The Big Picture
Peter Sarsgaard’s chameleon-like acting immerses him in diverse characters, creating compelling performances.
Sarsgaard shines in indie films like ‘The Lost Daughter’ and ‘Night Moves,’ showcasing versatility and depth.
From tense thrillers to historical biopics, Sarsgaard’s presence elevates films like ‘Jackie’ and ‘Shattered Glass.’
Peter Sarsgaard is one of the most underappreciated actors of his generation and has never quite received the acclaim that his career has most certainly warranted. Sarsgaard may never be a massive star on the level of Tom Cruise or Denzel Washington, but he’s consistently chosen great projects within many different genres over the course of his career. While he’s done impressive work on television with Presumed Innocent and Dopesick, Sarsgaard’s best performances have been in a variety of acclaimed independent films.
Sarsgaard’s relative lack of notoriety helps him immerse himself in different characters, turning him into a chameleon-like actor. Although he’s been acting since the classic legal drama Dead Man Walking in the late 1980s, Sarsgaard has many exciting projects on his upcoming slate, including a new version of The Bride of Frankenstein directed by his wife, Maggie Gyllenhaal. Here are the best Peter Sarsgaard movies.
10 ‘The Lost Daughter’ (2021)
Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal
Image via Netflix
The Lost Daughter is an example of just how much Sarsgaard can add to a film in a limited capacity. Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut is based on the novel of the same name by Elena Ferrante, and focuses on the middle-aged professor Leda (Olivia Colman) as she becomes obsessed with a younger woman (Dakota Johnson) during an extended vacation. During her trip, Leda begins to have flashbacks to a younger version of herself (Jessie Buckley), and reminiscences on the life that she could have led. Sarsgaard appears in a brief capacity as one of Leda’s colleagues.
The Lost Daughter is a subtle, yet unnerving thriller that explores the dark side of both romantic relationships and motherhood. While both Colman and Buckley ended up receiving Academy Award nominations for their performances, Sarsgaard helped establish the academic background of the narrative that became critical within the third act.
The Lost Daughter
Release Date December 31, 2021
Runtime 2 hours 1 minute
Studio Endeavor Content, Samuel Marshall Productions, Pie Films
9 ‘Experimenter’ (2015)
Directed by Michael Almereyda
Image via Magnolia Pictures
One of Sarsgaard’s greatest abilities as an actor is to play dogmatic, controversial characters that could easily be perceived as “villains.” While he played more overt antagonists in action films like The Magnificent Seven and Green Lantern, the 2015 biopic Experimenter cast Sarsgaard as Stanley Milgram, a psychologist who conducted a series of behavioral therapy experiments at Yale University in the 1960s. While his discoveries were quite instructive on human morality, many in the scientific community deemed Milligram to be unfairly cruel and manipulative.
Sarsgaard does a great job at outlining Milligram’s motivations and why he felt that his somewhat deceptive techniques were essential to yielding the best results. Unlike other biopics, Experimenter uses nonlinear techniques and fourth-wall breaks to help bridge a deeper connection between Milligram and the audience. Sarsgaard succeeds in generating understanding, if not necessarily sympathy, for a controversial figure.
Experimenter
Release Date October 16, 2015
Director Michael Almereyda
Runtime 90
8 ‘Night Moves’ (2014)
Directed by Kelly Reichardt
Image via Cinedigm
A thrilling noir thriller about the ramifications of guilt, Night Moves allowed Sarsgaard to give one of his most enigmatic and sinister performances. Kelly Reichardt’s intense 2014 drama stars Dakota Fanning, Jesse Eisenberg, and Sarsgaard as radical environmentalists who decide to bomb a power plant as part of a demonstration. After the detonation accidentally results in the death of a worker, the characters are forced to flee persecution as they wrestle with their involvement. As the bombing becomes a subject of media fascination, the activists are forced to consider whether confessing is in their best interest.
Night Moves addresses important questions about activism and, in what instances, the end justifies the means. Reichardt makes the smart decision to let the audience judge the characters and creates an aura of authenticity that only makes the story feel more intense. Sarsgaard’s age makes him particularly intimidating when appearing alongside his younger co-stars.
Night Moves
Release Date April 23, 2014
Runtime 112 mins
Studio Cinedigm
7 ‘Jarhead’ (2005)
Directed by Sam Mendes
Image via Universal Pictures
Jarhead is easily the most controversial film of Sarsgaard’s career, as Sam Mendes’ satirical depiction of the United States military’s role in the Iraq conflict was met with sharp criticism by many veterans. Nonetheless, Jarhead succeeds as a bleak, dark comedy about the inescapability of violence and the consequences of poor leadership. Sarsgaard, Jamie Foxx, and Jake Gyllenhaal star as soldiers sent to serve their country, only to discover that there is little reason for there to be an occupation.
Despite the sharp critiques that the film has regarding the United States’ foreign policy, Jarhead does a great job at showing the sense of brotherhood that emerges between soldiers, particularly due to the great chemistry between Sarsgaard and Gyllenhaal. Sarsgaard manages to deliver final moments that are nearly tear-inducing, an impressive accomplishment considering how darkly comedic much of the film had been up until that point.
Jarhead
Release Date November 4, 2005
Runtime 127
6 ‘Kinsey’ (2004)
Directed by Bill Condon
Image via Fox Searchlight
Kinsey is a brilliant and sensitive study of human sexuality that explores the origins of research into human behavior and relationships. Liam Neeson gives one of the best performances of his career as Professor Alfred Kinsey, a sexologist who began studying human intimacy after experiencing issues in his marriage to his wife (Laura Linney). Sarsgaard stars as a young student of Kinsey’s who becomes romantically involved with him over the course of their series of experiments and interviews together.
