Redditors recently got together onr/movies, the largest film subreddit, to discuss which actors delivered the most ‘electric’ performances. By this, they don’t simply mean a performance that was good or larger-than-life, but one that wasenergetic, charismatic, and spellbinding.
The Reddit users came up with a ton of solid picks, fromCharlize Theron’s chilling turn as a real-life killer toBob Odenkirk’s charming, smarmy, layered Saul Goodman. When these characters were on-screen, it was hard to look away.
10Al Pacino - ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ (1975)
Sidney Lumet’sDog Day Afternoondramatizes a real-life bank robbery gone wrong, withAl Pacinoin the lead role of Sonny Wortzik. What was intended to be a quick and easy heist quickly escalates into a tense hostage situation, drawing the attention of the media and law enforcement.
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It’s a bravura performance from Pacino. He captures the character’s depth and desperation, revealing him to be a far more complex figure than he at first seems. “Pacino was incredible in that. Probably one of the greatest performances ever,” saidRedditor thatdani.
9Christian Bale - ‘The Fighter’ (2010)
Based on a true story,The Fighterchronicles the rise of underdog boxMicky Ward(Mark Wahlberg). However, the best performance belongs toChristian Baleas Micky’s washed-up, cocaine-addicted half-brother and trainer,Dicky Ecklund.
Ecklund is a deeply flawed character, but Bale manages to play him with warmth and humanity, without glossing over his darker side. He won an Oscar for his efforts. “Truly one of the best performances of all time,” saiduser olipoppetsimply.
8Bob Odenkirk - ‘Better Call Saul’ (2015-2022)
InBreaking Bad, Saul Goodman was an amoral clown, a fresh take on the slimy lawyer archetype that made for some of the show’s funniest moments. However,Better Call Saulrevealed him to be so much more.Odenkirk took the character in new directions, fleshing him out into a dramatic figure as complicated and conflicted as Walter White (Bryan Cranston).
What makes Saul/Jimmy so compelling is that, ultimately, his conscience has not been wholly extinguished. The heart of the drama is the battle between his morality and his instinct for self-preservation. “Bob Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman is one of the best performances out there. I’d watch him reading a phone book out loud, for hours,” saiduser tauntonlake.
7Ann-Margret - ‘Viva Las Vegas’ (1964)
Viva Las Vegasrevolves around Lucky Jackson (Elvis Presley), a race car driver who arrives in Las Vegas with dreams of winning the Grand Prix. There, he encounters aspiring singer Rusty Martin (Ann-Margret). The two are drawn to each other, and strike up a romance. Elvis was one of the biggest stars on the planet at the time, and yet Ann-Margret more than holds her own alongside him.
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Ann-Margret is vibrant and magnetic, and the chemistry between the two is palpable. “She outshined Elvis by a mile,” saidRedditor CaptinOlonA. “That’s the movie that started my woman crush on Ann-Margret. She’s amazing in nearly everything,” addeduser Ankylowright.
6Laurence Fishburne - ‘King of New York’ (1990)
Abel Ferraradirected this crime film about Frank White (Christopher Walken), a former drug lord who is released from prison and returns to New York City with a plan to reclaim his criminal empire.Laurence Fishburneplays Jimmy Jump, one of Frank’s enforcers. Jimmy helps Frank to eliminate rival mobsters.
Fishburne knocks it out of the park; Jimmy is violent, cold-blooded, and unpredictable, a far cry from the wise Morpheus or the selfless Captain Miller inEvent Horizon. “He stole every scene,” saidRedditor kingoflimbs_us.
5Klaus Kinski - ‘Aguirre, the Wrath of God’ (1972)
This epic fromWerner Herzogtells the story of the ill-fated 16th-century Spanish expedition led by the ruthless and power-hungryDon Lope de Aguirre(Klaus Kinski) in search of the mythical city of El Dorado. The journey becomes increasingly perilous as the expedition faces the harsh realities of the jungle, and Aguirre’s sanity begins to unravel.
Kinski is the driving force behind the film’s relentless tension, embodying the character’s destructive ambition with wild eyes and volatile gestures. “No one has his presence on screen. Like an electric firestorm,” saiduser Hairybard. “[Kinski’s] presence is so dominant it’s honestly a little uncomfortable to watch. Like you may sense the tension when he’s onscreen,” agreedRedditor Tomgar.
Daniel Day-Lewishas many storied roles under his belt, withThere Will Be Bloodgenerally cited as his best. However, one Redditor preferred his performance as renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock inPhantom Thread. The fastidious and controlling Woodcock begins a complex relationship with Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps), a waitress who becomes his muse and lover.
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“I’d sayPhantom Threadwas even more low-key and devious [than his performance inThere Will Be Blood],” saiduser Bodhrans-Not-Bombs. “He’s utterly controlling the scene but it just grates on you in a very uneasy way. I’ve never seen someone use a measuring tape so antagonistically.”
3John Lithgow - ‘Raising Cain’ (1992)
John Lithgowmay be most well-known for playing lovable goofballs in comedies, but in this thriller fromBrian De Palma,he taps into his menacing side. He is Dr. Carter Nix, a brilliant child psychologist with a sinister secret—he has multiple personalities, including a murderous alter ego named Cain.
Lithgow morphs between personalities a laJames McAvoyinSplit, and is at times genuinely unsettling.Redditor njdevils901praised Lithgow’s work inRaising Cain, as well asBlow OutandObsession, saying, “[He’s great in] pretty much every De Palma movie he’s in.”
2Charlize Theron - ‘Monster’ (2003)
Charlize Theron rightly rocketed to fame and won an Oscar for her performance inMonsteras real-life serial killerAileen Wuornos. The film traces Wuornos’s tumultuous journey from a traumatic childhood to a squalid existence on the streets of Florida, through her chance encounter with Selby Wall (Christina Ricci), and ultimately her murderous downward spiral.
Theron underwent a major physical transformation, completely disappearing into the character. She radiates vulnerability and rage. In particular,user MolaMolaManiapraised “the scene withPruitt Taylor Vincewhere she’s trying to goad him into attacking so that she can kill him in self-defense. Both actors are incredible, and I realized about halfway through the scene that my jaw was hanging open.”
1Joaquin Phoenix - ‘Joker’ (2019)
Heath Ledger’s towering Joker performance casts a long shadow, butJoaquin Phoenixsuccessfully put his own spin on the character in this grim, gritty origin story directed byTodd Phillips. Rather than being an out-and-out superhero movie,Jokeris more of a psychological thriller delving into Arthur Fleck’s (Phoenix) deteriorating mental state.
Phoenix is simultaneously sympathetic and loathsome, funny and tragic. In a career chock-full of amazing performances, this might be his finest work. “Arthur Fleck was intense, captivating, and utterly mesmerizing,” saiduser woodsgebriella.
