Two-time Oscar nomineeBruce Dernis not coming slow with his performances. Dern may have started his career with an uncredited appearance in Elia Kazan’sWild River(1960), but since then, the actor has built quite the portfolio, even winning Best Actor at Cannes for his role inNebraska(2019). Throughout the years, Dern has dipped his toes into a variety of performances, from striking supporting roles to memorable performances as the lead. Here are some of Bruce Dern’s best performances:
10The Hateful Eight (2015)
What happens when eight strangers, with questionable backgrounds, areforced to seek refuge in a remote cabindue to a snow blizzard? Well, Quentin Tarantino’sThe Hateful Eightgives great insight into this. The western-mystery thriller brings together an ex-slave who is now a bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson), another bounty hunter (Kurt Russell), his prisoner (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a sheriff (Walton Goggins), a mysterious stranger (Demian Bichir), a former Confederate general (Bruce Dern), a British hangman (Tim Roth), and a gunslinger (Michael Madsen) in the dead of winter for a violent, unexpected face-off. Dern’s General Sandy may be sitting in a corner and observing as violence ensues among the others. However, it becomes apparent that the old General knows more than what he lets on.
9Monster (2003)
It’s hard to forget Charlie Theron’s Oscar-winning performance of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the biographical crime drama filmMonster. The film follows Aileen, a street prostitute who murdered seven of her male clients and was later arrested in 2002. Bruce Dern’s Thomas is one of the memorable characters from the film. He portrays a haunted Vietnam War veteran, who is Aileen’s only male friend. Thomas’ relationship with Aileen is so different from the relationship she has with other men, most of whom have pushed her down a dark, horrifying pathway.
8Silent Running (1972)
Douglas Trumbull’s debut science fiction film,Silent Running, is set in a future, where life on Earth has ceased to exist. It stars Bruce Dern as botanist Freeman Lowell, who is responsible for looking after a variety of plants in a space station greenhouse. However, things start getting complicated when Lowell is ordered to destroy some of the plants to make space for some upcoming cargo. Lowell goes against these orders to protect the last remains of mother nature. Despite being one of the few humans on screen, Dern does a great job, practically carrying the whole film on his shoulders.
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7The ‘Burbs (1989)
Joe Dante’s black comedyThe ‘Burbsmay have been dismissed when it was first released, but the film has gathered quite the cult following since then. The film stars Tom Hanks as Ray Peterson, who returns home for a week-long vacation. However, all plans for a peaceful, stress-free vacation arethrown out the windowwhen Ray hears strange noises from new and reclusive neighbors’, the Klopeks, basement. Ray, along with his other neighbors, suspect that the Klopeks may be Satanic murderers. It’s Dern’s character, Mark Rumsfeld, who truly steals the spotlight, with his overly enthusiastic attitude and his overactive imagination. The military veteran really makes the audience guffaw with laughter thanks to his over-the-top personality.
6Smile (1975)
Director Michael Ritchie’s filmSmilehits all the right notes when it comes to satirical comedies. Set in Santa Rosa, California, the film centers around the beauty pageant held in the small town. It highlights the hypocrisies and deceit involved in the pageant. Dern portrays Big Bob Freelander, a sleazy, yet hilarious, used car salesman who acts as one of the main judges on the panel for the pageant. One can’t help but laugh and cringe at the same time at the antics of the people on screen. Dern in particular pushes the audience to tears of laughter with the way he acts and judges the contestants.
5The Great Gatsby (1974)
Jack Clayton’s adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’sThe Great Gatsbymight not live up to its source, but comes quite close, all thanks to the performance of the cast. The film follows Robert Redford’s Jay Gatsby, a millionaire, whoobsesses over his lost love Daisy, portrayed by Mia Farrow, who is now married to Bruce Dern’s cold, merciless Tom Buchanan. Dern’s Tom comes quite close to Fitzgerald’s Tom, with his cold demeanor. His stellar performance scored him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
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4The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
Bob Rafelson’sThe King of Marvin Gardensfollows two brothers who get involved in a get-rich-quick-scheme that eventuallyleads them toward tragedy. Dern portrays the extravagant and enthusiastic Jason Staebler, while his moody and depressed brother, David Staebler, is portrayed by Jack Nicholson. It’s quite interesting to see Dern go from enthusiastic and eager to get rich to more somber and serious as tragedy strikes.
3Black Sunday (1977)
Based on Thomas Harris’ novel of the same name,Black Sundayis an action thriller film that wasinspired by the real Munich massacre. Dern’s performance in the film as Michael Lander, the mentally-scarred veteran who was also a prisoner of war, is hard to forget. Deep in his depression, Lander is desperate to commit suicide and teams with the leader of a terrorist group to blow up the Goodyear blimp, which would fly over 800,000 people, including the US President. One can’t help but feel sympathy for Lander, yet still, feel concerned for the lives that he would take if his suicide attempt succeeds.
2Coming Home (1978)
Coming Homeis the film that brought Dern his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Role. Dern portrays Captain Bob Hyde, a US marine, who is deployed to Vietnam and has to leave his wife, Sally, behind. Initially, the film follows Sally as she tries tonavigate through her developing feelingsfor a paraplegic Vietnam War veteran. But once Dern’s Hyde also returns, it becomes apparent that the film wants to focus less on romance and more on the aftermath of war. It’s quite heart-wrenching to see Hyde lash out at the world for what he’s done during the war. Dern does a spectacular job of portraying the wounded captain who is suffering from PTSD.
1Nebraska (2013)
Dern reallycomes front and centerin Alexander Payne’sNebraska. The film follows Dern as Woody Grant, anaging alcoholic man who travels to Nebraskawith his estranged son, portrayed by Will Forte, to collect amillion-dollar Mega Sweepstakes prize. Although it seems like a fool’s errand, the journey to Nebraska does bring the two closer together. Dern did such an amazing job in portraying Grant that he received numerous Best Actor nominations at the Oscars, Golden Globes, and BAFTA. He also bagged an award for Best Actor at the well-known Cannes Film Festival.
