Early in his career, Robert Pattinson struggled with breaking out of the box that Hollywood and especially film viewers put him in, after the releases of films like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and the Twilight saga. Like his Twilight co-star Kristen Stewart, Pattinson was mostly dismissed by bigger production companies who claimed he was either untalented, just a pretty face, or a “flavor of the month” type of actor. Since those early film releases, Pattinson found a niche in films made and distributed by smaller production companies, and was discovered by revered but not spotlight directors like David Cronenberg and Robert Eggers.
After churning out excellent performances in these lesser-seen films, Pattinson is just now starting to get back into major roles in blockbuster films like Christopher Nolan’s Tenet and Matt Reeves’ The Batman. We’re sure Pattinson’s career is only going to go up from here, especially with there being discussions about a Batman trilogy with Matt Reeves, but it’s important to cherish those small roles in order to appreciate Pattinson’s career ascension. Here are Robert Pattinson’s best indie movies, ranked.
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6 The Devil All the Time (2020)
Netflix
Based on the novel of the same name by Donald Ray Pollock and directed by Antonio Campos, The Devil All the Time follows a young man (Tom Holland) as he tries to protect those he loves from small town corruption and brutality. Though Robert Pattinson is only in a supporting role in this straight-to-Netflix film, his performance as the southern-twanged, scummy, child-molesting Rev. Preston Teagardin is one of the most memorable. Pattinson took on some criticism about his over-the-top southern accent, and, according to IndieWire, his refusal to take part in dialect coaching, but the final product was part of what made the character recognizable and detestable. The film wasn’t a huge success by critical standpoint, but received decent praise from viewers, especially regarding both Holland and Pattinson’s performances. The film was a small-time release from Nine Stories Productions, a production company founded by actor Jake Gyllenhaal.
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5 Maps to the Stars (2014)
Prospero Pictures
In the second collaboration between David Cronenberg and Robert Pattinson (the first being Cosmopolis), Pattinson takes on a supporting role in Maps to the Stars. The film is a dark look into a Hollywood celebrity family, and the lengths they take to hide and run from the ghosts of their pasts. Like most Cronenberg films, Maps to the Stars has some extremely bothersome content, but comes with incredible acting performances from Mia Wasikowska, Julianne Moore, John Cusack, and Evan Bird. Pattinson plays the limo driver of the main character Agatha, with whom he has a relationship throughout the film. The film is extremely bleak with a dark comedic tone, but not out of the ordinary for writer Bruce Wagner, who also wrote A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, arguably the best film in that franchise.
4 High Life (2018)
A24
High Life, a science fiction drama from French filmmaker Claire Denis and A24, puts Robert Pattinson in the isolation of space where he struggles to raise his daughter alone. Pattinson shines in the main role of Monte, who is among a group of convicted felons that were sent into space as part of an experiment process as their spaceship moves toward a black hole. When things go awry and other members of the crew start to die, Monte is left alone contemplating his own sanity and parenthood duties. Though the film has some convoluted scene editing, the effects are fantastic, and some performances are excellent, boasting a great supporting cast that includes Mia Goth, André 3000, and Juliette Binoche. This is a great film for anyone that loves that dark, brooding, hard sci-fi feel.
3 Cosmopolis (2012)
Entertainment One
In David Cronenberg’s 2012 film Cosmopolis, a message on capitalism and the super rich, Robert Pattinson plays a 28-year-old billionaire who mentally unravels as his finances start to dwindle over the course of a day. The film really starts to explore Pattinson’s acting range, as he transitions from confident playboy to unstable madman in less than two hours. The film focuses on the dangers of greed and having it all, the comfort in acceptance of balance, and the quick falling transition from corporate untouchability to distrusting paranoia. Like most of Cronenberg’s films, you can expect a bleak story with an even bleaker ending, but one that is going to make you think for days after watching the film.
2 Good Time (2017)
Another banger from A24, Good Time follows two brothers after they badly botch a bank robbery that lands one of them in prison, while the other turns again to crime in hopes of getting the money needed to bail his brother out. The film is an absolute beautiful spectacle from directors John and Benny Safdie. Their ability to nail the close but complicated relationship between the brothers is uncanny, and both Robert Pattinson and Benny Safdie (also in an acting role) play their parts to excellence. Pattinson is especially good at portraying the desperation and griminess needed to pull off a criminal brother with nothing to lose. Good Time also has a couple of surprising appearances from Jennifer Jason Leigh and Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips).
1 The Lighthouse (2019)
In The Lighthouse, a collaboration between slow-burn specialist director Robert Eggers and A24, Robert Pattinson gives probably the best performance of his career. Pattinson plays alongside Willem Dafoe, as the two portray lighthouse keepers that live on a remote island together and try to get through the harsh weather, the crippling isolation, and the depths of each other’s insanity. The two actors work brilliantly with one another, neither pulling punches, with incredible dialogue and on-screen chemistry. The film itself is a gorgeous nautical tale, seeping with both fantastical and horrific moments. The film was a huge critical success, landing a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. Though it was only nominated for Best Cinematography at the Academy Awards, many believe both Pattinson and Dafoe should have both been nominated for their unforgettable performances.
