20 Best Paul Dano Movies, Ranked

Paul Dano has played a multitude of complex characters over the course of his over 20-year career. His filmography is one that would make any aspiring actor jealous. Not only has he starred in a number of widely successful and acclaimed films, but he has also held his own against acting greats such as Hugh Jackman and Daniel Day-Lewis. The best Paul Dano movies are those that challenge his acting skills and feature him alongside his well-known peers. They are movies that satisfy both the cinephile and the casual movie-lover with thorough character studies and interesting plotlines.

In 2022 alone, Dano showed off his incredible range as well as his talent for picking interesting projects. He began the year with his unsettling villainous turn in The Batman as The Riddler and ended it with his reserved and heartwarming fatherly role in The Fabelmans. Though two popular and acclaimed movies are just part of the incredible collection of movies that Dano has been involved in throughout his career. The best Paul Dano movies have allowed him to grow into one of the most interesting actors in Hollywood today.

20 L.I.E. (2001)

L.I.E is an independent drama that tells the story of a relationship between a 15-year-old boy and a middle-aged man. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. The movie is a rather disturbing and uncomfortable watch that features stand-out performances from its two leads. For his role as Howie, the teenage boy who enters into an inappropriate relationship with an adult, Dano won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance, solidifying his emerging role as a professional actor. His co-star Brian Cox was also nominated for Best Male Lead.

19 The King (2005)

The King is a 2005 drama starring Gael Garcia Bernal as Elvis Valderez, a discharged veteran who attempts to forge a bond with his father, despite having never met the man. In the film, Paul Dano portrays Paul Sandow, the son of a local pastor with whom Elvis stays while searching for his father. Though The King attempted to find a meaningful plot in the midst of its overbearing drama, it failed to find its audience, leaving many of those involved in its creation unrecognized for their work — and Dano himself would have to continue looking for his breakout role.

18 The Good Heart (2009)

Paul Dano and Brian Cox worked together more than once, including a very early role in Dano’s career in L.I.E. when he was only 17. Eight years later, they were back together in The Good Heart, where Cox plays a bartender who has a heart attack and Dano is a homeless man who attempted suicide. The two end up sharing a hospital room and end up changing each other’s lives. The small movie did not find much of an audience, though it had a decent critical reception with the chemistry in the oddball pairing of Cox and Dano noted as the movie’s highlight.

17 The Ballad Of Jack And Rose (2005)

The Ballad of Jack and Rose is a star-studded film with a cast that includes Daniel-Day Lewis in the leading role and Camilla Belle, Catherine Keener, Jason Lee, and Jena Malone in supporting roles. This drama also stars Paul Dano as Thaddius, a young man who is attacked to Belle’s character, advancing on her even when she isn’t interested herself. This role allowed Dano to access a more sinister side of his acting skill, portending certain major roles in his future. While the film was not an all-out success, it did allow the young actor to play the kind of role with which he was not particularly familiar.

16 Ruby Sparks (2012)

In the romantic comedy Ruby Sparks, which was written by his partner Zoe Kazan, Dano plays a writer named Calvin whose protagonist comes to life. The protagonist, Ruby, is Calvin’s dream girlfriend. The plot of Ruby Sparks is completely unique and inventive and initiates many conversations about relationships and power. When Ruby begins to pull away from Calvin, he uses his typewriter to tweak her character so that she continues to love him. Dano is excellent as the hopeless writer, and there is obvious chemistry between him and Kazan while Kazan herself was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her screenplay.

15 The Emperor’s Club (2002)

The Emperor’s Club was a 2002 drama movie with Kevin Kline starring as a teacher in a prep school who developed an interest in a student whose father, a U.S. Senator, doesn’t seem to care about his education. This causes the teacher to do what he can to help the young man succeed. Paul Dano stars as Martin Blythe, another student and one whose aspirations are dashed when Kline’s teacher cheats him out of an award to help the senator’s son. Kline gives a wonderful performance leading the young cast, and while the movie might feel overly familiar at times, it does have a surprising ending that elevates it.

