Over his three-decade career, Brad Pitt has morphed from a handsome character actor to an A-list movie star renowned for his bold film choices and intense acting talent. Pitt has starred in some of the most iconic and acclaimed films of the past 25 years with his rugged good looks and undeniable charisma. Pitt consistently mesmerizes audiences from harrowing dramas to clever comedies by bringing complexity and dynamism to diverse roles. To celebrate his illustrious filmography, we count down the top 10 greatest Brad Pitt movies that reveal the range of his acting genius.

List of the Best Top 10 Brad Pitt Movies

Below is a table with top 10 movies of Brad Pitt which we are going to discuss separately in next sections. You can jump to any movie by clicking the movie names provided in the table.

Sr. No.

Movie Name

Release Year

1

Se7en

1995

2

Inglourious Basterds

2009

3

12 Monkeys

1995

4

Ocean's Eleven

2001

5

Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood

2019

6

Interview with the Vampire

1994

7

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

2007

8

Troy

2004

9

The Tree of Life

2011

10

Ad Astra

2019

1 - Se7en (1995)

Top 10 Brad Pitt Movies of All Time | Must-Watch Films
(Se7en (1995)/Image Credits:Gone With The Twins)
  • Main Cast: Brad Pitt (Detective David Mills), Morgan Freeman (Detective Lt. William Somerset), Kevin Spacey (John Doe)
  • Supporting Artists: Gwyneth Paltrow (Tracy Mills), R. Lee Ermey (Police Captain), John C. McGinley (California)
  • Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
  • Director: David Fincher
  • Release date: September 22, 1995
  • Run Time: 127 minutes
  • IMDb Rating: 8.6
  • Language: English
  • Where to watch: Netflix

David Fincher macabre thriller follows two detectives tracking a serial killer who bases murders on the seven deadly sins. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman excel as the mismatched partners navigating grisly crimes and a diabolical killer. With unnerving cinematography and a gut-punch finale, Se7en crafts a chilling descent into the depths of human evil.

2 - Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Top 10 Brad Pitt Movies of All Time | Must-Watch Films
(Inglourious Basterds (2009)/Image Credits:Gone With The Twins)
  • Main Cast: Brad Pitt (Lt. Aldo Raine), Mélanie Laurent (Shosanna Dreyfus), Christoph Waltz (Col. Hans Landa)
  • Supporting Artists: Michael Fassbender (Lt. Archie Hicox), Eli Roth (Sgt. Donny Donowitz), Diane Kruger (Bridget von Hammersmark)
  • Genre: Adventure, Drama, War
  • Director: Quentin Tarantino
  • Release date: August 21, 2009
  • Run Time: 153 minutes
  • IMDb Rating: 8.3
  • Language: English, German, French
  • Where to watch: Netflix

Quentin Tarantino revisionist war epic follows two plots to assassinate Nazi leaders during WWII. Brad Pitt leads a ruthless squad taking sadistic revenge on Nazis, paralleling a vengeful theater owner schemes. Razor-sharp dialogue and Tarantino flair for violence create raucous, shocking and wildly entertaining wartime thrills. With Waltz Oscar-winning performance as a gleefully evil Nazi officer, Inglourious Basterds remains a cinematic tour de force.

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3 - 12 Monkeys (1995)

Top 10 Brad Pitt Movies of All Time | Must-Watch Films
(12 Monkeys (1995)/Image Credits:Movie Poster Shop)
  • Main Cast: Bruce Willis (James Cole), Brad Pitt (Jeffrey Goines), Madeleine Stowe (Kathryn Railly)
  • Supporting Artists: Christopher Plummer (Dr. Goines), David Morse (Dr. Peters), Jon Seda (Jose)
  • Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
  • Director: Terry Gilliam
  • Release date: January 5, 1996
  • Run Time: 129 minutes
  • IMDb Rating: 8.0
  • Language: English
  • Where to watch: Hulu

12 Monkeys stars Bruce Willis as a time traveler from post-apocalyptic 2035 sent back to 1996 to stop a devastating virus. Brad Pitt gives a manic, show-stopping supporting turn as an unstable mental patient. Gilliam mind-bending thriller interweaves time travel, an intricate conspiracy and gripping suspense. Bold visuals and clever plotting make 12 Monkeys a cerebrally thrilling sci-fi mystery.

