Top Ten Brad Pitt Movies

Brad Pitt movies range from thrillers to romantic dramas; the actor has come a long way from his reputation as a Hollywood pretty boy. Though Brad Pitt is still a favorite of the paparazzi and exudes ageless Hollywood glamour, he has proved himself to be a fine actor with an instinct for interesting scripts. This list comprises the top ten Brad Pitt movies made to date, in no particular order:

12 Monkeys. One of the best kept secrets about Brad Pitt is that the eternally handsome actor plays lunatics even better than he plays romantic leads. Pitt's twitchy, full-throttled nut job of a character steals every scene in what would otherwise be considered a Bruce Willis sci-fi thriller. Pitt's manic performance in 12 Monkeys earned him an Oscar nomination for the role in 1996, and it was well deserved.

Legends of the Fall. As far as sweeping romantic epics go, Legends of the Fall won't ever be on a short list with Gone with the Wind or Cleopatra. However, Brad Pitt absolutely owns the film with his portrayal of the guilt-ridden Tristan, son of the Montana wilds. Up until this movie, Brad Pitt wasn't thought to have much depth as an actor, but he brought so much enigmatic energy to the role that it changed how he was perceived in Hollywood.

Spy Game. In this spy thriller, Brad Pitt co-stars with Robert Redford, a man who looks as if he could be Pitt's father. It's a smart movie, tense and informative about the CIA. Pitt is convincing as a do-gooder agent, and plays well against Redford's more reserved style. But when the movie flashes back to Vietnam, one might think that Brad Pitt couldn't possibly be old enough for this role. As it turns out, Pitt's within the a reasonable age range for the role-it's his youthful good looks that cause the disconnect.

Thelma & Louise. Thelma & Louise makes the list of top ten Brad Pitt movies not because it's his best movie role, but because it may be one of the best movies in which he's appeared. Fun, sassy and smart, this movie is sure to entertain even decades later. Pitt plays a pretty boy con artist who has hot sex with Geena Davis, and for most women watching the film, that's all he really needed to do.

Fight Club. In the movie Fight Club, Brad Pitt once again plays a lunatic to great effect. As Tyler Durden, he's charming, suave, and compelling in a way that is sure to confuse you as much as creep you out. Fight Club isn't great literature brought to screen, but it's an exciting and dark comedy that has become a cult classic. If Legends of the Fall turned Brad Pitt into a heartthrob for girls, it was his macho freak aura in Fight Club that finally enamored young men too.

Troy. Troy strayed from Homer's Iliad and paid the price at the box office, but the film was underrated. It was smart political subversion played against an ancient world background, and Pitt played a surprisingly convincing Achilles. Brad Pitt's Achilles was more sympathetic than Homer made him, but he never strayed from the idea of Achilles an over-proud, bullying, brooder. It didn't hurt that Pitt bulked up for the role and brought some mighty biceps to the screen to make the women swoon.

Ocean's Eleven. Brad Pitt is synonymous with "cool" in this modern adaptation of an old classic. Buddying up with George Clooney, Pitt delivers witty repartee and a smooth style that goes down easier in this criminal caper than in any of his previous roles.

Mr. And Mrs. Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Smith became famous because of the love affair that it started between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but it deserved more kudos than it got. A retelling of marriage, a modern fable, if you will, has a husband and wife with secret lives trying to kill one another. The sexual chemistry between Pitt and Jolie is palpable, the action sequences fun, and Pitt is actually best in the role when he's henpecked and harassed.

Sleepers. Brad Pitt isn't really the star of this Boys Town drama about abused young men who grow up to take revenge upon their tormentor. Nonetheless, he plays a grown up DA who plans to throw the case for his friends, with aplomb.

Seven. This Brad Pitt movie was as much of a showcase for the talents of Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, and Gwyneth Paltrow as it was a vehicle for Mr. Pitt's career. Seven is a movie about a serial killer who forces his victims to enact their sins and Brad Pitt plays one of the detectives trying to track him down. Pitt brings his trademark wisecracking charm to the movie, but never overwhelms the dark and chilly undertones that the director intends to convey.