For decades now, Tommy Lee Jones has been one of the most consistent supporting - and sometimes leading - American actors of his generation. He can play complex protagonists, memorable side characters, and compelling villains, and also has a screen presence that distinguishes him from otherwise comparable actors. There are certain roles of his that are so iconic, it's hard to imagine anyone else playing and then doing them justice.

With a film career spanning upwards of 50 years, and dozens upon dozens of roles to his name, what follows is only a sampling of Tommy Lee Jones's body of work, but they represent some of his undeniable best performances/movies. The most essential titles in his filmography are ranked below, starting with the good and ending with the greatest.

20 'Under Siege' (1992)

Directed by Andrew Davis

While it's not quite on the same level as the series at its best, Under Siege feels like it really wants to be a Die Hard movie. It's widely regarded as the best of all the Steven Seagal action movies, which might not be saying a ton, but it's not nothing.

Seagal plays the hero here: a cook on board a battleship who used to be a Navy SEAL, and becomes potentially the only person who can foil terrorists who take over the ship. It works as an action/thriller with a confined location, and Tommy Lee Jones elevates things notably by turning in a charismatic villainous performance as an ex-CIA operative turned terrorist.

Watch on Tubi

19 'The Hunted' (2003)

Directed by William Friedkin

Though it might be a lesser William Friedkin movie, The Hunted does still see the legendary director tackling the thriller genre once more, which has to count for something. It pits Tommy Lee Jones's character against Benicio del Toro's, with the latter being a murderer at large, and the former being a Special Ops instructor tasked with tracking him down.

It's all very straightforward, and clocks in at only 94 minutes, meaning it ultimately can't waste a great deal of time, even if it wanted to. The Hunted isn't a bad watch for those wanting to see two great actors play a game of cat-and-mouse with each other within the confines of a thriller, and it more or less gets the job done.

Watch on Max

18 'Small Soldiers' (1998)

Directed by Joe Dante

It's safe to call Small Soldiers an odd film that's kind of kid-friendly, but also not really. It's also hard not to compare it at least a little bit to Toy Story, released just three years earlier, given both movies revolve around toys coming to life.

Tonally, Small Soldiers is very different from the iconic Pixar film, though, as it's more violent and hard-edged overall. Two factions of toys end up in conflict with each other, with comedic chaos resulting from the surprising damage such toys can cause. It's also a movie with some perfect voice casting, especially when it comes to Tommy Lee Jones, who lends his distinctly gruff voice to the character of Chip Hazard.

Watch on Max

17 'Heaven & Earth' (1993)

Directed by Oliver Stone

Though Tommy Lee Jones appears on the poster for Heaven & Earth, he's essentially absent from the first half of the movie, and isn't its main character. The central focus of this Vietnam War movie is Le Ly, a young woman who finds herself lost after her village is destroyed, only to find a ticket to the United States in the form of a marriage to a U.S. marine (played by Jones).

It's one of several movies directed by Oliver Stone that also starred Jones, and forms the third part of the former's loose Vietnam War trilogy, with the other two (better) movies being 1986's Platoon and 1989's Born on the Fourth of July. Still, Heaven & Earth does a decent job of showing the war largely from a Vietnamese woman's point of view, and complements those other two Oliver Stone movies fairly well.

Rent on Amazon

16 'The Homesman' (2014)

Directed by Tommy Lee Jones

Tommy Lee Jones co-wrote, co-produced, directed, and starred in The Homesman, and also managed to assemble a truly impressive cast to appear alongside. Notable actors appearing in this Western include Meryl Streep, Hilary Swank, Miranda Otto, James Spader, Hailee Steinfeld, and John Lithgow.

Much of the film centers on a perilous journey across a harsh Old West landscape, with Jones's character joining a group of women who are seeking refuge in a new town. It's a relatively slow and overall methodical Western, but works thanks to the strength of its cast and the steady-handed direction of Tommy Lee Jones.

Watch on Tubi

15 'In the Valley of Elah' (2007)

Directed by Paul Haggis

In the Valley of Elah is undoubtedly a heavy film, and one that's unafraid to look at the cost of America's then-ongoing war in Iraq. Tommy Lee Jones and Susan Sarandon play a married couple who worry about where their son is, as he's disappeared since returning from his tour of duty.

This sets off a story that becomes about learning the truth behind his disappearance, with In the Valley of Elah going to some disturbing and highly emotional places throughout. Jones and Sarandon are both very good, as is Charlize Theron as a police detective who helps them with their difficult (and personal) case.

