Russell Crowe is undoubtedly one of the most talented actors to have ever graced the screen. He’s versatile and has starred in some top movies over the years. Here are what we consider to be the top five Russell Crowe movies.
Gladiator (2000)
Many would say that Gladiator is one of the best movies of all time – it certainly remains popular to this day, 30 years after its release.
It’s the movie that made him a world-class star. In the film, he acts as the commander of the Roman legions, Maximus Decimus, “father to a murdered son. Husband to a murdered wife.” Joaquim Phoenix also stars in the movie, almost stealing the show with his zest as Commodus, the murderer of his father, emperor Marcus Aurelius.
In the flick, Decimus is ousted as a threat to the throne and his family is killed. He comes back and plots his revenge. It’s a Russell Crowe movie that you should see.
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Showing off his versatility as an actor, Crowe also stars in A Beautiful Mind as genius-mathematician John Nash, working on game theory. In the movie, as in real life, John Nash is troubled by problems with his mental health.
Starring alongside Jennifer Connelly, Crowe shows some of the best acting of his career. A Beautiful Mind won Oscars at the Academy Awards for best picture, best actress in a supporting role, best director, and best writing. The best actor in a leading role remained elusive for Crowe in this movie, which is a shame, seeing as it’s one of the best movies he’s acted in.
The Insider (1999)
The Insider is the movie that brought Crowe his first nomination for an Academy Award. In it, he stars as a whistleblower in the tobacco industry. His life comes crashing down once he shares some damaging information about the tobacco industry.
He then finds his former employers’ agents are spying on him. It’s a movie about being caught up between the will to seek justice and caring for one’s family. Once again, Crowe stands tall in the role of Dr. Jeffrey Wigand, making The Insider one of his best movies.
Cinderella Man (2005)
In this film, Crowe once again shows his adaptability by acting in the role of a mild-mannered light-heavyweight boxer James J. Braddock. He’s a talented fighter but has to make the tough choice to step aside from the ring and focus on a career.
However, his friend and trainer, played by Paul Giamatti, manages to get him back into the ring. In turn, James J. Braddock becomes an inspiration in his community during the hard years of the Great Depression. It’s a movie that exudes sincerity and has several touching moments – but also features some hard-hitting combat. It’s a must-see for fans of Crowe and good movies in general.
He is revisiting the boxing genre with the upcoming release Prizefighter.
Master and Commander: Far Side of the World (2003)
This movie may not have been a tremendous success at the box office, but it remains a cult classic. It offers one of the best naval combat depictions, starring Crowe as Jack Aubrey, a captain of HMS Surprise. The plot shows the bond between the captain and the crew. Jack takes great care of every individual crew member but still has to keep his distance due to his rank. This movie is a classic in many people’s eyes, and it’s one of Crowe’s finest performances.
An Illustrious Acting Career
Even though most people would say that the days of Crowe’s prime are long gone, the famed actor continues to star in movies. He’s even taken to directing films, too. His newest, forthcoming movie is Poker Face – where he is both the leading actor and director. Even though it promises to be an interesting movie, it’s unlikely to trouble the top 5 best Russell Crowe movies list.
In Poker Face, Crowe plays a rich businessman hosting pals at his home. In an interesting-looking plot, the friends agree to play a game of Texas Hold’em, one of the most popular poker game variants – but the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Even though the movie may not be a hit, Russell Crowe remains one of the best actors of our time. We can only wait to see what his new movies will be like – and look forward to revisiting his best performances from time to time.
