Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
1981 |
Taps |
Cadet Capt. Alex Dwyer |
|
1982 |
Fast Times at Ridgemont High |
Jeff Spicoli |
|
1983 |
Bad Boys |
Michael O'Brien |
|
Risky Business |
Unknown |
Uncredited cameo |
Summerspell |
Buddy |
|
1984 |
Crackers |
Dillard |
|
Racing with the Moon |
Henry "Hopper" Nash |
|
1985 |
Falcon and the Snowman, TheThe Falcon and the Snowman |
Daulton Lee |
|
1986 |
At Close Range |
Brad Whitewood Jr. |
|
Shanghai Surprise |
Glendon Wasey |
Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor |
1987 |
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam |
Narrator |
Documentary |
1988 |
Colors |
Officer Danny McGavin |
|
Judgment in Berlin |
Guenther X |
|
1989 |
Casualties of War |
Sgt. Tony Meserve |
|
We're No Angels |
Jim |
|
1990 |
State of Grace |
Terry Noonan |
|
Cool Blue |
Phil the Plumber |
Uncredited[1] |
1991 |
Schneeweißrosenrot |
Himself |
Documentary |
The Beaver Trilogy |
"Groovin' Larry" Huff |
|
Indian Runner, TheThe Indian Runner |
— |
Writer, director Nominated—Locarno International Film Festival Golden Leopard |
1992 |
Cruise Control |
Jeffrey |
Short film |
1993 |
Last Party, TheThe Last Party |
Himself |
Documentary |
Carlito's Way |
David Kleinfeld |
Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture |
1995 |
Crossing Guard, TheThe Crossing Guard |
— |
Writer, director Nominated—Golden Lion |
Dead Man Walking |
Matthew Poncelet |
Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor (2nd place) Silver Bear for Best Actor[2] Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Actor Nominated—Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role |
1997 |
Loved |
Michael |
|
She's So Lovely |
Eddie Quinn |
Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor[3] |
U Turn |
Bobby Cooper |
|
Game, TheThe Game |
Conrad Van Orton |
|
Hugo Pool |
Strange Hitchhiker |
|
1998 |
Hurlyburly |
Eddie |
Volpi Cup Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead |
Thin Red Line, TheThe Thin Red Line |
1st Sgt. Welsh |
|
1999 |
Being John Malkovich |
Himself |
Uncredited |
Sweet and Lowdown |
Emmet Ray |
Nominated—Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |
2000 |
Constant Forge, AA Constant Forge |
Himself |
Documentary |
Up at the Villa |
Rowley Flint |
|
Before Night Falls |
Cuco Sánchez |
|
Weight of Water, TheThe Weight of Water |
Thomas Janes |
|
2001 |
Dogtown and Z-Boys |
Narrator |
Documentary |
Beaver Trilogy, TheThe Beaver Trilogy |
Groovin' Larry |
Segment: "Beaver Kid 2" |
Scene Smoking: Cigarettes, Cinema & the Myth of Cool |
Himself |
Documentary |
Pledge, TheThe Pledge |
— |
Writer, director Nominated—Golden Bear Nominated—Bodil Award for Best Non-European Film Nominated—Palme d'Or |
See How They Run |
Himself |
Documentary |
I Am Sam |
Samuel John "Sam" Dawson |
Nominated—Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role |
2002 |
11'09"01 September 11 |
— |
Writer, director (segment: "U.S.A.") UNESCO Award Nominated—César Award for Best Film from the European Union |
2003 |
Pauly Shore Is Dead |
Himself |
Cameo |
It's All About Love |
Marciello |
|
Mystic River |
James "Jimmy" Markum |
Academy Award for Best Actor Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cast Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor (2nd place) Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Actor (2nd place) National Board of Review Award for Best Actor New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor (2nd place) Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor (2nd place) Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated—Irish Film & Television Award for Best International Actor Nominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated—Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor |
21 Grams |
Paul Rivers |
Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Actor (2nd place) National Board of Review Award for Best Actor Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama Volpi Cup Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor |
2004 |
Assassination of Richard Nixon, TheThe Assassination of Richard Nixon |
Samuel J. Bicke |
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama |
2005 |
Interpreter, TheThe Interpreter |
Tobin Keller |
|
2006 |
All the King's Men |
Willie Stark |
|
2007 |
Into the Wild |
— |
Writer, director Palm Springs International Film Festival Award for Best Director Rome Film Fest Premiere Prize São Paulo International Film Festival Best Foreign Language Film Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Director Nominated—BFCA Critics' Choice Award for Best Writer Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated—Directors Guild of America Award for Best Director – Motion Picture Nominated—Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Foreign Film – English Language Nominated—Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay |
Persepolis |
Marjane's Father |
Voice, English dub |
War Made Easy |
Narrator[4] |
Documentary |
2008 |
What Just Happened |
Himself |
|
Tropic Thunder |
Himself |
Cameo |
Milk |
Harvey Milk |
Academy Award for Best Actor Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor (tied with Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler) Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor (2nd place) Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Actor National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Palm Springs International Film Festival Award for Best Actor Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Southeastern Film Critics Award for Best Actor Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Male Nominated—London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss Nominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated—Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor |
Witch Hunt |
Narrator |
Documentary, also executive producer |
2010 |
Fair Game |
Joseph Wilson |
|
2011 |
Tree of Life, TheThe Tree of Life |
Adult Jack |
|
This Must Be the Place |
Cheyenne |
|
2012 |
Americans |
Commie |
Short, also writer |
2013 |
Gangster Squad |
Mickey Cohen |
|
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty |
Sean O'Connell |
|
2015 |
The Gunman |
Jim Terrier |
|
2016 |
The Last Face |
— |
Director |
The Angry Birds Movie |
Terence |
Voice |
2017 |
The Professor and the Madman |
Dr. William Chester Minor |
Filming |