From his developing years in the theater all the way to his Hollywood explosion in David Fincher’s 2010 masterpiece The Social Network, Andrew Garfield has always captivated audiences. Throughout his career, he’s been well awarded for his work, receiving numerous awards and recognition for the dedication and time he puts into his work, including a Tony Award and nominations for two Oscars and an Emmy.
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Although arguably best known by mainstream audiences for his misunderstood take on Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man duology, Garfield is among his generation’s finest actors. His commitment to his craft has shone through his performances and garnered him a lot of wonderful opportunities in the acting space. Over his nearly twenty-year career, Garfield has appeared in multiple movies in both lead and supporting roles. Many of Garfield’s movies have received high ratings among fans on IMDb, cementing his reputation as a beloved and highly-regarded performer by critics and audiences alike.
10 ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ (2012)
IMDb Score: 6.9/10
Image via Sony
After the conclusion of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, Sony set out to repave the character’s groundwork in a brand-new franchise. 500 Days of Summer director Marc Webb was placed into the director’s seat, and with him came the world’s next Spider-Man and breakout star, Andrew Garfield. The plot tells a classic origin story, and while it might seem somewhat uninspired, Garfield’s chemistry with Emma Stone is so electrifying that it single-handedly elevates the picture.
The movie created a buzz all over the world after wasting no time and releasing a mere five years after the previous franchise’s conclusion. The Amazing Spider-Man may have garnered mixed reviews from audiences, but Andrew took this opportunity to set his place in Hollywood as an actor to not be trifled with. A majority of reviews praise Andrew’s performance in the film, even among the less-than-desirable plot elements surrounding his character. Some have gone as far as to call him the best Spider-Man performer to date, a reputation that greatly increased following his scene-stealing job in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The Amazing Spider-Man
After Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically altered spider, he gains newfound, spider-like powers and ventures out to save the city from the machinations of a mysterious reptilian foe.
Release Date June 23, 2012
Runtime 136 minutes
Watch on Disney+
9 ’99 Homes’ (2014)
IMDb Score: 7.1/10
Image via Broad Green Pictures
Among the other films in Andrew’s repertoire, 99 Homes was one of the few to have seemingly fallen under the general public’s radar. An indie film directed by Ramin Bahrani, the plot centers on single father Dennis Nash, who chooses to help Rick Carver (Michael Shannon) evict families from their homes in order to save his own. Oscar-winner Laura Dern co-stars as Dennis’ mother.
Due to its heavy and somewhat bleak narrative, 99 Homes underperformed at the theatrical box office. However, it won over film festival audiences and garnered multiple awards and glowing reviews praising Garfield and Shannon’s work. 99 Homes gave Garfield another solid credit on his resume, solidifying his reputation as a versatile actor away from the Marvel machine.
99 Homes
Release Date October 9, 2014
Director Ramin Bahrani
Runtime 112
Watch on Amazon
8 ‘Never Let Me Go’ (2010)
IMDb Score: 7.1/10
Image via 20th Century Studios
2011’s Never Let Me Go wears the guise of multiple genres, being described as a British dystopian romantic tragedy based on a novel of the same name. Set in an alternate version of England, the plot centers on Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy, three friends whose lives become entangled by a love triangle and the true and sinister nature of their purpose on Earth.
While the film moderately performed in the States, it presented very well in the UK and eventually took ninth place at the box office. Never Let Me Go was well reviewed, with a surplus of the praise rewarded to Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan and Garfield’s performance. Nowadays, Never Let Me Go is widely considered a modern sci-fi classic. It seems that even among high-concept ideas, Garfield’s talent reigned supreme.
Watch on Starz
7 ‘Breathe’ (2017)
IMDb Score: 7.1/10
Image via Bleecker Street
Andy Serkis’ directorial debut, Breathe is a biographical film surrounding Robin Cavendish, a man diagnosed with polio in 1958 and soon became paralyzed over 90% of his body. Although given only three months to live, Cavendish defies the odds and becomes one of the longest-living polio survivors in Britain and an advocate for people with disability.
Breathe is among the 21st century’s best biopics. While some were displeased the film focused heavier on romance rather than Cavendish’s condition, Garfield was specifically complimented on his breathtaking performance by The Guardian’s Mark Kermode, who wrote: “There’s a real terror in Garfield’s eyes as Robin stares into the abyss, spitting in the face of a hospital chaplain who announces that his suffering was somehow part of God’s plan.”
Breathe
Release Date October 13, 2017
Runtime 117
Rent on YouTube
6 ‘Silence’ (2016)
IMDb Score: 7.2/10
Image via Paramount Pictures
Martin Scorsese’s 2016 film Silence found Andrew Garfield in the role of Sebastião Rodrigues, a Jesuit priest traveling to Japan to seek his former mentor, who he’s been told has renounced his fate and assimilated into Japanese society. The two priests embark on a dangerous journey, trying to spread Christianity while avoiding the feudal lords and ruling samurai.
