Ever since his breakthrough role on Remington Steele, Pierce Brosnan’s name has been synonymous with suave, cool action heroes. Brosnan is a figure of effortless charisma who is perfectly suited for summer blockbusters, but he’s also a deeply talented actor who isn’t afraid to play against type. Brosnan has a keen sense of humor and often takes interesting supporting roles; it's impressive to see how he has continuously reinvented his image throughout his lengthy career in television and film.

Although he gained notoriety for being the most brutal 007 in history, Brosnan’s career is far more extensive than just the James Bond franchise. He certainly delivered a memorable performance as Ian Fleming’s classic spy, but Brosnan has remained relevant in his post-James Bond years by working on under-the-radar projects. These are Pierce Brosnan's best movies, memorable and worthy projects that showcase his ability as a leading man and a scene-stealing supporting player.

10 ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ (1993)

Directed by Chris Columbus

Released two years before he became Bond, Mrs. Doubtfire shows Brosnan in a rare comedic supporting role. He co-stars in Chris Columbus’ classic family comedy as Stu Dunmeyer, whose advances on interior designer Miranda (Sally Field) spark conflict with her ex-husband, Daniel (Robin Williams). Williams’ comedic performance is one of his best, but Brosnan surprisingly holds his own by committing to the wacky hijinks. He proves adept at physical comedy, particularly during the film’s now iconic dinner scene.

Compared to other family comedies of the era, Mrs. Doubtfire has aged very well due to its heartwarming themes and respectful depiction of familial dysfunction. Brosnan’s performance is reflective of the film’s complexity; while, technically, Stu is an antagonist, he’s not an unlikeable character, much less a villain or a caricature. Instead, he's the straight man to Williams' wild humor, and he excels in the role.

9 ‘Mamma Mia!’ (2008)

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd

Although Brosnan's singing has been criticized, the Irish actor was clearly having a blast with the musical melodrama Mamma Mia! Inspired by the Broadway hit, the 2008 dramedy features Brosnan as the charming Sam Carmichael, who discovers that he may have fathered the bride-to-be Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) with his ex-lover, Donna (Meryl Streep).

Mamma Mia! is excessive in its campy depiction of middle-aged romance, allowing Brosnan room to trade hilarious one-liners with co-stars Stellan Skargård and Colin Firth. Even if the more serious moments are played for laughs, Brosnan has genuinely great chemistry with Streep. Both actors heighten the absurdity, delivering cheeky performances that help lighten the mood. Although it may have been dismissed as a “guilty pleasure” by some, the film was successful enough for Brosnan to reprise his role in the successful sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

8 ‘The Long Good Friday’ (1980)

Directed by John Mackenzie

In his feature film debut, Brosnan plays a ruthless Irish hitman in the classic crime drama The Long Good Friday. Despite the brevity of his screen time, Brosnan displays the physicality and intensity that would later make him well-suited to play action heroes like Bond. The young actor got to work with some of the best actors of the time, as his The Long Good Friday co-stars include acclaimed performers like Bob Hoskins, Paul Freeman, and Helen Mirren.

A rich and absorbing crime drama, The Long Good Friday examines the inherent instability of the gangster lifestyle and spends time showing mobsters in their everyday lives. The film earned rave reviews for its deconstruction of police corruption and the influence of the IRA. Nowadays, it remains a timely thriller that any gangster movie buff needs to check out.

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7 ‘Mars Attacks!’ (1996)

Directed by Tim Burton

Tim Burton has made some weird movies, but Mars Attacks! was a surprisingly subversive science fiction comedy that deserves more respect than it initially got. Brosnan has a brief role as the goofy Professor Donald Kessler, who is tasked with helping the incompetent President of the United States (Jack Nicholson) prepare Earth for an invasion of Martian ships. Brosnan leans into the character’s idiosyncrasies and goes toe-to-toe with Nicholson at the height of his powers.

While it suffered from comparisons to Independence Day, which premiered the same year, Mars Attacks! is a hilarious satire of human incompetence in the face of an extraterrestrial invasion. Humans in disaster movies often rally behind one another to face down threats, but Mars Attacks! shows mankind’s institutions as being grossly ill-equipped and unprepared. Burton’s cheeky sense of humor has made the film age very well.

6 ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’ (1997)

Directed by Roger Spottiswoode

While the subsequent sequels, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day, failed to live up to expectations, Tomorrow Never Dies is easily one of the most underrated James Bond movies ever made. The film forces Bond to face off with the newspaper media mogul Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce), a far more realistic villain than previous antagonists in the franchise.

