Robert De Niro has graced the silver screen with some of the most unforgettable performances in film history, but do his personal favorites align with yours?
While The Alto Knights may not be a standout in De Niro’s illustrious career, at 81, he still finds excitement discussing the nuances of acting ‘opposite himself’ in this gangster thriller. When sitting down with us, the opportunity arose to discover which films might rank high on his list.
Although when initially asked to name his top five films, De Niro told UNILAD RANKED: “I don’t know.”
He did, however, manage to name three standout films, with his co-star Debra Messing suggesting another, which De Niro agreed with, laughing slightly.
This week’s top five films according to De Niro—with a little help from Messing—while the fifth slot was chosen based on Rotten Tomatoes ratings.
After naming three films, De Niro admitted he was unsure of other selections. Given his status as one of the world’s most esteemed actors, with a vast repertoire, it’s understandable that recalling every hit might be challenging.
Yet, one film stands out as a clear favorite on Rotten Tomatoes, boasting an impressive critic score of 98 percent and an audience score of 90—Brazil.
The dystopian sci-fi comedy was a collaboration between writers Terry Gilliam (Time Bandits), Charles McKeown (Spies Like Us), and Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love). Gilliam also directed and produced the film alongside Arnon Milchan (Mr and Mrs. Smith).
The film features Jonathan Pryce with De Niro, Kim Greist (Manhunter), Michael Palin (Monty Python), and Katherine Helmond (Overboard) in supporting roles.
In a storyline echoing George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, a bureaucrat in a monotonous job fantasizes about heroism. However, a chance encounter with a wrongful arrest case may push him into action.
Director Gilliam reportedly found De Niro’s intense character research frustrating, even joking about wanting to ‘strangle him.’ Nonetheless, De Niro later expressed willingness to collaborate with Gilliam again, implying the experience wasn’t all negative.
One Twitter user remarked: “One of my favorite movies.”
“One of my favorite performances of [De Niro’s],” another user commented.
In fourth place on De Niro’s list is a more modern film available on Netflix.
Messing nominated The Irishman as her choice for the fourth spot, and De Niro appeared to concur.
Released in 2019, the film’s screenplay by Steven Zaillian (Ripley) adapts Charles Brandt’s 2004 book I Heard You Paint Houses.
Directed and produced by Martin Scorsese, the film stars Al Pacino (Heat) and Joe Pesci (Goodfellas) alongside De Niro.
Set in the 1950s, it follows a truck driver who becomes entangled with a notorious Pennsylvania crime family, embarking on a dangerous new career path. The question is whether the risk will pay off.
Stephen Graham of Adolescence fame worked with De Niro on the film, only recently confessing how pivotal De Niro was to his passion for film.
Graham recounted watching numerous De Niro films in his youth after expressing to his father a desire to pursue acting.
Messing isn’t the only one who holds The Irishman in high regard. It earned a Rotten Tomatoes critics score of 95 percent and an audience score of 86 percent.
One Twitter user stated: “An instant Martin Scorsese crime classic that’s everything you want it to be, and more. De Niro’s best work in ages.”
Another tweeted: “I would like to remind everyone that Robert De Niro delivers a towering and shockingly overlooked performance in THE IRISHMAN.
“In a career of extraordinary performances, it is one of his best and his most tragic.”
Next on the list is a legendary classic.
The epic crime film’s screenplay was co-authored by Francis Ford Coppola (Apocalypse Now) and Mario Puzo, based loosely on Puzo’s 1969 novel The Godfather.
Coppola both produced and directed the film, serving as a sequel and prequel to 1972’s The Godfather.
It divides its focus between Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone and his father Vito Corleone (De Niro), chronicling Vito’s rise from Sicily to power in New York, while Michael expands the family’s empire.
With most of De Niro’s dialogue in Sicilian, he dedicated four months to learning the Sicilian dialect of Italian.
The Godfather Part II is often considered one of cinema’s greatest achievements, with a Rotten Tomatoes critics score of 96 and an audience score of 97. A Twitter user echoed: “A classic that defined cinema history.”
“The masterpiece for a sequel, which is rare,” another user praised.
A third stated: “The Godfather Part II is my favorite film from Francis Ford Coppola because Coppola masterfully intertwines Vito’s story with Michael’s using two generational actors at their peak, Al Pacino & Robert De Niro. This represents some of De Niro’s finest acting.”
Moving on, De Niro takes on a vastly different role in the following film on the list.
An adaptation of Jake LaMotta’s 1970 memoir Raging Bull: My Story, the screenplay was crafted by Paul Schrader (Master Gardener) and Mardik Martin (Valentino).
Directed by Martin Scorsese and produced by Irwin Winkler (The Net) and Robert Chartoff (Rocky II), the film traces LaMotta’s boxing career and turbulent personal life.
De Niro immersed himself in boxing training, even participating in three real matches in Brooklyn, winning two.
Garnering a Rotten Tomatoes critics score of 92 percent and an audience score of 93, it’s lauded as ‘one of the best movies ever made’.
“One of the greatest performances of all time,” one review noted of De Niro’s portrayal.
Another said: “A role he was born to play.”
De Niro’s portrayal of LaMotta earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor and a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama in 1981.
However, one film immediately came to De Niro’s mind when UNILAD asked about his top five films.
Written by Paul Schrader, this neo-noir psychological drama was also directed by Scorsese, and produced by Michael and Julia Phillips (The Sting).
Set in post-Vietnam War New York City, De Niro plays a veteran Marine turned insomniac taxi driver, whose mental state deteriorates through the film.
The cast includes Jodie Foster (The Silence of the Lambs), Cybill Shepherd (Moonlighting), and Albert Brooks (Finding Nemo).
For the role, De Niro worked as a taxi driver for a month, even being recognized for his role in The Godfather Part II, prompting a passenger to exclaim: “Wait a minute, you just won an Oscar. My God… is it THAT hard to get work??”