14 The Girl Next Door (2004)

Paul Dano has mostly appeared in adult-oriented, often dark movies. However, he has some lighthearted fare in his body of work as well. That includes the 2004 raunchy comedy The Girl Next Door, where Emile Hirsch learned the girl who moved in next door that he starts to date used to be a porn star. Dano plays one of his best friends in the movie, Klitz. The movie was a modest teen comedy hit and found more fans on home video. Some dismiss it as a ripoff of Risky Business while others see it as a loving homage.

13 Taking Woodstock (2009)

Taking Woodstock is a 2009 Ang Lee film that is based on the memoir of Elliot Tiber and Tom Monte, who attended the infamous 1969 Woodstock Festival. Paul Dano played one half of a hippie couple opposite Kelli Garner, marking relatively small roles for the two actors. Though Taking Woodstock made the rounds at film festivals, it was far from the hit that the filmmakers were hoping for, failing to resonate with critics or audiences. Given that this was the follow-up to Ang Lee’s Best Director win for Brokeback Mountain, the movie was a disappointment yet still a fascinating subject with a strong cast.

12 Youth (2015)

Paul Dano stars alongside screen legends Jane Fonda, Michael Caine, and Harvey Keitel in this Oscar-nominated drama directed by Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino. The film follows a retired orchestra conductor, played by Caine, who, while on vacation with his daughter and his best friend, receives an invitation to perform for Prince Philip. In the movie, Dano plays a frustrated actor who is vacationing at the same resort. Youth competed for the Palme d’Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival but lost out to Jacques Audiard’s film Dheepan. The movie was critically acclaimed for its intimate and compelling look at such grounded subject matter while the performances were highlighted as elevating the material further.

11 Okja (2017)

Directed by Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho, Okja tells the story of a young girl who befriends the genetically modified “super pig” that her family raised as part of a global project run by a large corporation. The film is critical of the meat industry and features a very off-brand performance by Jake Gyllenhaal as an eccentric television personality. In the film, Dano plays the leader of the environmentalist group Animal Liberation Front who rescues Okja from the corporation. The actor received waves of praise for his performance, even among other hard-hitters like Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton, Steven Yeun and more. The Netflix movie was another critical hit for Joon-ho, showing his amazing talent for balancing different tones in a funny, thrilling, and heartbreaking adventure.

10 Where The Wild Things Are (2009)

Where the Wild Things Are is a 2009 live-action adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s iconic children’s book. The film, which is directed by Spike Jonze, follows the story of a young boy named Max who is whisked away to a fantastical land of his own imagination. Paul Dano voices Alexander, one of the “Wild Things” who resembles a giant goat. The film received mostly positive reviews from critics, though it was far from the smash success some were expecting. However, perhaps part of the reason for its underperforming is that Jonze avoided telling a simple family-friendly take on the source material allowing the movie to gain a passionate following from those who loved the risky approach.

9 Looper (2012)

This science-fiction film tells the story of a group of people known as “loopers,” hired assassins who execute the enemies of their employers that are transported from the future. Looper stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Joe, the younger version of Bruce Willis’ looper. Dano plays a supporting role in the film as Seth, a fellow looper and friend of Joe who gets into trouble after failing to kill his older self when he reaches the end of his contract. His role is essential for the suspenseful plot, and Dano plays the jittery and anxious Seth perfectly. Before Rian Johnson stepped into the Star Wars universe, Looper was his first brush with the genre and proved a big success. The modestly budgeted thriller was a hit and remains popular on streaming services thanks to its smart and exciting script.

8 Swiss Army Man (2016)

Swiss Army Man might be one of the most unusual Paul Dano movies ever made. Dano is Hank Thompson, a man marooned on an island who considers suicide before he sees another body wash ashore. While this is a dead man, Hank begins to befriend the corpse, played by Daniel Radcliffe, who can only respond through farts. When the corpse somehow helps Hank get back home, things get even more bizarre. Before the directing duo known as The Daniels helmed Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All At Once, they teased their unique, chaotic, and impactful vision with Swiss Army Man which uses it odd concept to deliver a powerful and emotional story.

