Bruce Willis’ top five performances –

With his trademark charisma and intensity, Bruce Willis has managed to become one of Hollywood’s safest bets and a given star in many action-packed blockbusters. But with a career spanning four decades, the rugged tough guy has also had the chance to show his more dramatic and comedic sides, not least in the TV series Moonlighting or prominent films such as Pulp Fiction or The Sixth Sense. Roles in which his ability to balance his macho side with vulnerability really came to the fore.

(5)

Looper (2012)

As the older version of Joe, Willis delivers an intense and emotionally nuanced performance, perfectly capturing the complex character of the time-traveling hitman. The desperation of a man who, against all odds, fights his younger self with extraordinary determination. The dynamic between Willis himself and his counterpart, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is also outstanding, creating an engaging portrait full of moral dilemmas, where Willis’ skill in conveying both cruelty and humanity made for a role we will never forget.

(4)

Death becomes her (1993)

In Robert Zemeckis’ dark comedy, Bruce Willis shows off his comedic talent and versatility as the mad doctor Ernest Menville. With floppy ears, despondent and confused, he shines here with his ability to mix traditional slapstick with a somewhat nasty manipulative side that creates an incredible contrast with Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. Through subtle expressions and incredibly skillful comic timing, Willis brings an almost sympathetic tragedy to the role, an extra dimension than we are used to seeing him in and something very different from his otherwise typical image as an action hero.

(3)

The Jackal (1997)

In what is perhaps his most intense role, Bruce Willis, the often righteous hero, offers something quite different here, while allowing his more zealous, sardonic side to completely engulf him as the gleefully evil, cold-blooded The Jackal. Willis’s acting here is at its peak with unparalleled intensity and unpredictability embodying the complex and terrifying antagonist. An incredible portrait that once again demonstrates Willis’ flexibility and ability to effortlessly change disguises and personalities. Particularly memorable and exciting.

(2)

Unbreakable (2000)

With Unbreakable, Bruce Willis found something entirely new within himself through his incredibly subtle and nuanced portrayal of David Dunn, the seemingly ordinary man who discovers he possesses supernatural powers. Willis captures Dunn’s inner struggle and inability to find a clear path forward, mixing guilt with disbelief in what is as dark as it is meditative. Restrained and absolutely dazzling acting that is as poignant as it is memorable, laced with Willis’ dynamism and brilliant touch.

WILLIS’ BEST ACTING PERFORMANCE:
(1)

12 monkeys (1995)

His four-decade career has given us many incredible roles, but nothing surpasses Willis’ incomparably moving performance as the time-traveling Cole trying to prevent the outbreak of a deadly disease. It is a portrait marked by despair, confusion and emotional vulnerability, with Willis also able to convey the enormous psychological pressures under which Cole stands. The portrayal is that of a man struggling to maintain his grip on reality, conveying a strength and vulnerability that gives the character amazing credibility. Willis is absolutely unforgettable in the role.