10 Ethan Hawke Best Movies That You Should Watching Update 03/2024

Ethan Hawke Best Movies

Ethan Hawke is a well-known actor in Hollywood and an advocate for independent filmmaking. Here are some of the actor’s most lauded roles over the last decade.

Ethan Hawke has been one of the most intriguing actors in the industry for a long time. From the beginning of his acting career, he was known as a passionate and captivating performer who added something unique to every production he was a part of, no matter how big or little the role or the movie.

As an actor, Hawke has worked on a wide range of movies, mostly in the independent genre that made him famous. However, he has also appeared in some major studio productions. His filmography is chock-full of timeless classics and lesser-known gems. According to Rotten Tomatoes, these are Ethan Hawke’s greatest works.

1. Maggie’s Plan (86%)

Maggie's Plan

It’s rare to see Ethan Hawke in a romantic comedy unless there’s a compelling reason for him to do so. starring Greta Gerwig as a lady who longs to raise a family who finds embroiled in an odd love triangle with a married guy, Maggie’s Plan is a little film (Hawke).

Rebecca Miller directs an indie film with a stellar ensemble that has been well received by critics. There was much praise for Gerwig as the star of the picture, while the unconventional plot was praised for its ability to shake up the cliches of the romantic comedy genre.

2. Born To Be Blue (88%)

Hawke has played real-life individuals before, but playing jazz legend Chet Baker must have been a challenge. As part of the film, Born to be Blue focuses on the Baker comeback in the 1960s when an accident nearly ended his career.

Critics lauded Hawke’s performance in the picture, despite the fact that it was largely ignored by the general public. Also lauded was the film’s unique and original approach to the genre of the musical biography.

3. Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead (88%)

Before The Devil Knows You're Dead

In the course of his long career, Hawke has collaborated with a number of iconic filmmakers, including the late Sidney Lumet on his final picture. Two brothers, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke, plunder the jewelry store that is owned by their parents before the devil knows they’re dead.

One of Lumet’s best and most anticipated films, it’s been hailed as a return to form and an appropriate farewell for the director. The overwhelming intensity of this terrible story was highly commended by the stellar performers.

4. A Midnight Clear (88%)

In A Midnight Clear, Hawke is part of a superb group of young performers, all of whom are in their early twenties. The story takes place during World War II, and it follows a small group of troops who are trapped in a snow-covered hut as the Germans draw in on their position.

Critics lauded the film’s strong take on the genre, which is rare for a Christmas movie. Even though they aren’t the usual fearless heroes, these men and women are amazing in their own right.

5. Maudie (89%)

Maudie

In the past, Hawke has used his celebrity power to help tiny projects like this Canadian biography get off the ground. A housekeeper in isolated Nova Scotia, Sally Hawkins portrays Maude Lewis, a woman who develops her artistic talents and becomes a revered figure in her town.

For their portrayals of the real-life artist and the artist’s husband, Hawkins and Hawke received a great deal of appreciation. Their performances provide a lot of depth to this story about a fascinating individual.

6. First Reformed (93%)

Hawke’s most recent picture, First Reformed, is also one of his most critically lauded. As a preacher at a small yet historic church, Hawke plays a significant role. The minister begins to rethink the role he is playing in the world as he experiences numerous hardships.

Hawke’s acting as a tortured man was widely lauded. He also received high marks from critics for his work as a writer and director on Paul Schrader’s dark and thought-provoking drama.

7. Before Sunset (95%)

Before Sunset

His filmography lacks a plethora of series, but Hawke did star in one of the most revered film franchises of all time in The Hunger Games. In Before Sunset, Jesse (Hawke) and Celine (Delpy) meet in France, nine years after the events of Before Sunrise.

Critics had a great time revisiting the enchanting love story with the two stars still having an incredible connection together. The film’s well-crafted script and storyline entice you to root for the protagonists once more.

8. Boyhood (97%)

It’s no secret that Hawke and Richard Linklater make great films together; as you’ll see from the remainder of this list, they’ve been working together for years. “Boyhood” chronicles the development of a young kid over the course of a decade-long film project. Hawke plays the father of the little child, a character who matures with his son.

The story was told in a unique and unforgettable style, according to most reviews, making it a memorable film. To portray a powerful story, the film avoids dramatization and clichés.

9. Before Midnight (97%)

Before Midnight

Jesse and Celine: The Last Kiss reunited Linklater, Delpy, and Hawke for the third installment of their groundbreaking trilogy. Nine years later, the pair is married and has children. This summer, we get a glimpse into how their relationship has evolved over the years.

The film’s daring and honest retelling of this couple’s narrative, which revealed the real-life fights beneath the surface of the romance, delighted critics. The actors once again shine as a team, and the film is replete with the kind of clever dialogue that makes the series so enjoyable.

10. Before Sunrise (100%)

Ethan Hawke’s most popular franchise began with this film, and it remains his most lauded.

When Jesse and Celine first meet on a train, they decide to spend the night together and get to know each other while walking about Vienna.

Like the other films in the trilogy based on the same narrative, this one is a spellbinding and enthralling tale that the critics adore.