The 15 Best Pete Postlethwaite Movies Ranked

From Isla Sorna to Boston, Massachusettes, Pete Postlethwaite appeared all over the map in his long and celebrated movie career. Born in Lancashire, England to a working-class family, Postlethwaite started his career on the stage, but quickly made his way into movies beginning in the middle of the 1970s. At first working under his full name, Peter Postlethwaite, Postlethwaite eventually shortened his credited name to “Pete Postlethwaite” after appearing in Ridley Scott’s debut, The Duellists and Waterland.

With a face that looks like it was carved out of stone, flinty eyes that seem to glow in the dark, and a rough but crystal clear voice, Postlethwaite provides a screen presence few others have ever been able to match or mimic. He can play a frightening villain as well as he can a loving father. He’s appeared in tiny independent films, large franchise fare, and plenty of odd, but fantastic movies in between. Sadly, Postlethwaite passed away on January 2, 2011, but thankfully, he left an incredible legacy of performances behind for fans to remember him by.

15

The Last Of The Mohicans (1992)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Captain Beams

The Last Of The Mohicans - Poster- Daniel Day-Lewis

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10/10

The Last of the Mohicans

R
ActionAdventureDrama

The Last of the Mohicans is a 1992 historical drama directed by Michael Mann. Set during the French and Indian War, the film follows Hawkeye, a European-raised adoptive son of a Mohican man, as he navigates the complexities of colonial conflicts and personal relationships. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, the movie intertwines themes of love, loyalty, and survival against the backdrop of early American frontier life.

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Release Date

September 25, 1992

Runtime

112 Minutes

Cast

Daniel Day-Lewis
, Madeleine Stowe
, Russel Means
, Eric Schweig
, Jodhi May
, Steven Waddington
, Wes Studi
, Maurice Roëves

Director

Michael Mann

Michael Mann’s Last of the Mohicans is an epic and sweeping war film based on the 1826 novel of the same name. Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Nathaniel “Hawkeye” Poe, the adopted white son of a Mohican Indian, who falls in love with the commander of Fort William Henry in the Adirondack Mountains. Pete Postlethwaite plays Captain Beams, a commander at the fort who is stabbed to death while trying to protect the commander’s daughters. As always, Postlethwaite is an intimidating presence and his death signals a real loss of safety for the two girls.

14

Amistad (1997)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays William S. Holabird

Amistad - Poster

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Amistad

R

Amistad is a historical drama directed by Steven Spielberg, depicting the 1839 mutiny aboard the Spanish slave ship La Amistad. Starring Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey, and Anthony Hopkins, the film follows the legal battle faced by the captured Africans as they fight for their freedom in American courts. Spielberg’s film sheds light on complex issues of slavery, justice, and human rights in early 19th-century America.

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Release Date

December 10, 1997

Runtime

155 minutes

Cast

Morgan Freeman
, Nigel Hawthorne
, Anthony Hopkins
, Djimon Hounsou
, Matthew McConaughey
, David Paymer

Director

Steven Spielberg

Stephen Spielberg’s Amistad is based on the true story of the Spanish slave ship, La Amistad, in the early 19th century when African men bound for slavery in America took control of the boat and nearly escaped. The film primarily deals with the legal case that developed afterward. Pete Postlethwaite plays William S. Holabird, the U.S. Attorney who brings charges of piracy and murder against the slaves. Postlethwaite is far from a sympathetic character in Amistad, but he makes Holabird’s evil feel human, and therefore more sinister, rather than cartoonish and arch.

13

Alien 3 (1992)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays David

alien 3

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Alien 3

r
ActionHorrorSci-FiThriller

Alien 3 is the 1992 sequel to Aliens. Directed by David Fincher and starring Sigourney Weaver in her iconic role as Ellen Ripley, the third installment in the Alien franchise follows Ripley as she leads a group of inmates in the fight against a Xenomorph after her ship crash-lands on a prison planet.

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Release Date

May 22, 1992

Runtime

114minutes

Cast

Sigourney Weaver
, Charles S. Dutton
, Charles Dance
, Paul McGann
, Brian Glover
, Ralph Brown

Director

David Fincher

Budget

$50 million

One of the first movies to bring Pete Postlethwaite to the attention of mainstream audiences was Alien 3, David Fincher’s ill-fated entry in a franchise that is still going almost half a century later. Postlethwaite plays David, one of the inmates at the foundry and prison planet, Fiorina “Fury” 161. David is notably more intelligent than some of the other men locked up with him, which makes his confrontation with the Xenomorph all the more shocking. There’s a lot wrong with Alien 3, but David is a high point, and Postlethwaite’s announcement that he was ready for more blockbuster roles.

