As far back as we can remember, Rob has always been there for us. Whether it’s on the big or small screen, he’s never failed to make us laugh or cry. Here are 10 amazing movies about the star of Twilight which deserve to be on your radar.
The Adventurer
This 2017 psychological thriller, written and directed by Steven Knight, is the most recent entry in the long-running Pattinson trilogy. The actor, who is also one of the film’s producers, plays the part of a man named Arthur Dent, an ordinary guy who suddenly finds himself facing the terrifying consequences of a global catastrophe. In the midst of this chaos, he is faced with making crucial decisions that could literally change the course of history. The film, which is adapted from the U.K. series of the same name, isn’t as dark as his previous movies, but it’s definitely no children’s story.
Legend
This 2018 biographical film, directed by Anton Furst, will remind you of one of Rob’s greatest qualities: his ability to play multiple characters. The actor stars as the legendary Jack the Ripper, a dark villain who stalks the streets of Victorian London, murdering women. When Chief Inspector Frederick Abberline (Sir Patrick Stewart) finally tracks down the man responsible for the heinous crimes, he discovers that Jack the Ripper is in fact a surgeon who treats his victims with hypnosis. In order to catch the man who can hypnotize his victims and make them commit murders, Abberline hypnotizes himself and forms a bond with the ruthless criminal, becoming his accomplice and helping him evade justice.
High Life
This movie didn’t open in theaters until 2019, but it’s already become one of Rob’s most critically acclaimed efforts. Based on the Guy DePuca’s 2015 memoir, High Life, the movie follows the formation of Guy, a young man who, after suffering from serious depression, decides to throw himself a birthday party. But things take a gruesome turn when his guests begin to disappear and a string of murderous attacks follows. The most ingenious part of the movie is that Rob manages to blend reality with surrealism, playing both parts himself. The result is a surreal experience full of gruesome murders, devilish dances, and drug-induced hallucinations that will keep you guessing at the end. In the end, all the survivors learn that beauty is truly pain, and that in order to create something new, they must be willing to sacrifice the thing they most cherish. A gruesome thriller that will keep you begging for more.
The Loved Ones
This 2006 drama, based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same name, is actually the second part of a trilogy. The first part, The Man in the Brown Coat, is a dark comedy about an aging matriarch named Mrs. Maitland (Helen McCrory) who suspects her only child, Michael (Ralph Fiennes), of having an affair. When she hires a private detective (John Hurt) to prove her theory, she ends up bringing the little family together for a hilarious, albeit dramatic, reunion. One of the most unique things about this movie is that, for the most part, it’s in-your-face humor. There are no subtleties here; the whole movie is packed with one-liners and gags. The fact that it’s a spinoff of a popular television series doesn’t hurt either.
The Rover
This 2006 movie, adapted from the novella by Jack London, follows the journey of a man named Arthur Dent, who is traveling with his dog, Tricky, in search of a home. One night, while camping, he is awoken by the terrifying screams of a person he believes to be a woman in distress. Thinking quickly, he sets out to help and discovers that the source of the screams is a fearsome creature named the Were-Wolf, who is actually a human with canine DNA. Because of this, he decides to name the creature Tricky, after his own dog. As the weeks go by, he slowly falls in love with the strange girl named Daphne (Morvern Callar), and her strange, beautiful horse, Silver. But when a dangerous criminal, Garson Hooch (Laurence Fishburne), learns of Dent’s predicament, he sets out to abduct and ransom him in exchange for money. With only his wits, courage, and faithful dog friend by his side, Arthur must fight for survival against all odds. A modern adaptation of a classic Russian novel, with an amazing performance by its star.
The A-Team
This 2004 action-adventure movie, directed by John Woo and written by Bill Butler, is one of the most popular of Rob’s movies. Based on the cult 1980s series of the same name, it centers on the daring escapades of four highly skilled mercenaries who are hired to steal a top-secret microchip that has the potential to control the world’s major computers. Along the way, they encounter the Russian mob, dangerous terrorists, and even a giant robot. Though he doesn’t actually make an appearance in the film, Woo chose to name his character in honor of his esteemed co-star.
The Madness of King George
This 1995 British-American political thriller, directed by Tony Scott and starring an early-on-his-career Leonardo DiCaprio, is named after Queen Victoria’s infamous, mentally ill half-brother, King George. Suffering from delusions of grandeur, George is convinced that he is a great military commander and that Napoleon will crown him emperor of France. When the movie starts, George is preparing to enter politics and is seen in the process of writing a speech. Suddenly, soldiers begin to appear in his room and he orders them to remove all his belongings from the palace, believing he is Napoleon. He is committed to an asylum and the fate of the monarchy is in jeopardy. One of the most famous movies about mental illness, it also stars Angela Lansbury and Stephen Fry as well as a young Charlize Theron. An early project of Ridley Scott’s production company, it was originally meant to be a pilot for a potential series.
Black Swan
This movie didn’t turn out to be one of the actor’s most conventional efforts, but it’s certainly one of the most interesting. Starring Natalie Portman as the eponymous character, a talented dancer who is prone to wild mood swings, this ballet movie won numerous awards, including Best Actress at the 2010 Academy Awards. Though the film is based on the true story of a legendary 20th century ballerina who murdered her rivals, it isn’t actually very pretty. It’s an eerie, unsettling watch as you try to figure out what exactly is going on with Swan (Portman). Even though most of the film takes place in a fantasy world and nothing very serious happens, the atmosphere is one of dread and danger. Perhaps the most frightening part of this movie is that it never explicitly states what Swan is actually suffering from. Though the word ‘dissociative’ is thrown around a lot, it never appears in the context of describing Swan’s condition. This medical condition, in which a person’s mental faculties are completely detached from their emotional self, is named after the Greek goddess of madness, the Muse. It is characterized by extreme mood swings, strange behavior, and lack of empathy. Sometimes those afflicted with this condition will even exhibit complete lack of self-awareness, believing themselves to be the center of attention even when they are the subject of someone else’s interview. When they are not in their right mind, they are completely helpless and susceptible to intimidation and manipulation. It is a very difficult condition to live with, let alone film.
Dirty Pretty Things
This 2017 psychological horror, directed by Lenny Abrahamson and based on the novel of the same name by David Nicholls, stars Kate Winslet as Detective Jane Tennison. While investigating the murder of a young woman named Lucy (Naomi Watts), Tennison is drawn into a world of supernatural forces and deceitful characters. As she starts to unravel the mystery of Lucy’s death, she realizes that she is not as virtuous as she seems and that her own moral code is merely a façade. The movie is filled with dark turns and disturbing imagery, most notably a scene in which a man has his chest opened up to reveal a swarm of angry bees. Though the movie was a commercial and critical success, it was considered too harrowing for some audiences, particularly children. But what do kids know? Maybe adults are more mature than they think.