Although the franchise isn’t exactly known for its strong female characters, Tomorrow Never Dies features a Bond girl who was actually 007’s equal. Michelle Yeoh’s secret service agent Mai Lin works closely with Brosnan’s 007 to stop an international conflict from breaking out. The excellent chemistry between Brosnan and Yeoh makes the film’s epic set pieces even more exhilarating. Furthermore, Brosnan’s charisma is at its peak, as Tomorrow Never Dies features some of his best one-liners and action sequences.

5 ‘The World’s End’ (2013)

Directed by Edgar Wright

Despite a history of playing heroes, Brosnan got the opportunity to play a villainous role in Edgar Wright’s science fiction comedy The World’s End. He co-stars as the teacher Guy Shepard, who reencounters former student Gary King (Simon Pegg) when he returns to his hometown to complete a bar crawl. Despite his affinity for Shepard, Gary realizes that his favorite teacher has been corrupted by an alien invasion force.

Brosnan does a great job at weaponizing his inherent charisma, becoming an intimidating force of nature at a moment’s notice. The World’s End is arguably Wright’s most mature movie, as it tackles serious themes about nostalgia, addiction, and depression. By merging the influence of alien invasion films with a nuanced drama about adult relationships, Wright creates a stunning and hilarious spectacle that can’t easily be classified as just one genre.

4 ‘Seraphim Falls’ (2006)

Directed by David Von Ancken

Seraphim Falls flips the revenge film on its head, forcing its viewers to question their expectations about heroes and villains. Set in the aftermath of the American Civil War, the revisionist western follows stars Brosnan as an ex-Confederate soldier who flees a ruthless Union officer (Liam Neeson). Initially, Seraphim Falls is a survival thriller, but a shocking plot twist reveals that the two men are intertwined by a tragic moment from the war.

Director David Von Ancken brilliantly inverts expectations, making it unclear to the viewer who they should be rooting for. Brosnan gives a fierce and heartbreaking performance in Seraphim Falls, playing a man who has seemingly lost everything and will do whatever is necessary to survive. Neeson’s physicality has made him the action star of a generation, but Brosnan more than holds his own during the film’s brutal hand-to-hand combat sequences.

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3 ‘The Ghost Writer’ (2010)

Directed by Roman Polanski

A shocking conspiracy thriller that questions the stability of Great Britain’s institutions, The Ghost Writer features an uncharacteristically enigmatic and sinister performance from Brosnan. Brosnan stars as England’s Prime Minister, who works alongside an unnamed ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) to produce his memoir. What begins as an earnest examination of the past reveals a shocking cover-up that connects the nation’s most influential members.

Brosnan is wonderful at showing the surprising powerlessness of his character; ultimately, the Prime Minister is just a pawn within a larger scheme. The Ghost Writer escalates tension with plot twists that complicate the understanding of British politics. While it’s not surprising that director Roman Polanski made another great conspiracy thriller, the shocking ending of The Ghost Writer ranks among the most chilling moments in recent cinematic history.

2 ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ (1999)

Directed by John McTiernan

The original The Thomas Crown Affair became one of the most popular heist films of the 1960s thanks to Steve McQueen's now-iconic performance. While any remake was understandably saddled with significant expectations, Brosnan is worthy of McQueen’s legacy in The Thomas Crown Affair. He stars as the titular art thief, who teams up with an insurance investigator (Rene Russo) to steal a prized painting.

With snappy humor and inventive robbery scenes, The Thomas Crown Affair is everything a great heist movie should be. Brosnan is at his most charismatic in The Thomas Crown Affair, as he perfectly embodies the rugged professionalism that is essential to the character. Die Hard director John McTiernan adds more than a few memorable action sequences, but The Thomas Crown Affair is simply a great romance thanks to the great chemistry between Brosnan and Russo.

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1 ‘Goldeneye’ (1995)

Directed by Martin Campbell

Although nearly shut down in production, 1995's Goldeneye is one of the most important Bond movies. Six years since License to Kill took the series in a darker direction, some feared 007 would seem irrelevant compared to other action films in the 1990s. However, Goldeneye successfully modernized the character by pitting Bond against a very personal enemy, Sean Bean’s 006.

Brosnan gives more depth to the character’s vulnerabilities than any previous iteration of the franchise up to that point. The Irish actor strikes the perfect tone with Goldeneye, as his version of Bond encapsulates the best of previous iterations. While the Roger Moore era of the franchise was criticized for its silliness and Timothy Dalton’s films were far too brutal, Brosnan introduced a version of Bond that could be both humorous and suave. The film itself is quite good, confidently guiding the series into a new age and welcoming Brosnan with open arms into the role that would define his career.

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