David Fincher got his start making music videos, including the one for Madonna’s “Vogue,” before he helmed his first film in 1992: Alien 3, which received mixed reviews. His second film, Se7en, was much better received. Over the course of his career, Fincher has directed some truly visually striking films. He’s no slouch when it comes to getting great performances from his actors, either. Quite a few actors have delivered career-best performances in David Fincher films, and we’re going to look at some of those performances. Here are the best performances David Fincher has directed.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

6 Gary Oldman - Mank (2020)

     Distributed by Netflix

The Mank of the title refers to Herman J. Mankiewicz, a screenwriter who co-wrote Citizen Kane with Orson Welles, winning both of them a Best Original Screenplay Oscar, the only Oscar the film won. Gary Oldman’s Mankiewicz seems to be in a perpetual state of intoxication, even while sober. Either way, Oldman’s convincing in both states. His best intoxicated scene comes at the end, when Mank is at a dinner party hosted by William Randolph Hearst, long rumored to be the inspiration for Charles Foster Kane. Mank tells a story about Don Quixote, which is really about the participants at the dinner party. Oldman’s also got wonderful chemistry with Amanda Seyfried, who plays Hearst’s mistress. Those scenes show a more fun humorous side to Mank. There aren’t many scenes between Mank and Welles, a fault of the film more than anything else, but there is a great one where he and Welles fight, which ends with Welles smashing all of Mank’s alcohol. Mank decides that a violent outburst is just what a scene in Citizen Kane needs, which is a pretty accurate showing of how a screenwriter’s mind works. A fantastic performance by Gary Oldman.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

5 Morgan Freeman - Se7en (1995)

     Distributed by New Line Cinema

In Se7en, Morgan Freeman plays Detective Somerset, a detective who is planning to retire soon. A cynic, he is paired up with the more idealistic Detective Mills (Brad Pitt) to catch a serial killer basing his crimes on the seven deadly sins. While Somerset is indeed a cynic, he hasn’t completely lost hope in humanity, something Freeman does a great job at showing. His scene in the diner when he discusses with Mills’ wife Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow) about whether or not she should keep her baby or abort it, is a great example of that. Freeman also excels in the film’s memorable finale, when he opens a mysterious box out in the middle of nowhere and realizes what the last sin-related crime is. It’s wonderful work by Freeman, who also gets the film’s final line, saying that while he doesn’t think the world is a fine place, it is worth fighting for. Another impressive performance by an actor who has given so many impressive performances over his long career.

4 Andrew Garfield - The Social Network (2010)

     Sony Pictures Releasing

The “heart” of The Social Network, Andrew Garfield plays Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, Mark Zuckerberg’s best friend, who later and rather coldly finds out he’s not as valued as he thinks he is. Garfield is wonderful, perfectly portraying the comradery between Eduardo and Mark, when he still thinks they’re friends, as well as the intense pain and hurt when he realizes the truth. It takes a great talent to make a scene about the diluting of stock shares feel so heartbreaking, but Garfield does it. His best moment comes moments later when he’s telling Zuckerberg to lawyer up. How Garfield wasn’t nominated for an Oscar for this performance is an absolutely baffling mystery.

3 Rooney Mara - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Rooney Mara’s Lisbeth Salander had a lot to live up to, especially since the character had been played by Noomi Rapace two years earlier in the Swedish adaptation of the story. Whatever the expectations were, Mara met them with flying colors, earning herself an Oscar nomination for her performance. She should have gotten the win, too. Blunt, intimidating, not someone you want to mess with, Mara creates a striking portrait of a very unique woman. While she’s great at the more vicious side, such as when she gets revenge on her sexual abuser, she also shines at the softer side, too. Her chemistry with Daniel Craig is incredible and adds a fun little layer to the character. Overall, there is not a single misstep in Mara’s performance.

2 Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network (2010)

     Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing

The Social Network feels like it could be an origin story for a supervillain, and in many ways it is. Jesse Eisenberg (who received a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his performance) plays Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. The best line about Zuckerberg is spoken by his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend (Rooney Mara) in the opening scene of the movie, telling him he’ll be alone forever, not because he’s a nerd, but because he’s an a**hole. Eisenberg’s Zuckerberg most certainly is that, as well as a host of other less-than-admirable traits, all of which Eisenberg perfectly realizes. One only has to think of the “Did I accurately answer your condescending question?” scene to see Zuckerberg’s arrogance on full display. Honestly, this is a supervillain origin story and Eisenberg knocks it out of the park.

1 Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl (2014)

     Twentieth Century Fox

In order for Amy Elliott Dune’s scheme to work, everything has to be perfect, right down to the last tiny little detail. In order for us to believe Amy can pull all of this off, Rosamund Pike’s performance (which rightfully earned her an Oscar nomination) must be equally perfect. And it is. Calculating and manipulative, Pike creates an incredible portrait of a sociopath, but one with whom we can clearly understand why she is the way she is. After all, you’d be messed up as well if your author parents based a perfect character off of you, and you couldn’t live up to their expectations. And it’s not just her parents’ imaginary ideals she has to live up to, but her husband’s as well. The “Cool Girl” monologue, which is played over a montage of Amy carrying out the next step of her plan, sums up her worldview perfectly. Simply put, Pike’s performance is flawless.