Happy birthday to the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman. The legendary actor would have been 56 today, but he sadly passed away in 2014. Hoffman left behind a legacy as one of the greatest actors ever. Whether he was playing a sidekick in a comedy film or person with power in a period piece, he would kill the role. To celebrate his birthday, I ranked my five favorite performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Honorable Mention: The Master (2012), Moneyball (2011), Charlie Wilsons War (2007)
5. Along Came Polly (2004)
If you want to see Hoffman’s comedic genius in action, just watch the basketball scene in Along Came Polly. I whole heartedly believe that no other actor could pull this scene off without making it look too ridiculous. It’s obviously a ridiculous and hyperbolic scene with him bricking shot after shot after shot, but he keeps it so light hearted and hilarious. He’s an awesome sidekick to Ben Stiller’s character in this film and proved that he could be great in a true comedy. He had comedic roles in more serious movies like Punch-Drunk Love or The Talented Mr. Ripley prior, but never a prominent role in a true comedy.
4. Capote (2005)
If you’re going off the “awards mean more” standard, then Capote is Hoffmans best role. He won Best Actor for his role as Truman Capote at the Oscars, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs. Hoffman shows so much range conveying a lot of emotion and displaying the traits that a compulsive liar possesses. When Capote speaks, you don’t really know what to believe. You want to believe him because he’s the films protagonist, but you’re unsure of his character as a man. Hoffman fully submerges into this role and gives one of the all-time great, believable performances here. This performance is amazing, it’s just not my favorite from Hoffman.
3. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
When characters are introduced in a film, the director usually wants them to make an instant and lasting impression. Well, Hoffman does that in The Talented Mr. Ripley making sure you never forget him. The first time we see him, he speeds up to an Italian cafe, screeches to a halt, and hops out of his sports car and says, “Oh God! Don’t you want to fuck every woman you see just once?” It was hilarious, and left the impression that his character, Freddie Miles, is a self-centered prick. The whole time he’s in the film, he walks around with an aura of self-importance with his wrist flimsily tilted inwards. He’s an awesome antagonist to Tom Ripley and really makes this movie.
2. Synecdoche, New York (2008)
Many fans of the distinguished Philip Seymour Hoffman would say that this is his best role and I’d 100% understand that argument. His portrayal of someone suffering from a disease that’s shutting down his autonomic nervous system while simultaneously dealing with his wife leaving him and putting on his magnum opus play was beautiful. You can feel the pain that Caden Cotard is going through while still chasing his dream of putting on the play about brutal realism and honesty. It consumes his whole being, and because of Hoffman’s brilliant performance, you feel like you’re right alongside him trying to put this play on. I think he could’ve easily won Best Actor for this role. Unfortunately, he didn’t even receive a nomination.
1. Boogie Nights (1997)
“I’m a fuggin’ idiot. I’m a fuggin’ idiot. Fuggin’ idiot, fuggin’ idiot, fuggin’ idiot…” While Philip Seymour Hoffman may not consume the whole screen in Boogie Nights, his performance as Scotty is dynamite. He’s an outcast, who is clearly in love with Dirk Diggler, but can’t really express it. Instead he tries to do what Dirk does. He’ll buy the same clothes as Dirk and Reed and follow them around, never really being accepted by Dirk. All in all, he’s a remarkably sad character, but that’s what Boogie Nights is filled with: sad characters. I just think that Hoffman plays this sad and lonely character better than anyone in the film.