Rent on Apple TV

14 'The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada' (2005)

Directed by Tommy Lee Jones

Standing as one of the most compelling Westerns of the 21st century so far, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada marks another time when Tommy Lee Jones both directed and starred in a film. It follows two men who are brought together for an unlikely journey when one kills the friend of the other, setting them off on a dark and uncomfortable odyssey that includes the titular burials.

Thanks to its central premise, it goes beyond being just a Western, also functioning as a psychological drama, a crime movie, and even something of an adventure film. It might well be the most well-known of the movies Jones has directed so far, and it's understandable why.

Watch on Fubo

13 'Love Story' (1970)

Directed by Arthur Hiller

Wait, Tommy Lee Jones was in Love Story? Technically, yes! He certainly didn't have a major role in it, given the two stars of that film were Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal, with the vast majority of the runtime in Love Story being devoted to... well, their love story.

The central narrative about their young love, and the way things change when other dramatic life events threaten to get in the way remains compelling, even if part of it can feel perhaps more melodramatic and overblown than it once was. As for Jones, he's featured here briefly as a roommate of O'Neal's character, with this movie being his first-ever acting credit.

Watch on Fubo

12 'The Sunset Limited' (2011)

Directed by Tommy Lee Jones

One of four movies that Tommy Lee Jones directed as well as starred in, The Sunset Limited could be described as a bottle movie, in contrast to a bottle episode. The events of the film take place in a single room, and it's essentially 90 minutes centered on two characters - played by Samuel L. Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones - debating.

Jackson plays a deeply spiritual man who prevented Jones's character from jumping in front of a train: the titular Sunset Limited. Each has a different outlook on life and religion, and the movie remains engaging by centering on just the two debating various topics. The acting's great, and the screenplay by Cormac McCarthy - who adapted it from his play of the same name - is also remarkably sharp.

Watch on Max

11 'Captain America: The First Avenger' (2011)

Directed by Joe Johnson

Though later Captain America films like The Winter Soldier (2014) and Civil War (2016) might've been a little stronger, 2011's The First Avenger was still an important piece of why the Captain America trilogy ended up being one of the strongest in the MCU. Also, The First Avenger does benefit from having Tommy Lee Jones, while the other two are Jones-free.

It's a movie that largely takes place during the Second World War, and serves as an origin story for its titular hero, who goes from a sickly man into a super-soldier. Jones plays Chester Phillips, one of many gruff Army figures the actor's played in his career, and also someone who's instrumental in the dramatic transformation of the film's protagonist.

Watch on Disney+

10 'Ad Astra' (2019)

Directed by James Gray

The best way to describe Ad Astra is that it's a bit like Heart of Darkness (and, as such, maybe even Apocalypse Now), but in space. Brad Pitt plays the main character of the film, an astronaut who's sent on a perilous mission into deep space to find a crew who got lost while on an expedition; a crew that might include his long-lost father.

Given the slow-burn nature of Ad Astra, it's a while before Tommy Lee Jones shows up here, but he makes every minute of screen time count and has a compelling dynamic with Pitt's character. Also helping the film is how visually spectacular it is, as well as its sparse but entertaining action/thriller sequences, with it being a strange, tense, and thoroughly distinct piece of sci-fi cinema.

Watch on Fubo

9 'Natural Born Killers' (1994)

Directed by Oliver Stone

One year after they worked together on Heaven & Earth, Oliver Stone and Tommy Lee Jones reteamed for the controversial crime film Natural Born Killers. It's a movie that feels distinctly Oliver Stone in tone and style, with it being aggressive, angry, and chaotic, and centering on a pair of serial killers going on a rampage, all the while finding their actions celebrated by the media.

It's a satirical movie without perhaps being a comedy, because the humor is incredibly dark, and it doesn't always feel like it's trying to make its viewers laugh. Everyone turns in great performances throughout, including Juliette Lewis and Woody Harrelson in the lead roles, and then the likes of Jones, Robert Downey Jr., and Rodney Dangerfield in memorable supporting roles.

Rent on Amazon

8 'Rolling Thunder' (1977)

Directed by John Flynn

Rolling Thunder might well be up there with one of the best/most underrated movies of the 1970s. The central character is a Vietnam veteran played by William Devane, with the film following his quest for revenge after a brutal attack in his home shortly after arriving back in the U.S. after his service.

Tommy Lee Jones plays his close friend, with Jones's character helping Devane's to seek vengeance against those responsible for the attack, no matter the cost. It's a tough, violent, and ultimately fierce movie about one man being pushed to his limits, and as such, fits in well with certain other films written by Rolling Thunder's screenwriter, Paul Schrader, like Taxi Driver and Blue Collar.