12

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Mr. Kobayashi

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8/10

The Usual Suspects

R
CrimeMysteryThriller

Written by Christopher McQuarrie and directed by Bryan Singer, The Usual Suspects is a Mystery film that features Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, and Benicio del Toro. The plot unfolds during an interrogation in which a con man speaks to investigators about what happened, being one of only two men that survived a massacre at the Port of Los Angeles.

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Release Date

August 16, 1995

Runtime

106 minutes

Cast

Kevin Spacey
, Kevin Pollak
, Benicio Del Toro
, Gabriel Byrne
, stephen baldwin
, Chazz Palminteri

Director

Bryan Singer

Budget

$6 million

The Usual Suspects may be best known for the now legendary twist at the end of the film, but the rest of the movie has plenty to offer as well. This crime thriller depicts the interrogation of Roger “Verbal” Kint (Kevin Spacey), who tells a winding story of why he and his crew were at the site of a massacre and fire. His story involves a mysterious lawyer named Kobayashi (Pete Postlethwaite). Postlethwaite appears intermittently throughout the story, and his memorable face is critical to the end of the film, and ensures he’s enshrined in film history forever.

11

Dragonheart (1996)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Brother Gilbert Of Glockenspur

Dragonheart

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7/10

Dragonheart

PG-13
FantasyAdventureAction

The last dragon and a disillusioned dragon-slaying knight must cooperate to stop an evil king who has been given partial immortality and vows to destroy everything and everyone.

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Release Date

May 31, 1996

Cast

Dennis Quaid
, Sean Connery
, Dina Meyer
, Pete Postlethwaite

Director

Rob Cohen

Dragonheart is a 1996 fantasy adventure that follows Sir Bowen (Dennis Quaid), a disgraced knight who forms a bond with the last dragon, Draco (Sean Connery). Together, the pair set out to stop the evil King Einon (David Thewlis), who has half of Draco’s heart inside him. Bowen is aided by Brother Gilbert of Glockenspur (Pete Postlethwaite), a monk and aspiring poet. Dragonheart has grown in estimation over the years, and Postlethwaite’s performance has not needed to age, considering how great it was to begin. He brings charm and humor to the movie every time he appears.

10

James And The Giant Peach (1996)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Magic Man/Narrator

James and the Giant Peach Film Poster

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James and the Giant Peach

PG
AnimationAdventureFamily

An orphan who lives with his two cruel aunts befriends anthropomorphic bugs who live inside a giant peach, and they embark on a journey to New York City.

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Release Date

April 12, 1996

Runtime

79 Minutes

Cast

Paul Terry
, Joanna Lumley
, Pete Postlethwaite
, Simon Callow
, Richard Dreyfuss
, Jane Leeves
, Miriam Margolyes
, Susan Sarandon

Director

Henry Selick

For a certain age group of movie lovers, James and the Giant Peach was their first introduction to Pete Postlethwaite. His frightening, magical, and inspiring arrival in the movie as a narrator and the architect of James’ (Paul Terry) escape from his evil aunts cemented the actor as a legendary figure in many young minds. Henry Selick strikes the perfect tone with his stop-motion adventure, dabbling in the creepy and the heartwarming, and Postlethwaite’s powerful and almost otherworldly narration makes for a true children’s classic.

9

Closing The Ring (2007)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Michael Quinlan

0178059_poster_w780.jpg

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Closing the Ring

R
DramaRomance

Closing the Ring is a 2007 film set between World War II and the 1990s. It follows the journey of a man named Jimmy, who discovers a ring in a plane wreckage. He finds Ethel Ann, whose past and lost love are tied to the ring, prompting her to reflect on her wartime choices.

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Release Date

September 14, 2007

Runtime

118 minutes

Cast

Christopher Plummer
, Shirley MacLaine
, Mischa Barton
, Stephen Amell
, Neve Campbell
, Pete Postlethwaite
, Martin McCann
, Allan Hawco
, Gregory Smith
, David Alpay
, John Travers
, Dylan Roberts
, Brenda Fricker
, Gene Dinovi
, Chris Benson
, George Shane
, Kirsty Stuart
, Marie Jones
, Alec McClure
, Susie Kelly
, Karen Lewis
, Anthony Finigan
, John Kavanagh
, Martin Reid
, Derek Halligan

Director

Richard Attenborough

Expand

Pete Postlethwaite plays Michael Quinlan in Closing the Ring, a romantic war film that takes place over many years. In it, a newly widowed Ethel Ann Harris (Shirley MacLaine) reflects on the complicated love life of her past. While her love was overseas during the war, his plane crashed, and the ring he promised Ethel was picked up by Michael, who failed to return it. It’s a bit of a convoluted and operatic film, but the actors are all wonderfully pitched for the moving drama. Postlethwaite’s sad acknowledgment of his failures at the end may be the best scene.

