The 25 Greatest Performances Quentin Tarantino Ever Directed
Perhaps more than any film in his oeuvre, Quentin Tarantino’s latest film Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood is an actors’ showcase. In addition to the highly praised turns by its trio of A-list stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie, it features a host of memorable supporting turns by an impressive stable of actors including Margaret Qualley, Emile Hirsch, Al Pacino, Timothy Olyphant, Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Luke Perry, Damian Lewis, Lena Dunham, Brenda Vacarro, and Julia Butters (whose brief performance as a child actor deserves an honorable mention on the list below).
Click here for my review of Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood
The buzz surrounding the film inspired me to go back and revisit his entire filmography and — in part due to his latest film’s emphasis on acting — I found myself paying more attention than ever to the performances that populate his films. With the emphasis of his films often being on complexly structured narratives, hyper-verbal dialogue, and gratuitous violence, it is easy for viewers to overlook the brilliance of many of the performances he directed. Below, I countdown my votes for the 25 best.
25.) Bruce Dern, The Hateful Eight. Although I find The Hateful Eight to be Tarantino’s weakest film (it is overly long with major pacing problems and a reliance on the gratuitous that is striking even for Tarantino), it nevertheless features several impressive performances. One that impressed me the most upon my second viewing was Dern’s turn as General Sanford “Sandy” Smithers. As a deeply racist and embittered Civil War general searching for his missing son, he is perhaps the only actor in the film that doesn’t seem hell-bent on seeing how much scenery he can chewing (or he just chews it better than most of the rest). It is a deeply unsettling and wholly convincing turn.
24.) Kurt Russell, Death Proof. The most overlooked film of Tarantino’s filmography is undoubtedly this 2007 thriller that was released as a double feature with Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror under the collective title Grindhouse. Given that the film is an homage to slasher, exploitation, and muscle car films of the 1970s, it is unsurprisingly not much of an actors’ showcase. Nevertheless, as stuntman Mike McKay who murders young, attractive women by staging car accidents with his “death-proof” stunt car, longtime action film veteran Russell gives an exceedingly creepy and captivating performance that elevates the film.
23.) Samuel L. Jackson, The Hateful Eight. The first of three appearances that Tarantino mainstay Jackson makes on my list is for his turn as Major Marquis Warren. His performance may not be as subtle as Dern’s, but the meaty material Jackson is given allows him to turn in one of the most charismatic and commanding performances of his storied career.
22.) Steve Buscemi, Reservoir Dogs. Following the success of this film, Hollywood would unfortunately typecast Buscemi and prompt him to give variations of this same performance for decades. But that’s in part because his mouthy, twitchy performance as Mr. Pink is so effective and memorable.
21.) Diane Kruger, Inglorious Basterds. Tarantino’s 6th film is notable for many things, not the least of which is how he managed to work in two strong roles for women while working within a genre that historically sexualizes, victimizes, sidelines, or simply erases them. As German actress/American spy Bridget von Hammersmark, Kruger manages to sell an exceedingly tricky role and flawlessly anchors some of the film’s tensest scenes.
20.) Margot Robbie, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood. Although I found Tarantino’s sidelining of Sharon Tate’s character in a tory that she is so central in to be a frustrating decision, there is simply no denying how perfectly Margot Robbie was cast. Despite the fact that Tarantino mostly observes her character from afar and provides her with limited dialogue and virtually no plot line, Robbie is utterly luminous. Nowhere in the film is she better than when she impulsively buys a ticket to watch herself on the big screen and seems genuinely captivated and overjoyed by the experience. Few actors could do so much with so few words.
19.) Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight. The sole acting nomination received by The Hateful Eight at the Oscars (and only the second Oscar nomination for an actress in a Tarantino film) went to indie film veteran Leigh for her turn as Daisy Domergue, a murderer sentenced to death in the late 19th century. Tarantino received a great deal of criticism for his writing of the role, particularly the degree to which all of the film’s characters reveled in beating and torturing her, but it seems unfair to hold that against Leigh. She turns in a balls-to-the-wall, vanity free performance that is mostly comedic throughout until it becomes unexpectedly poignant in the final third.