Garfield would go on to speak about his intense preparation for the role on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He spoke about extensively studying under Father James Martin, losing a whopping 40 pounds and retreating into a week of silence with his co-star Adam Driver to fully immerse themselves within the roles. Garfield’s dedication shines through in his performance, with many considering Silence among his finest on-screen efforts.
Silence
Release Date December 22, 2016
Director Martin Scorsese
Runtime 195
Watch on Paramount+
5 ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ (2021)
IMDb Score: 7.5/10
Image via Netflix
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut, Tick, Tick… Boom! depicts the life of playwright Jonathan Larson as he writes an ambitious musical he hopes will change his life in 1992 New York. Exploring the all-too-familiar anxiety of growing older and feeling like one hasn’t achieved enough, Tick, Tick… Boom! is a brilliant showcase for Garfield’s musical talents.
Tick, Tick… Boom! earned wonderful reviews, with major praise for Garfield’s performance, who received his second Oscar nomination and won his first Golden Globe for portraying Larson. The film was another platform for Garfield to show the world his sheer dedication and passion for acting through spending a whole year in vocal lessons with Liz Caplan while simultaneously learning to play the piano. Garfield comes from a theater background, making a role like this something he could fully immerse himself in.
Tick, Tick…Boom!
Release Date November 11, 2021
Director Lin-Manuel Miranda
Runtime 110
Watch on Netflix
4 ‘Boy A’ (2007)
IMDb Score: 7.6/10
Image via Channel 4
Andrew Garfield’s film debut, Boy A, sees him taking on the role of a young ex-con. The plot follows his character, Jack Burridge, making his return to society and attempting to start a new life in Manchester after being in prison for a crime he committed as a child 14 years prior.
Boy A served as Garfield’s first step into the film space, having only been seen in television and short films before his debut as the young Jack Burridge. The role gave young Garfield a strong start to his incredibly fruitful film acting career and earned him glowing reviews. Boy A won him a BAFTA TV Award in 2008, introducing him to the mainstream through the high door and signaling the many great things to come in his future career.
Watch on Tubi
3 ‘The Social Network’ (2010)
IMDb Score: 7.8/10
Image via Sony Pictures
Being noted by Quentin Tarantino as the best film of the 2010s, The Social Network is what many consider to be Garfield’s first real splash in the industry. David Fincher’s biopic, covering the creation of Facebook, its meteoric rise in popularity, and the subsequent legal issues faced by Mark Zuckerberg, took the world by storm. Andrew Garfield plays a major supporting role as Eduardo Saverin, one of Facebook’s co-founders.
Garfield’s performance in The Social Network is by far one of the most notable aspects of the movie as a whole, with his climactic scene confronting Jesse Eisenberg becoming one of the most popular movie scenes of the decade. Garfield received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations for his portrayal, and many thought he was snubbed by the Oscars. Garfield’s work in The Social Network led to his casting in The Amazing Spider-Man and remains among his most recognizable and acclaimed movies.
Watch on Starz
2 ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ (2016)
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
Image via Lionsgate
The 2016 war film Hacksaw Ridge, directed by Mel Gibson, sees Andrew Garfield in the role of real-life war hero Desmond Doss. The film follows his journey through World War II as a pacifist war medic who refuses to hold a weapon. Eventually, Doss became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his service during the Battle of Okinawa.
The film and Garfield’s performance were so widely renowned that they received nominations for six Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor. The role seems to hold a special place in Garfield’s heart, given the profound words he spoke in an interview with Collider regarding the film’s premise: “It’s this amazing story of a healer, basically. This healer that was in touch with something divine, some spirit. It’s a beautiful story.” Hacksaw Ridge is among Garfield’s most popular mainstream movies, becoming a box office hit and successfully moving his career away from the failure of the Spider-Man movies.
Hacksaw Ridge
Release Date November 4, 2016
Cast Andrew Garfield , Richard Pyros , Jacob Warner , Milo Gibson , Darcy Bryce , Roman Guerriero
Runtime 139 minutes
Watch on Netflix
1 ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)
IMDb Score: 8.2/10
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing
The third film in Tom Holland’s run as Spider-Man took the world by storm with its massive leaks and secrecy regarding the return of the previous Spider-Man performers, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The latter specifically was at the forefront of the leaks, with the world questioning him about a photo of him on set that leaked, which would later turn out to be real.
Despite Garfield consistently denying his involvement, the film would release on December 17th, 2021 and reveal his return to one of the most notable roles of his career. Fans and critics flooded the internet with praise and love for Andrew’s homecoming, with videos of movie theaters leaking of audiences’ electric reactions to his reveal in the film. The world made their love for the actor known, and it was well deserved. The success of Spider-Man: No Way Home prompted a reevaluation of Garfield’s portrayal of Spider-Man, to the point where many want him to become the main Spidey in the so-called Sonyverse.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Release Date December 17, 2021
Cast Tom Holland , Zendaya , Benedict Cumberbatch , Jacob Batalon , Jon Favreau , Jamie Foxx , Willem Dafoe , Alfred Molina , Benedict Wong , Marisa Tomei , Andrew Garfield , Tobey Maguire
Runtime 148 minutes
Rent on Amazon
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