, nonetheless probably the most seen and worthwhile endeavor of his profession to this point. However that’s not essentially a foul factor, as a result of regardless of how deeply the sequence declined in high quality with each subsequent entry (it did; it actually, actually did) and regardless of how simple it’s to put in writing off the facility of a YA franchise a few sad-eyed teen lady and the additionally sad-eyed vampire boy who loves her, Pattinson’s work within the sequence is, nicely, good.
Edward Cullen is a wacky, unwinnable position — a preternaturally good-looking and sensible and gifted thriller man who additionally occurs to be a decades-old bloodsucker (and who actually sparkles within the daylight). He’s the last word unavailable man, and that such a persona can be the constructing block of Stephenie Meyer’s ludicrously in style YA sequence is not any shock. It’s the stuff teen goals are fabricated from, with a large number of insane twists, however Pattinson pulls this nuttiness off with equal elements attract and canny bafflement. Half the time, he appears to be like as shocked as we do about what’s taking place — look no additional than the “meet the Cullens” scene within the first movie, during which Pattinson appears to be like prepared to leap out of his pores and skin in a method that each completely fits his character and nods firmly to the viewers — and the remainder of it sells him as a greater than succesful main man. Watch it once more, you’ll see extra than simply the sparkles this time. —KE
8. “The Rover”
“Cosmopolis” made it clear that Pattinson was a critical actor with each intention of leveraging his YA cred into an unpredictable profession, however it was his efficiency as Reynolds (or Rey) in David Michôd’s “The Rover” that confirmed how fearlessly he was going to meet his potential. Rey isn’t a simple character; a easy American southerner making an attempt to outlive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, he’s a dwelling burden in a world the place nobody can afford to have any further baggage. Pattinson provides a tragic embodiment of a personality who’s harmless and responsible in nearly equal measure, turning Rey right into a idiot who has no shot on the completely happy ending he would possibly deserve. The half the place Pattinson stops the film in its tracks to sing Keri Hilson’s “Fairly Lady Rock” is the second when he transcended his “Twilight” fandom as soon as and for all. —DE
7. “Maps to the Stars”
In his second collaboration with David Cronenberg after “Cosmopolis,” Pattinson starred as Hollywood limousine driver and aspiring screenwriter Jerome Fontana reverse Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, and John Cusack in “Maps to the Stars.” Pattinson’s present for charting his character’s compassion is heightened by Cronenberg, who throws the well-meaning Jerome down a rabbit gap of twisted Hollywood secrets and techniques. Pattinson excels as his character fights to carry onto his self-respect in a city that calls for you promote out. Jerome’s occupation is essential to Cronenberg and Pattinson’s deconstruction of the character. Jerome needs to imagine he’s accountable for his Hollywood destiny, however he’s in the end a pawn being utilized by his employers. With every new ring of Hollywood hell Jerome is pressured to enter, Pattinson strips away the character’s empathy to create a pointy portrait of aspiring expertise being swallowed gap by the Hollywood machine. —ZS
6. “The Batman”
Batman is, and all the time has been, a mopey emo manchild, an grownup nonetheless tormenting himself over the traumas of his childhood. That’s a layer that a number of Batman portrayers have by no means fairly nailed down, and it’s one which made former “Twilight” star Pattinson such an impressed option to succeed Affleck and Bale within the position. Along with his greasy bangs and his black eyeshadow, Pattinson is the proper superhero for Matt Reeves’ gritty, gothic model of Gotham Metropolis, and he’s equally compelling each within the batsuit and brooding in his mansion. That’s to not say that’s all Pattinson achieves within the position: he’s believably badass and genuinely scary as a creature of the night time, and has crackling chemistry with Zoe Kravtiz’s Catwoman. Nonetheless, you may’t fairly image every other Batman moping to Nirvana’s “One thing within the Approach” like he does. —WC
5. “The Lighthouse”
