After Robert Pattinson’s role as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire first put him on the map in 2005, Twilight catapulted the actor into global fame and transformed him into a full-blown Hollywood star. The last decade has seen Pattinson steer clear of big budget, mainstream productions in favor of working on the independent circuit. While his five movie run as romantic blood-sucker Edward Cullen has been the subject of much ridicule, Pattinson has since established that he is, in fact, a very good performer (and great liar) with a streak for making unpredictable choices.
His career has proven to be one of the most fascinating to watch over the years; one would say he enjoys being cast again type, but there really isn’t a Robert Pattinson type – you’d be hard pressed to find Winslow from “The Lighthouse” sharing much in common with the Dauphin of France from “The King.” We took a look at Pattinson’s career up to this point, picking his twelve best film performances.
12. Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire (2005)
Earlier and truer fans of Pattinson’s would be up in arms about the last film description for lots of reasons, but mostly because they might remember him first from his dreamy portrayal of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In the midst of the immensely better book-to-movie series, the Goblet of Fire is the Harry Potter movie where multiple other witchy/wizardy schools come together to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Cedric Diggory is the dreamy, charming, intelligent student that this tournament needs, although some superfans might argue that house Hufflepuff has no place in such an event.
Before Pattinson started taking on accent/dialect-heavy roles, he basically portrayed a version of himself that can do magic. Not that it’s a bad thing. In fact, this opportunity for Pattinson was a key step in securing his acting future, establishing that he can be a teenage heartthrob and has the dramatic acting chops to back it up.
11. The Rover (2014)
David Michod's post-apocalyptic Australian science fiction Western "The Rover" feels like a natural descendant of the "Mad Max" franchise. Like George Miller's legendary series, "The Rover" explores desperate characters that contend for resources in a desolate wasteland. Although the setting is very similar to "Mad Max," "The Rover" distinguishes itself through its compelling characters. The film weaves in tragic backstories for both its heroes and villains.
"The Rover" is set a decade after a global economic crisis causes civilization to collapse. Military veteran Eric (Guy Pearce) lives alone and has become completely self-dependent. Eric lost both his home and family in the early days of the crisis, and he's not interested in forming any new friendships. Eric's survival is threatened when a group of criminals, led by Henry, played by Scoot McNairy, steal his car after a violent brawl. Although Henry escapes, Eric manages to capture his intellectually disabled younger brother, Reynolds (Pattinson). Eric forces Reynolds to help track down his stolen vehicle and learns of the years of abuse that he suffered at his brother's hands.
"The Rover" is devoid of sentimental moments, and Eric doesn't indicate that he has any sympathy for Reynolds. Pattinson still makes him a tragic figure. Reynolds idolizes his brother, and he's convinced that Henry is out there looking for him. Reynolds believes that he'll be able to deceive Eric, but it's clear that the former soldier is the one in charge.
10. Life (2015)
Anton Corbijn's 2015 biopic "Life" is one of the most underrated films of the past decade, and it's a shame that more cinephiles haven't checked out Pattinson's excellent performance. The sensitive drama explores the enigma of James Dean, drawing back the curtain on one of the most famous actors in Hollywood history. There's a subtly ominous quality to the story. As audiences are well aware, Dean was killed in a car accident at the age of 24. While he only starred in three films, "Rebel Without A Cause," "Giant," and "East of Eden," Dean still became an iconic figure who embodied the defiant spirit of 1950s Hollywood.
"Life" takes place during the last few months of Dean's (Dane DeHaan) life, as he adjusts to his growing star power. LIFE Magazine photographer Dennis Stock (Pattinson) is assigned to take publicity photos of Dean before he goes on a national press tour to promote his performance in "East of Eden." Dean is resistant to the media attention, but he discovers that Stock isn't just another prying journalist. Stock is interested in taking experimental photos, and he and Dean bond over their mutual disillusionment with the sensationalists in their respective industries. Both Stock and Dean want to pursue great art, and they can't understand why general audiences only seem interested in gossip.
The iconic photos Stock took of Dean standing solemnly in Times Square are remembered to this day, and the film shows how the famous shoot was organized.
9. Cosmopolis (2012)
The first of Pattinson’s collaborations with David Cronenberg (he also appeared in the 2014 “Maps to the Stars”) this compact little thriller was early evidence of Pattinson’s willingness to commit to a role no matter how weird it gets. In this case, that included Pattinson’s billionaire Eric Packer receiving a prostate exam while still talking business and never leaving his luxury limousine. Adapted from the Don DeLillo novel and set in one day where the asset manager watches as he loses his fiancée and a large part of his fortune, the film is a slow burn that doesn’t work for everyone but Pattinson commands the screen for the entire running time. He expertly plays cool on the outside while unraveling inside, a skill that would continue to serve him in his career. (Available on Amazon Prime)
8. The Lost City Of Z (2016)
An adaptation of David Grann’s novel of the same name, The Lost City of Z follows British officer Percy Fawcett’s (Charlie Hunnam) decades-long quest for an undiscovered civilization in the depths of the Amazon jungle in the 1920s. Taking on the rare supporting role, Pattinson plays Corporal Henry Costin, Fawcett’s deeply loyal and equally committed second-in-command. As Costin, Pattinson disappears behind a thick beard and gives a restrained performance that proves he can be a character actor just as well as he can carry a film. His screen time in this James Gray film is limited, but Pattinson makes the most out of his sparse presence to portray a fleshed-out character.
7. Tenet (2020)
In a role that takes R. Patt closer to being James Bond than any other, Tenet involves multiple psychological twists that leave audiences guessing the whole time. “The protagonist” (John David Washington) and Neil (Pattinson), in their fight against terrorism and a war that may mean the end of the world as we know it, they have been provided with a secret word that could solve the puzzle: Tenet.