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4 - Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Top 10 Brad Pitt Movies of All Time | Must-Watch Films
(Ocean's Eleven (2001)/Image Credits:Moviefone)
  • Main Cast: George Clooney (Danny Ocean), Brad Pitt (Rusty Ryan), Julia Roberts (Tess Ocean)
  • Supporting Artists: Matt Damon (Linus Caldwell) andy Garcia (Terry Benedict), Don Cheadle (Basher Tarr)
  • Genre: Crime, Thriller
  • Director: Steven Soderbergh
  • Release date: December 7, 2001
  • Run Time: 116 minutes
  • IMDb Rating: 7.7
  • Language: English
  • Where to watch: HBO Max

Steven Soderbergh's slick heist film assembles a star-studded cast as con men plotting an elaborate Las Vegas casino robbery. Suave ringleader Danny Ocean (George Clooney) recruits his old pal Rusty (Brad Pitt) and other specialists for the big score. With stylish cinematography, jazzy music and effortless charm between Brad Pitt and Clooney, Ocean's Eleven reinvented the heist genre with contemporary panache.

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5 - Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (2019)

Top 10 Brad Pitt Movies of All Time | Must-Watch Films
(Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (2019)/Image Credits:Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019))
  • Main Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio (Rick Dalton), Brad Pitt (Cliff Booth), Margot Robbie (Sharon Tate)
  • Supporting Artists: Emile Hirsch (Jay Sebring), Margaret Qualley (Pussycat), Timothy Olyphant (James Stacy)
  • Genre: Comedy, Drama
  • Director: Quentin Tarantino
  • Release date: July 26, 2019
  • Run Time: 161 minutes
  • IMDb Rating: 7.6
  • Language: English
  • Where to watch: Starz

Quentin Tarantino love letter to 1960s Hollywood follows a fading TV western actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his loyal stuntman (Brad Pitt) during the last gasp of the golden era. Tarantino immerses viewers in 1969 Tinseltown with impeccable period details and pop-culture nostalgia. Brad Pitt won an Oscar for his droll, scene-stealing turn. This poignant fairy tale for cinema showcases Tarantino and Pitt at their most entertaining.

6 - Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Top 10 Brad Pitt Movies of All Time | Must-Watch Films
(Interview with the Vampire (1994)/Image Credits:Monster Fest)
  • Main Cast: Tom Cruise (Lestat de Lioncourt), Brad Pitt (Louis de Pointe du Lac), Kirsten Dunst (Claudia)
  • Supporting Artists: Christian Slater (Daniel Molloy), Antonio Banderas (Armand), Stephen Rea (Santiago)
  • Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror
  • Director: Neil Jordan
  • Release date: November 11, 1994
  • Run Time: 123 minutes
  • IMDb Rating: 7.5
  • Language: English
  • Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Based on Anne Rice bestselling novel, Interview with the Vampire follows the epic story of Louis, a vampire told through flashbacks. Brad Pitt charms as the brooding Louis recounting two centuries of immortality and sin to a journalist. Tom Cruise gives an against-type turn as the vicious Lestat. With lush gothic aesthetics and homoerotic undertones, Interview with the Vampire introduced two major stars while redefining vampire tales.

7 - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

Top 10 Brad Pitt Movies of All Time | Must-Watch Films
(The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)/Image Credits:Prime Video)
  • Main Cast: Brad Pitt (Jesse James), Casey Affleck (Robert Ford), Sam Shepard (Frank James)
  • Supporting Artists: Mary-Louise Parker (Zee James), Paul Schneider (Dick Liddil), Jeremy Renner (Wood Hite)
  • Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Western
  • Director: Andrew Dominik
  • Release date: September 21, 2007
  • Run Time: 160 minutes
  • IMDb Rating: 7.5
  • Language: English
  • Where to watch: Tubi

Brad Pitt stars as infamous outlaw Jesse James in his final years after the Wild West in this meditative 2007 Western. Casey Affleck plays his eventual assassin Robert Ford. Director Andrew Dominik crafts a visually poetic, emotionally complex portrait of fame, paranoia and betrayal. With Roger Deakins' stunning cinematography and weighty themes, The Assassination of Jesse James is an evocative anti-western and a career high point for Pitt.

8 - Troy (2004)

Top 10 Brad Pitt Movies of All Time | Must-Watch Films
(Troy (2004)/Image Credits:TV Insider)
  • Main Cast: Brad Pitt (Achilles), Eric Bana (Hector), Orlando Bloom (Paris)
  • Supporting Artists: Diane Kruger (Helen), Sean Bean (Odysseus), Brian Cox (Agamemnon)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Director: Wolfgang Petersen
  • Release date: May 14, 2004
  • Run Time: 163 minutes
  • IMDb Rating: 7.3
  • Language: English
  • Where to watch: Hulu

Wolfgang Petersen directed this 2004 sword-and-sandals epic starring Brad Pitt as the legendary Greek warrior Achilles in Homer Iliad. When Helen elopement sparks war between Sparta and Troy, Achilles and Prince Hector (Eric Bana) face off in mortal combat. Though light on substance, lush production design and immense battles scenes make Troy a spectacular wartime blockbuster.

