Jesse Plemons' 15 Best Movies

Directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity), this high-flying, satirical biographical action-comedy follows Barry Seal (Tom Cruise), an adventurous TWA pilot recruited by the CIA to run clandestine reconnaissance missions in Central America during the late 1970s and 80s. Seal soon expands his operation, smuggling massive shipments of cocaine for the Medellín Cartel while simultaneously aiding the Contras. Plemons features in a memorable supporting role as Sheriff Downing, a small-town Arkansas lawman whose sleepy jurisdiction becomes ground zero for Seal's staggering, absurd wealth.

Critics praised the film's brisk, chaotic energy and Cruise's charismatic performance, highlighting how Liman turns a dark chapter of American foreign policy into a wildly entertaining crime caper. Plemons was commended for adding a grounded, humorous touch of local realism opposite the film's frenetic star power. Plemons and Cruise star together again in Digger.

"For anyone of a certain age, the ending will come as no surprise, but, as always, half the fun is getting there, and cynical though it may be, American Made is undeniably a whole lot of action-oriented fun." —Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle

Directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) deliver a razor-sharp action-comedy centering on Max (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams), a fiercely competitive couple whose weekly game night spirals out of control when Max's charismatic brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) is seemingly kidnapped by real gangsters. Plemons delivers a legendary, scene-stealing performance as Gary Kingsbury, their next-door neighbor, a creepy, unblinking police officer who desperately wants to be re-invited to the couple's social gatherings following his divorce.

The film won critical acclaim for its clever, twist-filled screenplay and its exceptional ensemble chemistry. Plemons' deadpan, unnerving comedic timing received widespread applause, cementing Gary as one of the most memorable side characters of the decade, and has surely contributed to the film's ever-growing cult. 

"It takes real intelligence to make the best dumb jokes. Game Night has plenty of both, combining skilled filmmaking and ridiculous gags in equal measure, and letting the seriousness and silliness play off of each other for maximum effect." —William Bibbiani, IGN

Written and directed by Chris Kelly (The Other Two), this poignant comedy-drama stars Jesse Plemons in a career-defining lead role as David, a struggling, gay comedy writer in New York who moves back to his childhood home in Sacramento to care for his dying mother, Joanne (Molly Shannon). As he copes with impending grief, David must also navigate awkward family dynamics and his conservative father's refusal to accept his sexuality.

Reviewers championed the film for balancing devastating tragedy with genuine, laugh-out-loud humor. Plemons earned widespread praise for his deeply sensitive, emotionally raw portrayal, expertly capturing the exhaustion, love, and quiet despair of a young man watching his world crumble.

"The moments between mother and son are some of the most intimate and moving of the film." —Katie Walsh, Chicago Tribune

Director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) chronicles the notorious true story of James "Whitey" Bulger (Johnny Depp), an Irish mobster who became an FBI informant in Boston during the 1970s and '80s in order to eliminate a common enemy. Plemons co-stars as Kevin Weeks, a loyal blue-collar muscle worker who rises through the ranks to become Bulger's trusted lieutenant and enforcer.

Reviewers praised the film's gritty atmosphere and strong ensemble work, singling out Depp's terrifying lead performance. Critics damned the movie by calling it Scorsese-lite (more on him later), though they singled out Plemons for his intimidating physical presence and subtle portrayal of a man steadily compromising his morality under Bulger's dangerous influence.

"Cooper, the director of Crazy Heart and the underrated Out of the Furnace, has made a tight and tense gangster film with Black Mass. But it's a pretty straight-ahead entry in the genre, albeit one peppered with spicy performances." —Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly

Tommy Lee Jones directs and stars in this stark, revisionist Western based on Glendon Swarthout's 1988 novel. The narrative follows Mary Bee Cuddy (Hilary Swank), an independent frontier woman who undertakes a harrowing journey across the desolate Midwest to transport three mentally traumatized women to a sanctuary in Iowa, recruiting an unrefined claim-jumper (Jones) to assist her. Plemons appears as Garn Srosberry, a rough-hewn local settler whose life intersects with the grueling expedition.

Critics admired the film's haunting cinematography, its uncompromising look at pioneer isolation, and its feminist undertones. Though Plemons' screen time is brief, reviewers noted that his compelling presence helped texture the film's harsh world.