Pattinson doesn’t get too many chances to showcase his acting skills on screen in this high-grossing film. This movie, however, seems to be another strategic move for Pattinson, as it showed off his ability to be in an action film role and undoubtedly helped him to secure the role in The Batman. While it’s not exactly the best Christopher Nolan film, it still amazes with its puzzling sci-fi concepts and stunning visual effects.
6. The King (2019)
Sporting long, flowing locks and a French accent that is either ridiculous or brilliant (or both), Pattinson shows up as the Dauphin of France in the final third of this retelling of the young Henry V’s rise to power. One assumes Pattinson did the small role as a favor to director David Michôd, the director of “The Rover,” but it’s really a gift to the audience; an injection of pure fun. And you can tell the actor is having a blast, taunting Timothee Chalamet’s Prince Hal’s with insults about his genitalia that are basic schoolyard jabs, yet all the more effective with a French accent. “Pretty much in ways that I fully 100% endorse and love, that character is a Robert Pattinson creation,” Michôd told Variety. “The great fear always is that you end up with ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ and ridiculous French accents. But at the same time, I kind of needed his character to be kind of absurd.” (Available on Netflix)
5. The Devil All The Time (2020)
The Devil All the Time should’ve worked—director Antonio Campos helmed the adaptation of Donald Ray Pollock’s novel with a promising all-star cast including Tom Holland, Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough, Sebastian Stan, and Eliza Scanlen—but the bleak, scattered Southern gothic ultimately doesn’t. The highlight of this otherwise underwhelming film is the incredible set of performances; in particular, Pattinson’s portrayal of Preston Teagardin, an insidious small-town preacher who grooms teenage girls from his congregation. Pattinson approaches the role and film in an energetic and almost comedic way that’s starkly different from the rest of the ensemble, and his choice to have a high-pitched Southern accent, while inaccurate, serves as the best part of why he stands out.
4. The Batman (2022)
In Matt Reeves’ gritty interpretation of Gotham City, Pattinson fills the shoes of reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne and his caped alter-ego Batman. It’s difficult to take on a role that has already been portrayed by a handful of top-tier actors, including the likes of Michael Keaton and Christian Bale, but Pattinson succeeds at putting his own compelling twist on Batman, capturing the masked, smoky-eyed vigilante in all of his emo glory. Not to mention, the chemistry between Pattinson and the mesmerizing Zoë Kravitz—who perfectly plays Selina Kyle a.k.a. Catwoman—is off the charts, and we hope to see more of them in action in the future.
3. High Life (2018)
Flat and arrestingly primitive in a role that was conceived for Philip Seymour Hoffman, Pattinson gives a transfixing lead performance as an intergalactic traveler aboard a drifting spaceship in Claire Denis’ “High Life.” His name is Monte, and he’s alone in the stars save for a handful of corpses and his adorable infant daughter. Over the course of an adventure that travels through time and space and even to the edge of the known universe, Pattinson navigates any number of unfathomable states of being. In fact, the movie is only able to go to such extreme places because of how Pattinson anchors the entire demented adventure to his basic humanity. Not since Keir Dullea in the final movements of “2001: A Space Odyssey” has an actor been able to reflect so much of the universe in the awed expression on his face.
2. The Lighthouse (2019)
By 2019, Pattinson had gained some serious credibility as an actor — thanks to a string of impressive performances — and he decided to cash that in to take on the daunting task of trying to share the screen with the great Willem Dafoe in The Lighthouse. The movie centers around Ephraim Winslow (Pattinson), who arrives at an island off the coast of New England to help Thomas Wake (Dafoe) run an isolated lighthouse. But during their time together, shit gets real weird, both in terms of what is actually real and the tense relationship between the reluctant duo.
Even when you have little to no understanding of what is going on, Pattinson and Dafoe are such a compelling onscreen duo that you remain enthralled. If there were any remaining doubts about Pattinson's ascent as one of our finest actors, The Lighthouse definitively wiped them away with this incredibly layered performance that is constantly shifting. Over the course of any given scene, the viewer may find Ephraim equal parts sympathetic, enigmatic, menacing, and humorous and that is a tribute to how far Pattinson has come as a performer.
1. Good Time (2017)
To paraphrase Connie Nikas, I think something very important is happening and it's deeply connected to [Pattinson's] purpose. This, my friends, is a flawless performance. A genius work of casting. A rare instance of a film matching the greatness of R-Patz's acting. The role he was meant to play. I have refrained from referencing late-night anecdotes from the actor up to this point (now that the cat is out of the bag regarding his penchant for lying), but as legend has it, Pattinson wrote a blind email to the Safdie Brothers after seeing — and obsessing over — a single frame from the then-unreleased Heaven Can Wait, which would develop into a creative partnership on Good Time.
I relate to this visceral relationship with the Safdies' work, because I, too, found myself muttering "this....is cinema" while pasting the still of Pattinson (above) into this post. But vibes aside, if I was forced (at gunpoint, in the middle of a NYC heist) to intellectualize why this performance works, I'd say it's that Pattinson has found a way to perfectly distill everything he does best into a single performance: He brings the charisma (Damsel), psychopathy (Devil All The Time), intelligence (Harry Potter), scumminess (The Rover), neuroticism (The Lighthouse), and comedic timing (How To Be). And, somehow, mystifyingly, in doing so becomes someone entirely unfamiliar. "The goal, for Rob, was to disappear," Ben Safdie told GQ in 2017. "He said, 'I want to disappear. That’s why I want to work with you guys. I don’t want people to watch saying, Oh, that’s Rob Pattinson.' And when people watch the movie, they go, 'Oh, my God. Is that Rob Pattinson?'
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