The best Josh Brolin movies came late in the Hollywood star's career. Though he started out strong as a young teen actor in the 1980s, he found it difficult to get substantial roles as an adult for many years. Thanks to some outstanding performances in high-profile films, Brolin launched one of the most impressive Hollywood comebacks. Josh Brolin is versatile enough to capture viewers' attention whether he's in a ing role or headlining a blockbuster. His mix of intensity, humor, and charm make him such a compelling presence on the big screen.
Brolin has proven over the years to be a master at various forms of characters. He has shown great stoic determination playing cops (Inherent Vice), superheroes (Cable), and supervillains (Thanos). He has shown a knack for carrying the role in action movies like Sicario, Dune, and Men in Black 3, along with more dramatic turns in movies like Milk and American Gangster. It seems shocking that Brolin took so long to find his footing in Hollywood because, over the last two-plus decades, the best Josh Brolin movies prove he's one of the most versatile actors currently working.
10 Inherent Vice (2014)
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In 2014, Paul Thomas Anderson adapted the Thomas Pynchon novel Inherent Vice, a book many believed was un-adaptable. One of the better Josh Brolin movies, this was a Neo-Noir mystery set in 1970 about a down-on-his-luck stoner private investigator (Joaquin Phoenix) who ended up in a case where his ex-girlfriend disappeared. Brolin was a no-nonsense police detective named Lieutenant Christian F. "Bigfoot" Bjornsen who despises everything about the P.I. but still operates mostly by the books when called upon. Inherent Vice picked up two Oscar nominations and landed on the top 10 lists from several publications.
9 Deadpool 2 (2018)
- Streaming now on Disney+
Brolin has certainly made a name for himself in the comic book genre, which includes his work in Deadpool 2. The sequel finds Ryan Reynolds returning once again to play Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, as he attempts to save a young mutant from being killed by Cable (Brolin), an assassin from the future. Reynolds once again shows that this was the role he was born to play and the movie continues to embrace the meta-humor of the character. The action is a step up from the last film and Brolin provides an entertaining foil for Deadpool. Of the Josh Brolin movies, this R-rated release ended up as the highest-grossing X-Men movie in the entire Fox franchise.
8 American Gangster (2007)
- Streaming now on Prime Video
Brolin teamed with Ridley Scott and some Oscar-winning actors for this real-life crime story. American Gangster stars Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas, a man who became one of the most powerful drug lords in America in the 1970s while being targeted by a determined detective (Russell Crowe). Brolin plays a corrupt detective who butts heads with both men. Scott recreates New York City in this era in such captivating detail. Washington gives yet another commanding performance as a ruthless man of discipline. American Gangster is a violent, fascinating, and entertaining crime epic. This is one of the Josh Brolin movies that picked up Oscar nominations, nabbing two of them.
7 Sicario (2015)
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Brolin teamed with visionary filmmaker Denis Villeneuve for this intense thriller. Sicario stars Emily Blunt as an FBI agent who is recruited by a CIA official (Brolin) and a mysterious covert specialist (Benicio Del Toro) to take on the Mexican drug cartel. Villeneuve takes a standard crime procedural and turns it into a brilliant thriller. The suspense throughout the film is almost unbearable, the action is shocking, and it provides an interesting commentary on the war on drugs. This was another of the Josh Brolin movies that earned Oscar nominations, and it garnered a sequel three years later.
6 The Goonies (1985)
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Brolin made his film debut in one of the most beloved Josh Brolin movies of all time. The Goonies is the '80s classic that follows a group of young kids who discover a treasure map that leads them on a thrilling journey. Brolin plays the big brother of one of the kids who go along on the adventure. The movie is the perfect example of the kind of kid-friendly yet hugely entertaining movies Amblin Entertainment, Steven Spielberg's production company, was creating at this time. is a funny, heart-warming tale of friendship. Brolin was one of several young actors who became future stars in this cult classic.
5 True Grit (2010)
- Stream now on Paramount+
The Coen Brothers have made a few Josh Brolin movies, and he worked with them for his second time in the western True Grit. Hailee Steinfeld stars as a young girl who hires a renowned U.S. Marshal (Jeff Bridges) to track down the man (Brolin) who killed her father. The Coens crafted an exciting, funny, and thrilling western adventure that improves on the John Wayne version of the story. Bridges is fantastic as the drunk and lazy lawman while the rest of the cast does wonderful work in this highly entertaining ride. The movie picked up 10 Oscar nominations but didn't win any.
4 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
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Though he had popped up in small appearances before, Avengers: Infinity War gave Brolin the opportunity to show off Thanos as the epic villain he really was. Brolin's Thanos is front and center as he attempts to collect the Infinity Stones while the scattered Avengers attempt to stop him. The movie succeeds in making Thanos a compelling and complex villain with Brolin giving an outstanding performance in the role. The movie balances the storylines and characters beautifully while delivering an emotional punch of an ending. While Avengers: Endgame was the better-received movie, this was the one where Brolin's Thanos played the role of a lifetime.
3 Dune (2021)
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In 2021, Denis Villeneuve brought Dune back to the big screen. A bigger-budget, gorgeous version of Frank Hernber's story, the movie had a massive cast of major stars. While Timothy Chalamet was the lead as Paul Atreides, he was backed up by names like Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Zendaya, Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, and Javier Bardem. Brolin played Gurney Halleck, the weapons master of House Atreides and one of Paul's mentors. The movie made $401 million, which was impressive considering the shutdown of theaters throughout the year. However, it picked up 10 Oscar nominations, winning six of them, and earning a sequel.
2 Milk (2008)
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Of the Josh Brolin movies that earned Oscars, this was the one where Brolin scored his first nomination for his ing role in the true-life story of Harvey Milk. Sean Penn plays Milk, who became the first openly gay elected official in California. Brolin plays Dan White, a fellow official whose resentment toward Milk leads to tragedy. Penn completely disappears into the role for which he won an Oscar. Brolin also provides a complex antagonist and leads a stellar ing cast including James Franco and Diego Luna. It is an inspiring and vibrant look at a man who changed things for the better. Other than Brolin's Oscar nomination, the movie picked up a total of eight, winning two.
1 No Country For Old Men (2007)
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Of the Josh Brolin movies that started his comeback, his lead role in the Coen Brothers No Country for Old Men tops the list. Brolin plays a man who finds a suitcase full of cash in the desert. He soon finds himself pursued by an unrelenting killer (Javier Bardem) and a dedicated lawman (Tommy Lee Jones). The movie is a taut and bleak thriller filled with spectacular scenes of suspense. The cast is phenomenal with Bardem creating one of the most iconic villains in modern cinema. This movie gave the Coen Brothers their first Oscar wins for both Best Picture and Best Director. They also won Best Screenplay and Javier Bardem won Best ing Actor.
