Brolin has proven his adeptability at playing real people on-screen, including political figures like George W. Bush in the 2008 dramedy W. and Dan White in the critically acclaimed biopic Milk, as well as everyday American heroes like mountain-climber Beck Weathers in Everest and Lieutenant Firefighter Eric Marsh in Only the Brave, both of whom lost their lives in a battle with the elements.
Brolin is known for grittier roles as well, playing two sides of the same coin: hardened law enforcement officers in Inherent Vice, American Gangster, and Sicario, and dangerous outlaws in True Grit and No Country For Old Men. Brolin has an uncanny ability to connect with viewers and, in the last few years, has carried those skills into the blockbuster sci-fi genre, landing roles such as Thanos in Marvel’s Avengers films, and the recently Oscar-nominated Dune. Widely celebrated for the emotional nuance and relatability he brings to every performance, there isn’t a role Josh Brolin can’t tackle. Here are his best movies, ranked.
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9 Inherent Vice (2014)
Warner Bros.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice is a complex, neo-noir, funhouse journey through the underbelly of 1970s LA. Based on the Thomas Pynchon novel of the same name, the story centers on a perpetually stoned PI named Doc (Joaquin Phoenix) who finds himself in the middle of several interconnected crimes. Brolin is a hardened police lieutenant nicknamed “Bigfoot,” who acts as the vexing villain to Doc’s humble hero. It might take a few watches to fully comprehend the plot, but you’ll learn something new with each re-watch.
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8 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Directors Anthony and Joe Russo tackled the third of four Avengers films with Infinity War, with Josh Brolin taking on the role of intergalactic warlord Thanos on his quest to obtain all six Infinity Stones. Though he’s technically a villain, Infinity War acts as a hero’s journey for Thanos, allowing Brolin to bring an emotional resonance to the blockbuster superhero film. The movie works as an exploration in the guiding forces behind seemingly evil actions, in addition to being an epic battleground for some of the most popular Marvel characters. To be fair, Infinity War isn’t quite able to stand on its own; the movie expects viewers to already have understanding of the entire MCU in order to fully comprehend what’s happening on screen. However, as a key piece of the saga, Infinity War succeeds at pushing the narrative to an entirely new place — with some characters not making it out alive.
7 American Gangster (2007)
Paramount Pictures
American Gangster is a biographical crime drama from director Ridley Scott, which is based on the life of real crime lord Frank Lucas. The titular character is played perfectly by Denzel Washington as he runs an international drug empire while trying to evade the threat of capture by an ever-encroaching Detective Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe). Brolin plays fellow officer, Detective Trupo, who gets paid more by Lucas than he does by the city. With two Oscars under its belt, American Gangster succeeds at being exactly what it is: a good ol’ fashioned gangster movie.
6 Sicario (2015)
Lionsgate
Nominated for three Oscars, including Best Cinematography, Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario is a solid action thriller about the narcotics war between the US and Mexico. It has already spawned the sequel Sicario: Day of the Soldado in 2018 and a third in the series that is currently in the works. Sicario stars Emily Blunt as ambitious FBI agent Kate Macer who is plucked for an inter-agency task force led by CIA operative Matt Graver (Brolin). The two are joined on a high-intensity mission by Graver’s right hand, a mysterious enforcer named Alejandro, played by the stellar Benicio del Toro. Sicario is intriguing, exciting, surprising, and definitely worth a watch.
5 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Avengers: Endgame is the second-highest-grossing movie of all time, nestled comfortably between Avatar and Titanic. The Russo brothers return for the final chapter of the Avengers saga — more an event, than a movie. Brolin also returns as Thanos, an oppositional force for the Avengers to come together against. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man and Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America particularly shine. Endgame is the ultimate blockbuster superhero movie: chock-full of high-octane fight scenes and the epic CGI that viewers expect, while still having a prominent air of sentimentality. Endgame is a true celebration of the MCU and both a reward and a thank-you gift to all the die-hard fans that supported the franchise over the previous decade.
4 Dune (2021)
Dune was the highly-anticipated epic sci-fi drama of 2021, a huge ambition by Sicario director Denis Villeneuve. Based on the acclaimed 1965 Frank Herbert novel, Dune has been celebrated (by the Academy, critics, and fans) for its scope and breathtaking cinematography. The first film in a promised series, Dune carries a lot of world-building on its back as it follows teenage heir-apparent Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and his parents, Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac), leader of ocean-planet Caladan, and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), prominent member of a clairvoyant sisterhood. The Arteides are tapped to take control of desert planet Arrakis, home to the crucial energy source “spice,” which proves more complicated than anticipated. Brolin acts as one of the Duke’s many aides and a mentor to Paul, weapons master Gurney Halleck, and will be reprising the role for Dune: Part II coming next year.
3 True Grit (2010)
If the 10 Oscar nominations it received are any indication, True Grit is the one of the best contemporary westerns of our time. This was the Coen Brothers’ first foray into the genre, a remake of the 1969 film starring John Wayne, which was adapted from the Charles Portis novel of the same name. True Grit tells the story from the perspective of 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) who is out to avenge her father’s murder, with the help of a grizzly U.S. Marshal, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), and opportunistic Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf (Matt Damon). The unlikely trio goes on a harrowing journey across the west, battling the elements and each other, in their effort to capture murderous villain Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), dead or alive.
2 Milk (2008)
Axon Films
Milk is a Gus Van Sant biopic about gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in the US, who was assassinated in 1978. Harvey Milk, embodied expertly by Sean Penn (who won the Oscar for Best Actor), was an important voice against police persecution of the gay community in the 70s and became an icon for all the activists that came after him. Brolin is fellow San Francisco Supervisor Dan White, a staunchly conservative family-man who’s acute defensiveness plays the foil to Milk’s radical self-acceptance. The tension in the film erupts when White shoots and kills Harvey Milk and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone. Ever the expert in playing damaged men, Brolin was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his depiction of White. Also including emotional archival footage, Milk is a poignant look into an unexpected hero and the birth of a movement.
1 No Country For Old Men (2007)
No Country for Old Men, another novel adaptation by the Coen Brothers, is a Hitchcockian masterclass in suspense. This 2008 Best Picture Oscar winner is as much a character study of evil as it is an expertly crafted crime thriller. Acclaimed for his role, Javier Bardem plays ruthless hitman Anton Chigurh, who is on a path of terror to recover $2M stolen by veteran-turned-outlaw Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin). Brolin succeeds as a determined, if not victorious, adversary for the sinister killer. With eight Oscar noms and four wins, including Best Picture and Best Director, No Country For Old Men has been one of the most widely acclaimed films of the last two decades.