Watch on Tubi

7 'Coal Miner's Daughter' (1980)

Admittedly, Coal Miner's Daughter is a movie that by and large belongs to Sissy Spacek. She has the lead role here, playing country singer Loretta Lynn, with the film spanning numerous years and showing Lynn's family life before becoming famous, her marriage to Doolittle Lynn (Tommy Lee Jones), and her rise to stardom.

She won Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her performance, but it's worth stating that Jones is also quite good here, playing a complex character within a fairly conventional story. Coal Miner's Daughter is a movie that hits all the expected beats for a music biopic, but it hits them pretty well nonetheless, and benefits from being very well-acted.

Rent on Apple TV

6 'Men in Black' (1997)

Direct by Barry Sonnenfeld

There's a chance that Men in Black is the role most people associate Tommy Lee Jones with, which is unusual, considering most of his other well-known roles don't fall within the comedy or sci-fi genres. As it happens, this 1997 smash-hit is both a sci-fi and comedy film, and hugely successful at doing both.

Jones is of course paired here perfectly with Will Smith, the two playing members of the titular organization. It plays out much like an action-packed, banter-heavy buddy movie, only there are aliens thrown in for good measure here. It's considered a classic of the 1990s for good reason, with the original easily being the best entry in what's now become a series.

Watch on Hulu

5 'Lincoln' (2012)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

A sometimes dry but ultimately powerful and excellently made historical drama, Lincoln sees Steven Spielberg making a biographical film about Abraham Lincoln's final days as President. Daniel Day-Lewis stars in the lead role and gave its most acclaimed performance, but Tommy Lee Jones was also celebrated for his supporting role.

In Lincoln, Jones plays Thaddeus Stevens, a pivotal figure in getting slavery abolished, with Jones's performance being powerful enough to get him his fourth Oscar nomination for acting. He plays a standout role in an incredible ensemble cast, with other talented actors featured here including Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeremy Strong, and Adam Driver.

Rent on Amazon

4 'JFK' (1991)

Directed by Oliver Stone

One final Oliver Stone + Tommy Lee Jones movie for good measure: JFK. This one is absolutely their best, given this three-hour political thriller/epic sees Stone at his most skilled as a filmmaker, and Jones also gives one of the best performances of his career, earning his first Oscar nomination for playing Clay Shaw, a man wrapped up with conspiracies revolving around the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

JFK might well have an even bigger cast than Lincoln, so for Jones to stand out as one of the best actors in this behemoth of a film is truly saying something. Elsewhere, JFK is head-spinning in the best way possible, presenting an exhaustive and paranoia-inducing look at the aftermath of one of the most earth-shaking and controversial historical events of the entire 20th century.

Watch on Tubi

3 'Lonesome Dove' (1989)

Directed by Simon Wincer

Westerns don't get much more epic in scope or narrative than Lonesome Dove. Though it's a miniseries rather than a feature film or TV movie, it undoubtedly deserves to be included when discussing the best work found within Tommy Lee Jones's filmography, not only because it's great, but also because it really doesn't feel like your run-of-the-mill made-for-TV miniseries.

It follows a group of characters - with Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones playing the leads - as they herd numerous cattle a great distance, with the journey made across many miles proving to be a difficult and sometimes tragic one. It's an astounding adventure narrative told within a distinctly Western setting, and without a doubt stands as an all-time great miniseries.

Watch on Peacock

2 'The Fugitive' (1993)

Directed by Andrew Davis

The Fugitive is a movie that stars Harrison Ford, and he is undeniably great... but many would argue it's a film that Tommy Lee Jones essentially steals. Ford plays the titular character - a desperate man on the run - but Jones is even more impactful as the Deputy U.S. Marshal who's in charge of the manhunt that plays out over much of the film.

Once things get going, The Fugitive just refuses to stop or let the audience catch their breath, and Tommy Lee Jones shines bright here as an intense and ruthlessly efficient antagonist. It earned Jones his first - and so far only - Oscar win, for Best Supporting Actor, and it was undoubtedly a well-earned and deserved award.

Rent on Amazon

1 'No Country for Old Men' (2007)

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

Tommy Lee Jones just fits well within the Western genre, and though No Country for Old Men might be what's called a Neo-Western, it still counts as enough of a Western. Jones plays a local sheriff who's out of his depths when he becomes involved in a case that sees him following a dangerous killer after a large sum of money, and willing to murder anyone who gets in his way.

Both Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin get the more dramatic (or at least more physical) roles, but Jones shines in many of the film's quieter, more somber moments. After all the tension and violence die down, No Country for Old Men reveals itself as a downbeat and quiet drama about a man realizing he's past his prime, and doing what he can to accept that things aren't what they used to be. In selling these complex and bleak emotions, Tommy Lee Jones truly shines.

Watch on Fubo

NEXT: The Most Violent Westerns of All Time, Ranked by Bloodiness