18.) Samuel L. Jackson, Jackie Brown. The legendarily prolific Jackson has stated that his role as black market arms dealer Ordell Robbie is one of his all-time favorite roles. It’s not hard to see why. If you can get past the ridiculous ponytail and braided chin beard, you get a richly complicated character that allows for a relatively more emotionally nuanced and restrained performance than we typically see in Tarantino films.
17.) Harvey Keitel, Reservoir Dogs. The revered character actor was gifted one of his greatest roles as Larry (aka Mr. White), the only man involved with the film’s ill-fated heist that seems determined not to sacrifice his humanity and morality. It is a compelling, empathic, and commanding performance that is essential to the success of the film.
16.) Melanie Laurent, Inglorious Basterds. The harrowing opening sequences of Inglorious Basterds, which remains my pick for the best sequence Tarantino ever wrote and directed, culminates with a young Jewish woman narrowly escaping the grasp of the SS Colonel that massacred her whole family before her eyes. Flash forward three years and she is masquerading as French gentile Emmanuelle Mimieux and unexpectedly finds an opportunity to exact her revenge (and perhaps put an end to World War II) falling right into her lap. She is a ferocious and sympathetic heroine who skillfully carries the weight of the film’s tragedy on her shoulders.
15.) David Carradine, Kill Bill (Volumes 1 and 2). The titular character of Bill looms large over the first volume of Kill Bill despite never making a substantive appearance. That shifts dramatically in the second half when he is fully revealed as a far more nuanced, soft-spoken, and complex character than expected — but nevertheless one who you believe is capable of profound acts of evil. Four decades into his film career, the late David Carradine got one of his meatiest roles and gave one of his finest performances.
14.) John Travolta, Pulp Fiction. After hitting the A-list with late 1970s blockbusters like Grease and Saturday Night Fever, Travolta’s star faded significantly in the 1980s. Tarantino cast him against type as a hip, laid back hitman named Vincent Vega and it resulted in one of the greatest comeback stories in Hollywood history. In my opinion, it’s not even one of the film’s top three performances (see below) but that’s more of a testament to how good the acting in this film than it is a criticism of Travolta’s performance. He nails every scene from the brutal interrogation to the dance-off with Uma Thurman that is one of the film’s highlights (and a lovely throwback to his late ’70s films).
13.) Pam Grier, Jackie Brown. Tarantino famously followed up on casting Travolta in Pulp Fiction with casting another 1970s star whose career had fallen into disrepair as his lead in his next film. This time it was blaxploitation queen Pam Grier. One might expect the combination of Tarantino and the star of films like Foxy Brown to produce a scenery chewing free-for-all, but Grier is deliberate, understated, and often moving as a down-on-her-luck flight attendant who decides to turn the tables on the federal agents and arms dealer trying to use her as a pawn.
12.) Uma Thurman, Pulp Fiction. As Mia Wallace, the young and beautiful new bride of a crime boss who Travolta’s Vincent Vega is reluctantly sent to entertain while his boss is out of town, Thurman gives an utterly fascinating performance. She is commanding, alluring, and delightfully eccentric throughout her brief screen time and the tension between her cool, unaffected air with the impulsive behaviors she exhibits are appropriately jarring.
11.) Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained. Tarantino’s 7th film was a visual wonder with an ambitious narrative, but overall it wasn’t the best acted. Jamie Foxx was a bit bland, Kerry Washington was sorely underused, and Samuel L. Jackson’s turn was almost unbearably hammy. But nevertheless the film did feature a wholly unexpected and unforgettable turn from Leonardo DiCaprio, whose transition from heartthrob to risk-taking dramatic actor was rarely more evident than in his fully committed and vicious performance as the sadistic slave owner “Monsieur” Calvin J. Candie.
10.) Bruce Willis, Pulp Fiction. By the time Pulp Fiction came along, Bruce Willis had already conquered screens both big (Die Hard) and small (Moonlighting). But one thing he had not done was given a critically acclaimed performance in an awards-caliber film. And his performance as Butch Coolidge is just that. He is an over-the-hill boxer who crime boss Marcellus Wallace pays off to lose a fight and goes on the run after he fails to hold up his end of the bargain. Particularly upon rewatching, I found Willis’s textured work to be highly under-appreciated.