Sarsgaard does a great job at generating sympathy from the viewer, as he is given the rare opportunity to explore his sexuality and come to grips with his identity while fulfilling professional obligations. While both the Broadcast Critics Choice Awards and the National Society of Critics nominated Sarsgaard for their Best Supporting Actor prizes, his work was sadly overlooked by the Academy Awards.
Kinsey
Release Date September 4, 2004
Director Bill Condon
Runtime 118
5 ‘Blue Jasmine’ (2013)
Directed by Woody Allen
Image via Sony Pictures
Blue Jasmine boasts one of Cate Blanchett’s most villainous performances as the former socialite Jasmine, who begins to live with her sister (Sally Hawkins) after her husband (Alec Baldwin) is arrested. It was a role that won Blanchett a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Actress, but Sarsgaard has a critical role as the charismatic diplomat Dwight Westlake. Although initially Dwight begins to fall in love with Jasmine, assuming they share many interests, he becomes repulsed when he realizes that their entire relationship is built on a lie.
Sarsgaard somehow manages to evoke empathy for a pretentious, privileged character, as he shows his vulnerabilities when he realizes that his sympathies have been taken advantage of. Woody Allen is known for his sharp, darkly amusing scripts, and Sarsgaard does a great job at delivering some of the film’s most ruthless lines.
blue jasmine
Release Date August 1, 2013
Director Woody Allen
Runtime 98
Rent on Amazon
4 ‘Garden State’ (2004)
Directed by Zack Braff
Image via Fox Searchlight
It’s quite interesting to analyze the cultural legacy of Garden State, as the film’s reputation has certainly soured in the two decades since its release. While initially Zack Braff’s directorial debut was seen as a refreshing work of independent cinema, some have criticized the film as being merely an extension of his ego. Even for those that are irritated by Braff, Garden State features an uproarious supporting performance by Sarsgaard, who co-stars as the idiosyncratic grave digger Mark.
Although it’s perhaps best remembered for its soundtrack, Garden State is at its best when it’s focusing on awkward conversations between Braff, Sarsgaard, and Natalie Portman. The film certainly goes in a more heartfelt direction in its final hour, but Sarsgaard’s wacky stoner humor helps the film avoid taking itself too seriously. Mark’s words of wisdom about the mundanity of daily life result in a few surprisingly profound moments.
Garden State
Release Date July 28, 2004
Runtime 102
3 ‘An Education’ (2009)
Directed by Lone Scheferig
Image via Sony Pictures Classics
Easily one of the greatest and most profound coming-of-age films of the 21st century, An Educationis a mature examination of teenage sexuality, class differences, and inappropriate relationships. Carey Mulligan delivers an Academy Award-nominated performance as the schoolgirl Jenny, who dreams of traveling the world and studying. Sarsgaard stars as the charismatic older man David, who lures Jenny into a romantic relationship. Although Jenny initially believes that David has her best interests in mind, she’s shocked to learn that he’s just taking advantage of her.
Sarsgaard is at his most terrifying in An Education, as David is able to hide his sinister motivations behind his charisma. Sarsgaard shows how easily David is able to warp Jenny’s worldview and convince her to believe him; it’s an imminently hateable performance that shows Sarsgaard’s bravery in taking on roles that could potentially invoke controversy.
2 ‘Jackie’ (2016)
Directed by Pablo Loarrain
Image via Fox Searchlight
Jackie is a stunning historical biopic because it does more than just outline moments from history that the audience is likely already familiar with. Pablo Lorrain’s 2016 masterpiece explores the aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy from the perspective of his widow, Jackie (Natalie Portman), as she deals with the media circus. Sarsgaard appears as Robert F. Kennedy, who is forced to pick up where his brother left off while trying to suppress his grief.
Sarsgaard manages to deliver a unique perspective on RFK, an impressive feat considering how widely documented his career in politics was. It’s evident that RFK feels the burden of continuing his brother’s legacy, which makes his own death even more devastating. Even if Jackie is really about the titular First Lady, Sarsgaard helps transform it into a powerful depiction of the Kennedy family legacy.
Jackie
Release Date December 2, 2016
Cast Max Casella , Billy Crudup , Corey Johnson , Richard E. Grant , Peter Sarsgaard , Beth Grant , John Hurt , Greta Gerwig , Caspar Phillipson , Sunnie Pelant , Natalie Portman , John Carroll Lynch , Georgie Glen
Runtime 100minutes
Rent on Amazon
1 ‘Shattered Glass’ (2003)
Directed by Billy Ray
Shattered Glass, a stunning true story about the importance of ethics in journalism, has a story about “fake news” and male ego that is more relevant now than ever before. Hayden Christensen gives the best performance of his career as Stephen Glass, a New Republic reporter who falsified dozens of stories. Sarsgaard co-stars as the editor Charles Lane, who is forced to hold Glass responsible after discovering the deception.
Sarsgaard does a great job at showing the unique challenges that Lane faced, as he did not want to be accused of disrespecting his staff when their work was challenged. Lane’s growth as a leader among his writers is one of the more inspirational storylines in the film. While it’s a film that certainly deserves more attention than it initially received, Shattered Glass did earn Sarsgaard the first Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor of his career.
Watch on Tubi
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