“The Lighthouse” has the pores and skin of a surreal horror movie, however its bones are a clashing buddy comedy, and director Robert Eggers forged an odd couple for the ages when he employed Willem Dafoe and Pattinson as the 2 warring lighthouse keepers who slowly go loopy caught with one another on a distant New England outpost by a wild storm. Enjoying the youthful and initially extra sympathetic member of the pair, the younger apprentice to Dafoe’s cranky and demanding previous professional, Pattinson will get the subtler but additionally meatier half, enjoying with viewers sympathies earlier than his Ephraim slowly goes off the deep finish and his true nature is revealed. He’s dynamic and unnerving, and in his spats with Dafoe, fairly humorous: a showcase for the previous “Twilight” actor’s refined however highly effective vary. —WC
4. “Mickey 17”
Movies that characteristic an actor enjoying twins or clones can usually come throughout as gimmicky and one-note, relying an excessive amount of on the inherent actor showcase premise. If something, Bong Joon Ho’s “Mickey 17,” against this, nearly has an excessive amount of happening, however it encompasses a notably spectacular twin efficiency from Pattinson that ranks amongst his greatest work. As soon as once more exhibiting off his spectacular vocal vary — he reportedly took inspiration from “Ren & Stimpy” to play the 2 clones of Mickey — Pattinson is absurdly lovable because the nasally, dorky, sweet-hearted Mickey 17, and genuinely scary and compelling because the rougher, meaner Mickey 18. Each are entertaining on separate phrases, and Pattinson nails the black comedy of the darkish satire, with bodily appearing throughout a centerpiece eating sequence that verges on “Looney Tune” stage genius. However the clones are even better collectively, once they rub towards one another and study extra from the separate personalities of the unique Mickey. In a movie full of nice actors like Naomi Ackie and Steven Yeun, Pattinson’s greatest scene accomplice winds up being himself. —WC
3. “Excessive Life”
Flat and arrestingly primitive in a task that was initially conceived for Philip Seymour Hoffman, Pattinson offers a transfixing lead efficiency as an intergalactic traveler aboard a drifting spaceship in Claire Denis’ “Excessive Life.” His identify is Monte, and he’s alone within the stars save for a handful of corpses and his lovely toddler daughter. Over the course of an journey that travels by time and house and even to the sting of the identified universe, Pattinson navigates any variety of unfathomable states of being. In reality, the film is simply capable of go to such excessive locations due to how Pattinson anchors all the demented journey to his fundamental humanity. Not since Keir Dullea within the closing actions of “2001: A House Odyssey” has an actor been capable of replicate a lot of the universe within the awed expression on his face. —DE
2. “Cosmopolis”
Pattinson has taken a number of dangerous bets on gifted filmmakers in recent times, however the apotheosis of this tendency (pre-“Excessive Life,” anyway) comes from this wackadoodle anti-capitalist odyssey from David Cronenberg, which finds the actor enjoying a slick and avaricious dirtbag who mutters strains like, “My prostate is asymmetrical.” Using a limo round New York Metropolis in almost each scene as prosperous government Eric Packer, Pattinson boldly submerges his stardom within the director’s twisted anti-establishment tendencies. Cronenberg’s adaptation of Don DeLillo’s 2003 novella is a savage and absurdist takedown of American affluence that already appears to be like prefer it was forward of its time, however its curious enchantment owes a lot to Pattinson’s dedication to the premise. Whereas “Cosmopolis” takes some very bizarre symbolic turns, because the limo careens by the protest-riddled metropolis streets and arrives at an eerie house showdown, Pattinson performs the entire thing straight. He’s the film’s final technique of convincing audiences that this type of ludicrous character actually does exist in the true world. And searching again on “Cosmopolis” from the vantage level of Trump’s America, Eric Packer could have been probably the most insightful efficiency in Pattinson’s oeuvre up to now. —EK
1. “Good Time”
R-Pats doesn’t even have an excellent time within the Safdie Brothers’ tense drama, however viewers do. He’s hardly ever been higher than he’s right here, enjoying a low-level legal whose behavior of robbing banks along with his developmentally disabled brother takes an unsurprisingly dangerous flip with assist from a dye pack and an inconveniently positioned window. With bottle-blond hair and a touch of an accent we’ve by no means heard him assume earlier than, Pattinson’s efficiency is one more reminder of his ever-impressive vary — not that we would have liked one — in addition to his nice style in collaborators. —MN