Paul Giamatti is a gifted character actor who always delivers sheer entertainment from beginning to end in his movies. His on-screen persona is interesting, likable, and very enticing. His career has spanned across several genres, and he has worked with prominent directors like M. Night Shyamalan, Ron Howard, and Alexander Payne. While Giamatti has starred in several great independent movies, he has also proved that he can take on big-budget films in the leading role. We have seen him play everyday people, as well as extraordinary, darker characters. He is a joy to watch on screen, and one of the greatest actors working.
Giamatti was born in New Haven, Connecticut and began working in theater while attending Yale University. He earned a Master of Fine arts from Yale and went on to perform on Broadway. His breakthrough film role was playing Kenny “Pig Vomit” Rushton in Private Parts, a film about the rise of Howard Stern. Since then, Giamatti has been working steadily, receiving much critical acclaim along the way. Currently, Giamatti stars in the hit show Billions, which, per Thrillist, was just renewed for a seventh season earlier this year. In the meantime, let’s take a look at Giamatti’s best movies, ranked.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
8 Private Life
Netflix
Private Life is a fantastic and honest film following a New York City couple’s (Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn) struggle to have a child. The chemistry between Giamatti and Hahn is top-notch, and the film offers a great blend of comedy and drama. Giamatti, as well as Hahn, depict the deep struggles that infertility can have on a relationship, and the film is also a great look at life in New York City. The film is currently on Netflix.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 Private Parts
Paramount Pictures
In the adaptation of Howard Stern’s autobiography Private Parts, Giamatti plays the infamous NBC executive, Kenny “Pig Vomit” Rushton. Giamatti proved, with his first major screen role, that he had the dramatic acting range to make him a very entertaining and talented screen actor. He is Stern’s arch nemesis in the film, and Giamatti delivers several moments of intense rage. The film, as a whole, is very funny, entertaining, and a fascinating look at Stern’s career.
6 Man on the Moon
Universal Pictures
Milos Forman’s Man on the Moon follows the rise of comedian Andy Kaufman’s (Jim Carrey) career. Paul Giamatti plays Bob Zmuda, Kaufman’s friend and comedic partner. At the same time, Giamatti dresses up and plays the iconic role of Tony Clifton. Giamatti gives a fantastic supporting performance, and he has great chemistry with Carrey. The film is a fascinating look into the unconventional career of Kaufman, led by Carrey’s groundbreaking method acting. A documentary following Carrey’s transformation into Kaufman, Jim & Andy, is currently on Netflix.
5 Win Win
Fox Searchlight Pictures
In this independent sports drama, Paul Giamatti takes on a role as an every-day Joe struggling with his personal and family life. Mike Flahery (Giamatti) takes in a troubled teen named Kyle (Alex Shaffer) and leads him to be a high school wrestling champ. Win Win is a fantastic film about self-discovery and the power of love and family. Giamatti, once again, gives an honest and effective performance. The center of the story is the powerful relationship between Mike and Kyle, and the film, as a whole, is endearing from start to finish.
4 American Splendor
Good Machine
American Splendor tells the true story of the comic book writer Harvey Pekar (Giamatti). The film is extremely innovative due to its style that incorporates animation throughout the movie. Giamatti completely embodies the quirky personality of Pekar through his emotion and physicality. His performance was praised by critics and audiences alike and the film currently holds a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
3 Cinderella Man
Touchstone Pictures
In Ron Howard’s Cinderella Man, Giamatti plays a fierce boxing coach named Joe Gould. He trains underdog James J. Braddock (Russel Crowe) and leads him to victory despite all odds. Cinderella Man is a fascinating look into the Great Depression era and one of the best boxing movies of all time. Giamatti is brilliant from beginning to end as the intense and passionate boxing coach. Giamatti went on to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
2 Straight Outta Compton
Legendary Pictures
In the acclaimed film, Straight Outta Compton, focusing on the rise of N.W.A, Giamatti plays the corrupt and manipulative manager, Jerry Heller. Taking on the persona of a real person is never easy for an actor, but Giamatti completely delivers the goods. He gives several great dramatic moments, and his chemistry with Jason Mitchell and the rest of the cast is fantastic. The film is entertaining from beginning to end, and it effectively brings you into the world of rap music production.
1 Sideways
Alexander Payne wrote and directed the Oscar-winning film Sideways, following two middle-aged friends on a journey through California wine country. The brilliant script is absolutely hilarious from beginning to end and both Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church deliver the best work of their career. It is an unconventional, yet honest, story about friendship, and Giamatti’s character of Miles Raymond delivers a fascinating perspective on good wine and food. It is the type of movie that can be rewatched several times, once again proving Payne’s capabilities as a filmmaker.