"At a certain point, The Homesman will take you by surprise. By the end, a ferry ride across the Missouri River, it will take your heart." —Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Written and directed by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, this Netflix feature-film epilogue to the acclaimed AMC television series follows Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) after the events of the finale as he flees from his captors and attempts to forge a new future. Plemons reprises his iconic role as Todd Alquist in vital flashback sequences that highlight the severe psychological trauma Jesse endured.

Critics lauded the film as a satisfying, action-packed coda to the franchise, and Plemons was universally praised for stealing every scene he appeared in, seamlessly resurrecting Todd's eerie polite sociopathy and terrifyingly casual demeanor.

"Nothing about El Camino makes a case that we are necessarily better off with it than without it, or that some great hole has now been filled. It turns out we were fine with the idea of not knowing exactly what happened to Jesse; that way, we could always hope the best. Now that we know, dare we ask for a little more? Or leave it be?" —Hank Stuever, Washington Post

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, this surreal sci-fi dark comedy centers on two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major pharmaceutical company (Emma Stone), convinced she is a covert alien intent on destroying planet Earth. Plemons stars as Teddy, the passionately unhinged ringleader whose unraveling mental stability propels the kidnappers into a dangerous, claustrophobic battle of wits.

Critics applauded the film's tense, satirical edge and striking visual direction, singling out Plemons for delivering a powerhouse leading performance that expertly balanced tragic paranoia with explosive, unpredictable energy. Plemons' work was widely recognized, so much so that his lack of a nomination at the 98th Academy Awards was viewed as perhaps the biggest snub of the year. 

"As terrific as Stone is, though, it's Jesse Plemons who gives the film's most extraordinary performance." —Owen Gleiberman, Variety

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Being John Malkovich writer Charlie Kaufman writes and directs this surreal psychological drama adapted from Iain Reid's novel. A young woman (Jessie Buckley) travels with her new boyfriend, Jake (Plemons), to meet his parents at their remote farm during a blizzard. As time and reality warp around them, the journey devolves into a strange, dreamlike nightmare of memory and regret.

Critics praised Kaufman's intellectual ambition and the film's haunting, melancholy atmosphere. Buckley and Plemons, both on the come up, received rave reviews for their complex, deeply moving performances; Plemons was specifically recognized for navigating Jake's internal sadness and awkwardness with brilliant nuance. Released on Netflix early in the pandemic, the movie has been somewhat memory-holed, and is worth seeking out. 

"On many levels it's a bold, brilliant work, uncompromising in its darkness and distinguished by rigorously committed performances from a superb principal cast. Yet in many fundamental ways, the movie is frustrating; it's frequently a hard slog, as distancing as it is illuminating." —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter

Steven Spielberg directs this Cold War thriller starring Tom Hanks as James B. Donovan, an American lawyer tasked with negotiating the release of a captured U-2 spy plane pilot in exchange for a Soviet spy. Plemons appears as Joe Murphy, a fellow reconnaissance pilot who witnesses the perils of their high-altitude military missions.

Critics celebrated Spielberg's classical storytelling, Janusz Kamiński's atmospheric photography, and Mark Rylance's Oscar-winning supporting turn as real-life KGB spy and Soviet intelligence officer Rudolf Abel. Plemons was commended for lending quiet credibility and gravitas to his scenes within the military apparatus; the actor would reteam with Spielberg on his next film. 

"The film is an anomaly — a confident, slightly square, highly satisfying example of old-school Hollywood craftsmanship, starring a major movie star brandishing a briefcase, and a handkerchief, rather than a pistol." —Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

In Steven Spielberg's 2017 historical drama, journalists at The Washington Post in 1971 race against the clock to publish the classified Pentagon Papers. Starring Meryl Streep as Post publisher Katharine Graham and Tom Hanks as executive editor Ben Bradlee, the film explores freedom of the press and political accountability as newsroom leaders face high-stakes government resistance. Jesse Plemons co-stars as Roger Clark, a young senior litigator navigating the immense constitutional risks and legal consequences facing the newspaper.

Critics praised the razor-sharp ensemble cast, noting how Plemons stood out as an integral part of the intense legal debates, and hailed the film as a timely, thrilling ode to journalism.