7 Love & Mercy (2014)

Love & Mercy is a biographical drama that follows The Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson during two different stages in his life. The film alternates between the 1960s, as Wilson works to complete his Pet Sounds album amidst his struggles with his mental health, and the 1980s when a heavily medicated Wilson is under the control of his therapist. Dano plays the 1960s Wilson to John Cusack’s 1980s version. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role and received praise from viewers calling it one of Dano’s best performances of his career. The movie itself was seen as a refreshing take on the tired music biopic genre.

6 Prisoners (2013)

Prisoners, the thriller by Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, tells the story of Dover (Hugh Jackman), a man who seeks vengeance after his daughter is kidnapped and the police fail to find her. Prisoners is a dark film whose plot twists provoke much discussion among the audience. In the film, Dano plays Alex, a man who lives in an RV where Dover’s daughter was last seen. After he is released by the police, Alex is kidnapped by Dover, who tortures him in an attempt to get a confession. Dano gives one of the best performances of his career as the damaged Alex. It is a gripping and dark thriller that leaves the audience on the edge of their seats right up until Prisoner‘s powerful ending.

5 Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Little Miss Sunshine is an independent comedy about a dysfunctional family that goes on a road trip after the daughter qualifies for a beauty pageant. Dano plays Dwayne, the teenage son who has taken a vow of silence until he completes his life goal of becoming a pilot. Although he does not speak for the majority of the film, Dano still manages to capture the viewer’s attention with his portrayal of the rebellious and tortured teen. When he finally speaks after finding out that he can never fulfill his dream, it’s like a bomb has been released. Little Miss Sunshine was seen as a small surprising success story with the indie earning a Best Picture nomination and over $100 million at the box office.

4 The Batman (2022)

Paul Dano took on the villain role in The Batman, opposite Robert Pattinson. It went down as one of the highest-rated movies of Dano’s career, kickstarting a new franchise for the DC Comics character, portending the return of the Riddler in some capacity in the near future. Dano starred as The Riddler, but this was a very different portrayal than what fans have seen before. For most of the movie, he was a basic serial killer of Gotham’s elite and corrupt. Fans loved Dano’s performance, even if it wasn’t the character most fans recognized. Matt Reeves’ gritty take on the Caped Crusader has been praised as the best iteration since Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. Unsurprisingly, there is plenty of anticipation for the upcoming The Batman 2.

3 The Fabelmans (2022)

The Fabelmans is the latest film from legendary director Steven Spielberg, which tells a semi-autobiographical story about his childhood and early love of cinema. The film also acts as a tribute to the art of filmmaking, while also looking at the family drama that helped to shape Spielberg’s younger years. Michelle Williams plays young Sammy Fabelman’s mother while Paul Danos plays his father. Dano gives a reserved performance that was praised by critics. The movie itself was called a beautiful love letter to Spielberg’s passion as well as his parents. It earned seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

2 12 Year A Slave (2013)

12 Years A Slave is a biographical drama that tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free Black man in New York State in 1841 who is sold into slavery. Paul Dano plays a supporting role as John Tibeats, a slave driver on the plantation who tries to lynch Northup. The film is based on the autobiography of the same name and received widespread critical acclaim and won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Dano plays a small role in the film though memorable as a vicious plantation worker whose impotency shows as soon as his cruelty is challenged.

1 There Will Be Blood (2007)

In Paul Thomas Anderson’s fifth feature film, Dano works double-time playing twins Paul and Eli Sunday. However, his performance as Eli, the local preacher in a small town in California, stands out among the two. Although his character cowers under Daniel Day-Lewis’ oilman Daniel Plainview, Dano matches him in acting ability. There Will Be Blood was nominated for 8 awards at the 2008 Oscars, winning for Best Actor for Day-Lewis and Best Cinematography. Day-Lewis’ performance is towering with many calling it one of the greatest movie performances of all time. Though Dano is overshadowed, he is still excellent in the complex role. Anderson creates an epic story of obsession and greed that earned There Will Be Blood a reputation as one of the 21st century’s best movies so far.