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With his chiseled good looks, infectious charisma, and ability to portray anything from violent and shady criminals to goofy comedic relief,Brad Pitthas become an icon of the film industry over a career spanning more than 30 years. Getting his big break in the early 90s, Pitt has proven himself to be effective as a leading man, an antagonist, and even as an impactful side character.
Throughout his illustrious career he has worked alongside many of the modern day’s greatest filmmakers, starred in massive blockbuster hits, and won two Academy Awards (one for acting and one for his efforts as an executive producer). From harrowing crime dramas to unforgettable biopics, historical epics, and timeless classics, Pitt’s filmography is relentlessly impressive, with these credits among the actor’s very best.
Updated on July 14, 2025, by Ryan Heffernan:
Ever since he established himself as a major Hollywood A-lister in the early 1990s, Brad Pitt has been celebrated as one of the biggest names in the industry. In a career spanning across 87 acting credits and counting, the very best movies of Pitt’s filmography are well worth watching.
20’Mr. & Mrs. Smith'
As a high-octane action rom-com with two of the biggest stars in modern cinema,Mr. & Mrs. Smithbecame a huge box office success. The film follows Brad Pitt andAngelina Jolieas the Smiths, a happily married upper-middle class couple who are actually assassins employed by rival agencies.
Hijinks ensue when the call comes for each of them to kill the other, allowing the personalities of the two stars to completely occupy the screen and elevatethe film to a level of fun-filled blockbuster spectacle. It received mostly mixed reviews, but it did become the seventh highest grossing movie of 2005 and introduced the world to “Brangelina.”
Watch on Starz
19’The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
Throughout his career, Brad Pitt has been a frequent collaborator withDavid Fincher, withThe Curious Case of Benjamin Buttonmarking just one of three films the duo have worked on together as actor/director. The romantic drama follows the titular Benjamin Button (Pitt), a man who ages backwards thus complicating many elements of his life, particularly his romantic interest in Daisy Fuller (Cate Blanchett).
Propelled by Fincher’s conviction and ambition as well as great performances from its two stars,the film found an engaging heart amid its unconventional premise. The romantic, dramatic, and emotional heft of the film was given plenty of room to unfold over a runtime of almost three hours.
Watch on Showtime
18’Babylon'
The fourth feature film from Oscar-winning directorDamien Chazelle,Babylonproved to be a polarizing take on early Hollywood laced with decadence and debauchery. The three-hour long period drama/black comedy follows multiple characters in the film industry through the highs of the 1920s and the fates they face when the advent of the talkies threatens their careers.
It proved to be divisive for audiences and critics alike, butthe film has won growing support for its ambition and dare as well as its spectacular visual styleand the acting performances. Its more confronting moments and its split audience response made it a somewhat controversial movie upon release, but there are plenty who wouldn’t be surprised ifBabylonwere to be retrospectively viewed as one of thebest movies of 2022and even the decade.
Watch on Prime Video
There has certainly been no lack ofunderrated sci-fi cult classicsin recent years, withAd Astraranking highly in that regard as a dramatic voyage through space. Pitt stars as Roy McBride, an astronaut who embarks on a dangerous mission to investigate the possibility of his father’s re-emergence after he went missing near Neptune 30 years prior.
DirectorJames Graystrikes a somber tone with the film, rich with atmosphere thanks toa powerfully grounding performance from Pitt and a breathtaking visual display. Despite being universally praised by critics, it was met with a more mixed response from audiences and ultimately flopped at the box office.
16’The Big Short'
Depicting America’s housing market collapse and the men who foresaw itand profiteered off the economic disaster,The Big Shortbalanced the nation’s raw financial woes with black comedy to be a major hit of 2015. With a star-studded cast includingSteve Carell,Christian Bale,Ryan Gosling, as well as Brad Pitt, it tracks the individual investors’ moves as they position themselves to make a fortune by betting against the U.S. mortgage market.
While it presented as being a fun tale of an unlikely gamble paying off, it was smart to acknowledge the real-life crisis with poignance as well. The film served as a major re-invention for writer-directorAdam McKay, andit remains the best example of the stylish, satirical niche he has adopted in recent years.
Watch on Netflix
15’Interview with the Vampire'
An entrancing mixture of period piece drama, horror thrills, and dark fantasy allure,Interview with the Vampirewas effectively the film which transformed Pitt into an all-conquering movie star. It traverses across the life of a centuries old family as he shares his experiences with a biographer in the modern day.
From his turning at the hands of the wickedly evil Lestat de Lioncourt (Tom Cruise) to his violent ventures in Europe with a young vampire who he treats as a daughter, the movie got by with its gothic appeal and genre-meshing intrigue. Thehighly-acclaimed vampire filmhas become something ofa 90s classic within Pitt’s filmographyand was re-imagined as a television series in 2022.
Watch on Hulu
Under the masterful direction ofAlejandro González Iñárritu,Babelstruck a chord with audiences as a winding, interwoven tale of misfortune and circumstance. It follows the two young sons of a goat herder whose experimentation with a rifle goes horribly wrong, the vacationing American couple befallen by tragedy because of the boys’ mistake, their own troubles back home concerning their children and nanny, and a deaf Japanese girl struggling to live with her disability.
The film had a power in its vast scope and made terrific use of its quieter moments to have an overwhelming thematic heft. While its narrative is a lot to digest, the characters and performances helped make the film more appealing, and it can rightfully be viewed asone of themost underrated Brad Pitt films.
13’The Tree of Life'
From the ever-enigmaticTerence Malick,The Tree of Lifemixes complex philosophical ponderings with palpable, atmospheric moodiness and a cast of A-listers at their very best. The family drama focuses on a young boy’s upbringing, showcasing the conflicting lessons he learns from his parents and the impact his youth has on his later life.
A through-provoking narrative which borders on being whimsical, there is little in the way of linear plot for audiences to latch on to, but fans of Malick adored the contemplative exercise. It was also terrific to see Pitt as the domineering and contradicted Mr. O’Brien as he struggled to raise his sons to be prepared for the cruelty of the world.
The Tree of Life
12’True Romance'
A cult classic of the 90s’ explosive taste for gritty yet comedic genre-mashes,True Romanceovercame its poor box office performance to become an enduring fan favorite. It follows the abrupt relationship between a reserved cinephile and a sex worker which spirals into a chaotic fight for survival when Clarence (Christian Slater) kills his lover’s pimp and flees with his stash of stolen drugs.
Directed byTony Scottfrom a screenplay byQuentin Tarantino, it thrives as a violent, untamed romantic thriller with underlying heart on account of its stars’ earnestness and chemistry. Among the star-studded cast, Brad Pitt made an appearance as Dick’s (Michael Rapaport) stoner roommate Floyd in a minor role.
11’Snatch'
A cult classic comedy-crime film,SnatchshowcasesGuy Ritchieat his absolute best. Set amid London’s criminal underbelly, it focuses on the entwined stories of crooked fight promoters, gangland enforcers, and armed robbers in pursuit of a stolen 86-carat diamond.
With a gritty presentation and wonderfully sharp cockney wit,Snatchexcels as a raucous hit of moving parts infused with black comedy and crime intrigue. Amid its litany of engrossing and memorable characters, Pitt was particularly striking as the gypsy bare-knuckle boxing champion who proves to be difficult to manage through a number of rigged bouts.
