Adam Driver is easily one of the most exciting actors working today. He emerged as an actor in the early 2010s, but arguably only became a household name in the mid-2010s (probably around the release of The Force Awakens in 2015). Ultimately, he's only been around for about a decade or so, yet has already built up a body of work that many actors who've been in the business for decades would likely kill for.
Beyond being in a surprisingly large number of movies and TV shows, Driver's also acted in a wide range of titles, and refuses to be typecast. He's great as either a hero or a villain, or anything in between, and also seems capable of acing any genre he tackles. The following titles all demonstrate this well, as each one features Adam Driver in a prominent role, and each belongs to a unique genre, with them collectively demonstrating Driver's talent and range as an actor.
1 '65' (2023) - Sci-fi/thriller
For better or worse, 65 is a movie that features Adam Driver fighting dinosaurs. It's a sci-fi/thriller with an outlandish premise, seeing as it involves a pilot getting stranded on Earth 65 million years ago, and forced to survive in a world populated by ferocious prehistoric creatures.
It's silly for sure, but it's big-budget schlock that knows what it is, and commits to it without wasting too much of anyone's time, seeing as it's only about 93 minutes long. Its script and direction may not be getting the best reviews, but few critics seem to be blaming Driver, showing that at least he was up to the task of starring in a no-nonsense dinosaur-heavy sci-fi/thriller. In fact, most critics have singled Driver out as the best part of 65.
2 'Marriage Story' (2019) - Family drama
If Marriage Story is to be counted as a romance/drama, then it's surely one that wouldn't exactly make a good date movie. It details the slow process of divorce between a young couple, as they grapple with the end of their relationship while engaging in legal battles, mostly surrounding their sole child.
It's heavy-going and quite intense, with only a few moments of brief comedic relief to provide levity. Still, Driver and his co-star, Scarlett Johansson, are both phenomenal, helping Marriage Story join classics like Scenes from a Marriage (1974) and Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) as essential family dramas about divorce.
3 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' (2017) - Space opera
Even though the eighth Star Wars film, The Last Jedi, might be the most divisive, it's arguably the best showcase for Adam Driver's talents as an actor. The Last Jedi sees his character, Kylo Ren, genuinely torn between good and evil, and it takes serious acting chops on Driver's part to physically showcase the internal anguish his character feels throughout.
Driver rises to the task and then some, and even those who dislike certain scenes in The Last Jedi will surely agree that Driver's performance as Kylo Ren is fantastic. For what it's worth, he's also very good in the safe but entertaining The Force Awakens (2015), and even gives a good performance in the messy Rise of Skywalker (2019), demonstrating his talent when it comes to acting in an action-packed space opera.
4 'House of Gucci' (2021) - Crime
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House of Gucci is, without a doubt, a messy crime drama. It depicts a dramatic scandal within the renowned Gucci family, with its story centering on Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) plotting to kill her husband, Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver).
It's very silly at times, but also sometimes quite entertaining. It's undoubtedly uneven, but the cast all give wonderfully hammy performances that keep the movie entertaining. That goes for Driver too, who matches (or even exceeds) the energy of his co-stars like Lady Gaga, Al Pacino, and Jared Leto, all of whom are also having a good time over-acting,
5 'Paterson' (2016) - Slice of life drama
On the opposite side of the acting spectrum to House of Gucci is Adam Driver's role in Paterson. It's a movie that requires him to be quiet, contemplative, and understated, as Paterson's ultimately a movie about one man living a simple, peaceful life.
The title character, played by Driver, drives a bus, spends time with his loving wife, walks his dog, writes poetry, and frequents a local bar. He does all these actions several times, and that's pretty much the entire movie. The low-key nature of it all makes it difficult to call a "drama," given the relative lack of conflict. It's more about presenting a slice of life, and proves that even when Driver's not doing much, he's still a captivating screen presence.
6 'Logan Lucky' (2017) - Comedy/heist film
An expert blend of comedy and crime from the director of 2001's Ocean's Eleven, 2017's Logan Lucky might not be as well-known as that other heist film, but it deserves to be. It follows two brothers who concoct a plan to pull off a daring robbery at a high-profile car race in North Carolina.
While it unfortunately sags a little during its final scenes, at least 80% of Logan Lucky is kind of excellent, and Adam Driver's deadpan performance as one of the brothers behind the robbery makes it all the more charming. Aided by the likes of Channing Tatum and a scene-stealing Daniel Craig, Driver proves he's an amazing comedic actor in Logan Lucky, and it hopefully won't be the last time he appears in a heist movie.
7 'Annette' (2021) - Musical
Annette is technically a musical, but at the same time, it's not a musical in the traditional sense. By musical standards, it's surreal and very dark, following two creative people - a stand-up comedian and a singer - whose lives are forever altered by the birth of their first child, Annette, a strange young girl who seems destined for great and/or terrible things
It's a challenging movie, and ends up being one of the most unsettling and surreal musicals in recent memory. Adam Driver's role is an exceptionally difficult one, given some of the things he needs to do here, but he rises to the occasion and is overall excellent in a role that most actors wouldn't have been able to pull off nearly as effectively.
8 'The Last Duel' (2021) - Historical drama
The Last Duel was the superior 2021 Adam Driver movie directed by Ridley Scott, being an overall stronger effort than the goofy but overlong House of Gucci. The Last Duel saw Scott returning to the kind of genre he'd excelled at in the past, with films like Gladiator (2000) and the underrated Kingdom of Heaven (2005).
The Last Duel was a historical epic/drama with a good deal of action, but it was also something more, serving as a challenging and compelling condemnation of Middle Ages misogyny that, in some ways, can still be seen in the modern world. Driver's great as the film's most outwardly villainous character, but also makes sure not to steal the spotlight from a phenomenal Jodie Comer, who eventually emerges as the film's true protagonist with a performance unfairly overlooked during 2021's award season.
9 'The Dead Don't Die' (2019) - Zombie comedy
The Dead Don't Die is a comedic zombie movie starring Adam Driver. It's also directed by Jim Jarmusch, who Driver worked with on the excellent Paterson (2016). Other cast members include Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Steve Buscemi, among others. What more could a viewer ask for?
Well, maybe a slightly tighter movie, given The Dead Don't Die was seen as something of a disappointment, given its mixed critical reception. But like with 65, the blame wasn't laid at Driver's feet, so ultimately, this film - even with its flaws - demonstrates that yes, Adam Driver is more than capable of starring in a zombie movie.
10 'Girls' (2012-2017) - Dramedy
Adam Driver has appeared in plenty of movies that blend comedy and drama, but none have demonstrated his mastery of the dramedy genre quite like HBO's Girls. It was a divisive TV show that ran for six seasons, with Driver ultimately appearing in most of the episodes throughout its run (49 out of 62, so exactly 75%).
While Girls obviously focused on its female characters - four young friends living in New York City - Driver's character (also named Adam) was easily the best of the male characters. It was his first big role, and episode after episode, Driver would consistently steal almost every scene he was in, convincingly being pathetic, funny, tragic, and intense - whatever the script required of him. He's phenomenal across all six seasons, and it's worth watching the entire show just for him.
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