"Although prone to occasional sermonizing, The Post offers a stirring reminder of the importance of these kinds of unsung heroes in protecting the American way of life." —James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Set during the height of the Black Panther movement, Shaka King's biographical drama follows FBI informant William O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) as he infiltrates the party's Illinois chapter to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). Jesse Plemons portrays Roy Mitchell, the calculating FBI agent who recruits O'Neal and manipulates him through coercive pressure.

Critics widely acclaimed the film for its powerful performances and uncompromising historical storytelling. Plemons earned high praise for avoiding cartoonish villainy, presenting Mitchell with a polite, soft-spoken professional aura that made his systemic corruption even more unsettling to watch.

"The story is infuriating — not in the way King presents it, not at all, but in its details. The manipulation of justice is heartbreaking. Though sadness isn't what you'll most likely feel while watching. Anger is. The betrayal in Judas and the Black Messiah extends far beyond the title character, making it an even greater tragedy." —Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

Exploring the complex bond between a troubled WWII veteran, Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), and a charismatic movement leader, Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Paul Thomas Anderson's powerful drama anchors its narrative in psychological intimacy. Plemons plays Dodd's son Val, who quietly doubts his father's teachings.

Critics universally praised the film's striking visual style, score, and central performances. Plemons drew significant attention for his subtle work opposite Hoffman and Phoenix, displaying a quiet skepticism that provided crucial grounding to the story.

"Anderson tells this story slowly, inexorably, with a sense of control I've never felt from him before. This is the least violent of his five dramas, the first where nobody dies. It's also the bleakest." —Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer

In Jane Campion's 2021 psychological Western, tension mounts on a 1920s Montana ranch when gentle, introverted George Burbank (Plemons) unexpectedly marries Rose (Kirsten Dunst), a grieving widow. Their union deeply infuriates George's charismatic yet menacing brother, Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch), who unleashes a relentless campaign of cruelty against Rose and her sensitive son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Plemons plays George with a quiet, gentle soul seeking dignity and emotional warmth amid his brother's dark hostility.

The film was a massive critical juggernaut, leading the 94th Academy Awards with 12 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (which Campion won), and acting nods for its four main stars. Critics widely praised Plemons' restrained, dignified performance, highlighting him as the grounding, emotional core of the film.

"In this, her first film centring male psychology after a career of female character studies, she makes observations about masculinity and power that defy classification. She has blown these subjects wide open and we can but stand still and try to catch the fragments as they rain down." —Sophie Monks Kaufman, Little White Lies

Martin Scorsese's epic crime drama uncovers a devastating chapter of American history: the brutal reign of terror against the Osage Nation in 1920s Oklahoma, where Osage members were systematically murdered after discovering oil on their land. The film centers on the tragic, manipulated marriage between Osage woman Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone) and white war veteran Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), orchestrated by Ernest's calculating uncle, William King Hale (Robert De Niro). The narrative shifts in its third act with the arrival of Jesse Plemons as Tom White, a principled, quiet Bureau of Investigation agent sent by director J. Edgar Hoover to uncover the plot.

Plemons delivers a commanding, steadfast performance as the methodical lawman bringing justice to a town consumed by greed and deceit. Critics praised the 10-time Academy Award-nominated film as a haunting masterpiece, highlighting Plemons' calm, grounding presence as a vital anchor for the movie's explosive final movement.

"Scorsese has rendered a tragic, forlorn piece of American history, indebted equally to classical Hollywood craftsmanship and the director's own obsessions with honor, guilt, family, criminal codes and America's centuries of greedy bloodshed." —Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

Spanning decades of organized crime history, Martin Scorsese's epic saga chronicles the life of mob hitman Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) and his involvement with infamous Teamster leader Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino). Plemons co-stars as Chuckie O'Brien, Hoffa's loyal foster son, whose fishy ride plays a pivotal role in the film's climax.

The film received universal acclaim as a meditative masterpiece on aging and guilt. Critics praised Plemons for making a memorable impression alongside screen legends, bringing a warmth and tragic naiveté to his key supporting role; this would ultimately lead to Scorsese casting him in a larger role in Killers of the Flower Moon four years later. 

"The master filmmaker has made an introspective, thoughtful, even somber film that manages to be just as entertaining as his classics, even while diving deep into the darkest souls and finding some semblance of a heart." —Matthew Dougherty, IGN