There’s no denying that Adrien Brody is one of the most deservedly acclaimed actors of his generation; he became the youngest-ever Best Actor winner in 2003 for his lead role in The Pianist. Since then, he’s consistently chosen ambitious and interesting projects. However, in the decades since his historic Oscars win, many of the actor’s most enjoyable films have flown completely under the radar. With Adrien Brody now predicted to win another Oscar, it’s the perfect time to look back at his career.
Director Brady Corbet brought Adrien Brody right back into the spotlight last year with his astounding new project, The Brutalist, which follows the life of a Hungarian immigrant who travels to America to achieve his dreams as an architect. This film is a tremendously powerful exploration of ambition, politics, and sacrifice in the pursuit of success. While The Brutalist has faced criticism for its alleged use of AI, it’s still shaping up to be a major contender at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.
The Jacket is another captivating film in which Adrien Brody stars. This psychological thriller follows a military veteran who undergoes a shocking journey into the future. As he foresees his own death, he grapples with life-altering questions that could impact his survival and the lives of those he cares about. Though The Jacket isn’t particularly well-known and is not widely regarded as a critically acclaimed film, it remains one of the biggest surprises in Brody’s filmography. The story revolves around a war veteran who finds himself institutionalized after returning home due to his mental struggles, only to discover that he has been chosen as a test subject for secretive experiments. With an excellent supporting cast featuring names such as Daniel Craig, Keira Knightley, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, Maybury’s film is a subversive and unpredictable drama that draws inspiration from the sci-fi genre in intriguing ways.
Another hidden gem is King of the Hill, a 1993 adaptation of A. E. Hotchner’s memoir, depicting a young boy’s struggle for survival in a St. Louis hotel during the Great Depression. With his mother in a sanatorium and his father often away on sales trips, the young protagonist learns to navigate life mostly on his own. King of the Hill represents one of Adrien Brody’s earliest roles, landing at a point in his career before he was particularly well-known as an actor, which often causes it to be overlooked among his other projects. Nevertheless, this powerful coming-of-age drama exemplifies how to execute epic storytelling on a more intimate scale. The narrative centers around a young boy who is separated from his family in St. Louis during the Great Depression, forced to create a new life and to protect himself from the greed of those around him.
Peter Jackson’s King Kong, a remake of the 1933 film, is another standout feature in which Adrien Brody plays a significant role. In this film, when enterprising filmmaker Carl Denham, played by Jack Black, decides to travel to the mysterious Skull Island, he hires the naive young actress Ann Darrow, portrayed by Naomi Watts, to star in the film he intends to make. Denham’s crew of actors soon discovers the island’s secret: a 25-foot-tall giant ape named Kong. Denham’s ambition gets the better of him as he exploits Darrow’s bond with Kong to kidnap him, bringing him back to New York to exploit him for profit. Hot off the heels of Brody’s Oscar-winning performance in The Pianist, his role in King Kong is one of his best to date. While he’s not the star of the show, Adrien Brody certainly shines as a highlight of the supporting cast, which is notable given the presence of major actors such as Jack Black, Naomi Watts, and Andy Serkis.
Lastly, Detachment, directed by Tony Kaye, explores the lives of educators and students over three weeks, focusing on the character Henry Barthes, a substitute teacher who offers valuable insights while avoiding emotional connections as he moves from school to school. Although Detachment is a more low-key entry in Brody’s filmography, it is certainly deserving of recognition. The film centers on a substitute teacher who is emotionally disconnected from his own life, coasting through his career until three separate women change his perspective and ground him in reality. Detachment presents an extremely personal and honest narrative about the dangers of losing touch with the real world and getting trapped inside one’s own thoughts. As the race for the Best Actor award at the 2025 Oscars heats up, Adrien Brody and Timothée Chalamet find themselves neck-and-neck; if Brody wins, he’ll join an elite club. His performance in Detachment is subtle and restrained compared to his work in The Brutalist and The Pianist, showcasing a different side of his acting prowess. The film commands the character effectively, and Brody’s expressive performance enables the audience to connect more fully with him.
The Darjeeling Limited (2007), directed by Wes Anderson, is another film that features Adrien Brody alongside brothers Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman. It follows three estranged siblings who embark on a journey across India by train to reconnect with one another. This film artfully blends drama and comedy as the brothers navigate personal grief and family tensions against the vibrant backdrop of India. The Darjeeling Limited is often overlooked among Wes Anderson’s illustrious body of work, but that should not overshadow its significance. Following the sudden death of their father, the brothers embark on a long train journey through India, healing old wounds and mending fractured relationships. Although Wes Anderson often centers his narratives around family dynamics, few films capture this theme as effectively as The Darjeeling Limited. This film bears all the trademarks of Anderson’s signature visuals, though they appear with a rougher edge, as he was still developing his unique style. The lead performances by Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, and Owen Wilson are flawless, bringing to life some of the strongest characters Anderson has crafted in his career.
In summary, Adrien Brody has delivered numerous remarkable performances across various films, many of which are sadly underappreciated. Whether it’s the psychological depth in The Jacket, the raw emotion in Detachment, or the heartwarming family dynamics in The Darjeeling Limited, these films deserve a spot on any cinephile’s watchlist. So, grab some popcorn and dive into these hidden gems that showcase the diverse and impressive range of Adrien Brody’s acting talent.