9 - The Tree of Life (2011)

Top 10 Brad Pitt Movies of All Time | Must-Watch Films
(The Tree of Life (2011)/Image Credits:Teaser Trailer)
  • Main Cast: Brad Pitt (Mr. O'Brien), Jessica Chastain (Mrs. O'Brien), Hunter McCracken (Young Jack)
  • Supporting Artists: Laramie Eppler (Young R.L.), Tye Sheridan (Middle Jack), Fiona Shaw (Grandmother)
  • Genre: Drama, Fantasy
  • Director: Terrence Malick
  • Release date: May 27, 2011
  • Run Time: 139 minutes
  • IMDb Rating: 6.8
  • Language: English
  • Where to watch: HBO Max

Terrence Malick unconventional drama juxtaposes a 1950s Texas family with the origins of life. Brad Pitt stars as the authoritarian father to three boys. Malick ethereal style combines whispered voice overs, majestic cosmos effects and poetic existential themes. Light on plot but overflowing with breathtaking imagery and meditative questions, The Tree of Life is a singular, transfixing work only Malick could create.

10 - Ad Astra (2019)

Top 10 Brad Pitt Movies of All Time | Must-Watch Films
(Ad Astra (2019)/Image Credits:Medium)
  • Main Cast: Brad Pitt (Roy McBride), Tommy Lee Jones (Clifford McBride), Ruth Negga (Helen Lantos)
  • Supporting Artists: Liv Tyler (Eve), Donald Sutherland (Thomas Pruitt), Jamie Kennedy (Peter Bello)
  • Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
  • Director: James Gray
  • Release date: September 20, 2019
  • Run Time: 123 minutes
  • IMDb Rating: 6.5
  • Language: English
  • Where to watch: Hulu

Brad Pitt stars as an astronaut on a mission to Neptune to uncover the truth about his missing father in this 2019 sci-fi drama. Pitt nuanced performance grounds the film futuristic setting and effects. Director James Gray balances introspective character study with space thrills and psychological horror. Ad Astra is an ambitious cosmic mystery that soars on Pitt soulful work.

DPM Picks Brad Pitt Movies

If you're exploring Brad Pitt legendary filmography, below are our top 3 picks for must-watch Brad Pitt movies:

  1. Se7en (1995) - Pitt turns in an emotional, gritty performance as a detective pursuing a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives in this harrowing thriller. His chemistry with Morgan Freeman shines.
  2. 12 Monkeys (1995) - Pitt earned his first Oscar nomination for his manic supporting role as Jeffrey Goines in this mind-bending sci-fi thriller. His eccentric performance steals every scene.
  3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) - Pitt won an Academy Award for his humorous turn as laidback stuntman Cliff Booth, Leonardo DiCaprio buddy, in Tarantino homage to 1960s Hollywood. His effortless charm lights up the screen.

Final Verdict

Brad Pitt has delivered an astonishing range of memorable performances that have redefined the possibilities of male movie stars. His filmography shows an actor willing to take creative risks and commit fully to every role. Pitt career is a testament to smart script selection, dedication to his craft and once-in-a-generation screen presence that lights up any film. He has created some of the most memorable characters and moments in cinema history. Pitt expansive acting talent and daring choice of projects will ensure his Hollywood icon status continues to grow in the coming years.

FAQs

Q: Why was Brad Pitt so famous?

Brad Pitt achieved fame due to his natural charisma, good looks and consistent starring roles in commercially successful and often critically acclaimed films across various genres. His box office drawing power and dedication to playing intriguing characters solidified him as a Hollywood A-lister.

Q: Is Brad Pitt one of the greatest actors ever?

Brad Pitt is one of the most talented and versatile actors of his generation. He has shown immense range across independent films, major blockbusters and art house cinema. His acting skills, star power and choice of projects have made him an icon.

Q: What movies is Brad Pitt known for?

Brad Pitt is known for films like Fight Club, Se7en, 12 Monkeys, Ocean's Eleven, Inglourious Basterds, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the Ocean's trilogy movies. He often plays appealing anti-heroes and characters with offbeat personalities that subvert traditional leading men.