With a career spanning back to the early 1980s, John Turturro is one of America’s most recognizable character actors. A frequent collaborator with industry giants including the Coen Brothers and Spike Lee, Turturro’s likability, charisma, and versatility have earned him critical acclaim – being nominated for an impressive amount of industry awards during his career as a result.
While he’s primarily known as an actor known for his work with independent filmmakers and auteurs, he’s also been known to dabble in big-budget projects – appearing in Michael Bay’s Transformers series and set to play crime lord Carmine Falcone in the Matt Reeve’s The Batman. Here are the 10 best John Turturro movies, according to IMDb.
Box Of Moonlight (1996) – 7.3
1996’s Box of Moonlight stars John Turturro as a highly-strung engineer who seeks out a nearby lake during a mid-life crisis, hoping to indulge in some much-needed nostalgia. After arriving, he meets a character known as The Kid – played by Sam Rockwell – who teaches him some valuable lessons about cutting loose and opening himself up to the world.
Rockwell and Turturro have great chemistry together in the movie, with their chemistry managing to make Box of Moonlight a memorable entry into director Tom DiCillo’s catalog.
To Live And Die In L.A. (1985) – 7.3
Directed by William Friedkin of The Exorcist fame, To Live and Die in L.A. follows the story of Secret Service agent Richard Chance, who seeks revenge on the nefarious counterfeiter Eric Masters after his partner is killed.
John Turturro plays Carl Cody in the movie – a locked-up associate of Masters’ who may just have information that Chance needs. It’s one of Turturro’s earliest roles, but he does a fantastic job, breathing life into what could have easily been a cookie-cutter character.
Quiz Show (1994) – 7.5
Nominated for an impressive four Academy Awards following its 1994 release, the Robert Redford-directed Quiz Show tells the true story of Richard Goodwin, a lawyer who investigates the alleged corruption of Twenty-One – a 1950s game show – after one of its former contestants comes forward.
Turturro’s role as scorned contestant Herbie Stempel is one of his most underappreciated, kicking off the events that set fire to the game show industry – that would later become known as the 1950s quiz show scandals.
Barton Fink (1991) – 7.7
Becoming a frequent collaborator of the brilliant Coen Brothers throughout the 1990s, John Turturro starred as the title character in 1991’s Barton Fink – arguably one of his most iconic roles to date. The story sees a playwright journey to Hollywood to write screenplays, only to find himself saddled with severe writer’s block.
Turturro’s scenes with John Goodman’s unhinged Charlie Meadows are a particular highlight, spinning the movie into some unexpected but thrilling new directions. While Michael Lerner was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie, both Turturro and Goodman were undoubtedly considered snubs.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) – 7.7
A fan-favorite comedy from the Coen Brothers, O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a loose retelling of The Odyssey. Following George Clooney’s Ulysses Everett McGill and his friends Pete and Delmar – played by John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson respectively – the movie sees the trio escape from a chain gang to hunt down a supposedly lost treasure.
Turturro’s Pete is extremely likable despite his status as a convict, escaping with his fellow prisoners despite only having two weeks left on his sentence – with the central characters’ warmth playing a bit part in what makes O Brother, Where Art Thou? such a fun, breezy watch.
Miller’s Crossing (1990) – 7.8
Yet another collaboration between Turturro and the Coen Brothers, the gangster film Miller’s Crossing sees Turturro play slimy bookie Bernie Bernbaum – a man with a target on his back. After being spared by protagonist Tom Reagan, Bernie begins to cause some serious trouble for Tom.
What’s so great about Turturro in Miller’s Crossing is how he makes the audience sympathize with his pathetic, groveling bookie – before making them come to regret it further down the line.
Hannah And Her Sisters (1986) – 7.9
Despite only being John Turturro’s sixth credited role in a feature film, 1986’s Hannah and Her Sisters sees Turturro in one of his most impressive ensembles to date. Starring alongside the likes of Michael Caine, Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Carrie Fisher and Max Von Sydow, Turturro was credited only as ‘Writer’ in the movie.
Considered one of the best Woody Allen movies ever made, Hannah and her Sisters was also a hit at the Academy Awards, making this one of Turturro’s most incredible early projects.
Do The Right Thing (1989) – 7.9
Arguably the most famous movie from acclaimed director Spike Lee, Do the Right Thing takes a look at the escalating racial tensions in a Brooklyn neighborhood in the 80s, focusing on a diverse group of central characters and their lives.
Turturro plays Pino, the racist son of the neighborhood’s pizzeria owner, Sal – who comes into conflict with main character Mookie and his friends. Perhaps Turturro’s least redeemable character, his portrayal of Pino is filled with enough venom to be believable, without coming off as cartoonishly over-the-top.
The Big Lebowski (1998) – 8.1
Yet another Coen Brothers movie appearing on this list, The Big Lebowski is the quintessential cult movie, with its entertaining story and quirky characters being embraced by fans worldwide. John Turturro plays Jesus in the movie – a hotshot bowler and rival of our main characters.
The character proved to be so popular that he spawned his own spinoff movie, The Jesus Rolls, in 2019 – many years after Turturro initially expressed interest in the project. Unfortunately, The Jesus Rolls garnered a generally negative critical response upon its eventual release.
Raging Bull (1980) – 8.2
Despite playing a character known only as ‘Man at Webster Hall Table’, it’s almost impossible to imagine a greater feature-film debut than Martin Scorsese’s 1980 classic Raging Bull – generally considered one of the greatest movies ever made.
That was exactly the case for John Turturro however, appearing in an uncredited blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene in the biographical sports drama. The movie chronicles the life of Jake LaMotta, a successful middleweight boxer whose bad temper and paranoia begin to derail both his career and his personal relationships.