9.) Daryl Hannah, Kill Bill (Volumes 1 and 2). Between 1982 and 1993, Hannah had a remarkable string of critically and commercially successful films including Blade Runner, Splash, Roxanne, Wall Street, Steel Magnolias, and Grumpy Old Men. Her career significantly stalled during the 1990s until Tarantino gave it a jolt with the role of Elle Driver (aka California Mountain Snake). Very little in Hannah’s early work, in which she was usually relegated to the role of love interest, prepared viewers for the ferocity and cunning she brought to the role of the one-eyed assassin who proves one of the Bride’s most challenging kills. She is chilling, wholly believable, and anchors some of the film’s most memorable scenes.
8.) Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood. As stunt man Cliff Booth, Pitt gives one of the finest performances of his career. He exudes laid back cool with a seeming effortlessness that rivals the stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age and transforms what could have been an overly offbeat and opaque character into a genuinely funny and intriguing one.
7.) Robert Forster, Jackie Brown. Whereas most of the buzz for this film’s casting was on Grier, the best and most awarded performance in the film belonged to Forster. As a lonely middle aged bail bondsman who gets caught up in the complicated scheme that drives the film, Forster makes a huge impact as the antithesis of the Tarantino world — a thoroughly decent, mild-mannered man.
6.) Tim Roth, Reservoir Dogs. Roth would go on to give terrific performances in future Tarantino films Pulp Fiction and The Hateful Eight, but nowhere is he better than he is here as Mr. Orange (aka Freddy). The English character actor is compelling and believable as the severely injured criminal bleeding out in the warehouse while the film’s action unfolds and he is even better in the third act flashbacks that reveal his undercover agent status.
5.) Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained. Only two acting Oscars have ever been won for roles directed by Tarantino and both went to Christoph Waltz. The German-Austrian actor won his second trophy for his turn as Dr. King Schultz, a dentist-turned-bounty hunter who aids the title character on his mission to spring his wife from the grasp of a sadistic slaveowner. The performance is so hilarious, captivating, and unexpectedly endearing he unexpectedly stole the film from top-billed Jamie Foxx and the hugely buzzed supporting turn by Leonardo DiCaprio.
4.) Samuel L. Jackson, Pulp Fiction. If you were asked to pick out a single moment of acting from Tarantino’s filmography as the most iconic, odds are that you would pick Jules Winnfield’s recitation of Ezekiel 25:17 right before he carries out his execution orders. And rightfully so — it is a pitch perfect, wild eyed delivery of a tricky monologue. But that belies the fact that this is a rich performance that covers a range of other emotions, including his easygoing banter with Vincent and the existential crisis he finds himself in after a near-death experience.
3.) Uma Thurman, Kill Bill (Volumes 1 and 2). The fact that Thurman’s turn as the Bride (aka Beatrix Kiddo and Black Mamba) only ranks third on this list is true testament to how good the top two performances on this list are. Across the over four hour running time of the two volumes, Thurman runs the full gamut of human emotion from lighthearted humor to seething revenge to excruciating heartbreak. Her emotional and physical investment in the performance is extraordinary. It truly is one of the most underrated performances of the decade.
2.) Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds. The first acting Oscar won by a Tarantino film went to Waltz for his turn as SS Colonel Hans Landa, an exceedingly clever and extremely effective “Jew Hunter” whose terrifying presence looms over the film. Every time he is on screen, my pulse instantly rises and I soon find myself having to actively resist his provocative and disarming nature. It is one of the best performances in any film in the past decade, not just one of the best in a Tarantino film.
1.) Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood. Although I do not think Tarantino’s latest film is his best work overall (see below), I do not think that any of his films features a better performance than what DiCaprio turns in as Rick Dalton. As the once red-hot star of a television Western struggling to find a place for himself in Hollywood at the tail end of the 1960s, DiCaprio turns in a performance that deftly balances light-hearted comedy with undercurrents of tragedy. He is a hoot in the various acting roles we see him take on in the film and genuinely moving in the many intimate moments where we see him unravel. It is one of the finest performances ever delivered by one of Hollywood’s finest actors.
And as an added bonus, here is my overall ranking of his films:
9.) The Hateful Eight (2015)
8.) Death Proof (2007)
7.) Jackie Brown (1997)
6.) Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood (2019)
5.) Reservoir Dogs (1992)
4.) Django Unchained (2012)
3.) Kill Bill (Volumes 1 and 2) (2003–2004)
2.) Inglorious Basterds (2009)
1.) Pulp Fiction (1994)