8

The Omen (2006)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Father Brennan

The Omen (2006)

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The Omen

R
HorrorSupernaturalThriller

The Omen (2006) is a horror film directed by John Moore, starring Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles, and Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick. The film is a remake of the 1976 classic, following Robert Thorn as he suspects his adopted son, Damien, may be the Antichrist. The narrative delves into themes of supernatural destiny and parental fear, retaining the ominous and suspenseful atmosphere of the original.

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Release Date

June 6, 2006

Runtime

110 Minutes

Cast

Julia Stiles
, Mia Farrow
, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick
, David Thewlis
, Pete Postlethwaite
, Michael Gambon
, giovanni lombardo radice
, Pedja Bjelac

Director

John Moore

Budget

$25 Million

2006’s The Omen may not be as shocking and game-changing as the original film, but it is still one of the better horror remakes to come out in the 21st century. Pete Postlethwaite plays Father Brennan in this version, the priest who claims to have been there when Damien (Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick) was born, eventually revealing the mother was a jackal and that Damien is the Antichrist. It takes a strength of delivery and a powerful voice to say a line like that and make it as terrifying as the original, and Postlethwaite plays it completely straight, heightening the horror.

7

Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Father/Tommy Davies

01105784_poster_w780.jpg

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Distant Voices, Still Lives

PG-13
DramaMusic

Distant Voices, Still Lives is a 1988 British drama exploring the complex dynamics of a working-class family in post-war Liverpool. The film portrays siblings Maisie and Tony as they grapple with memories of a traumatic childhood, marked by their father’s abuse and its lasting impact on their adult lives.

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Release Date

November 16, 1988

Runtime

84 minutes

Cast

Freda Dowie
, Pete Postlethwaite
, Angela Walsh
, Lorraine Ashbourne
, Dean Williams
, Sally Davies
, Susan Flanagan
, Nathan Walsh
, Michael Starke
, Debi Jones
, Vincent Maguire
, Marie Jelliman
, Antonia Mallen
, Anne Dyson
, Jean Boht
, Chris Darwin
, Andrew Schofield
, Pauline Quirke
, Carl Chase
, Alan Bird
, Matthew Long
, Frances Dell
, Roy Ford
, Terry Melia
, John Thomalla

Director

Terence Davies

Expand

Distant Voices, Still Lives is made up of two separate films, shot two years apart, but with the same cast and crew. Postlethwaite plays the father of the Davies family at the center, Tommy Davies. It’s a beautifully and unusually constructed film that manages to weave two separate stories into one coherent whole. Postlethwaite is violent and abusive as Tommy, a scourge upon his whole family, and his acting is almost alarming in its rawness. As the film goes on to their later years, Tommy’s inability to contend with his past actions is painfully written across Postlethwaite’s face.

6

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Roland Tembo

The Lost World Jurassic Park Movie Poster

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6/10

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

pg-13
Sci-FiAdventure

Following up on the Steven Spielberg classic adapted from the works of Michael Crichton, The Lost World: Jurassic Park is an action-adventure film that changes perspective and focuses on Jeff Goldblum’s Dr. Ian Malcolm as he is sent to investigate Isla Sorna as InGen attempts to resolve its financial woes by selling dinosaurs off to create a new theme park. However, as Malcolm warns the executives of the danger of this, terror is brought stateside when the previously contained threats run loose.

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Release Date

May 19, 1997

Runtime

134minutes

Cast

Jeff Goldblum
, Julianne Moore
, Pete Postlethwaite

Director

Steven Speilberg

Budget

$73 million

Jurassic Park: The Lost World is an underrated entry in the Jurassic Park and World franchise, which takes place a few years after the events of the first film and features some of the best action in the franchise, as well as a swash-buckling story that never stops. Pete Postlethwaite costars as Roland Tembo, whose name alone puts him in the highest echelons of “cool” characters. He’s capable and smart, and much more complex than his drive to hunt animals for sport would suggest. When he stands up against a roaring T. rex, the audience believes Roland will get out alive.

5

The Constant Gardener (2005)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Dr. Lorbeer/Dr. Brandt

The Constant Gardener (2005) - Poster

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The Constant Gardener

R
DramaMysteryRomanceThriller

The Constant Gardener is a political thriller directed by Fernando Meirelles and based on John le Carré’s novel. Ralph Fiennes stars as a British diplomat investigating his wife’s murder in Kenya, uncovering a conspiracy involving a pharmaceutical company. Rachel Weisz plays the wife in her Oscar-winning role, with the film delving into issues of corporate exploitation and human rights abuses.

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Release Date

August 31, 2005

Runtime

129 Minutes

Cast

Ralph Fiennes
, Rachel Weisz
, Danny Huston
, Hubert Koundé
, Daniele Harford
, Packson Ngugi
, Bill Nighy
, Donald Sumpter

Director

Fernando Meirelles

The Constant Gardener is a 2005 drama based on John le Carré’s 2001 novel and stars Ralph Fiennes as Justin Quayle, a British diplomat in Kenya who has to solve the case of his murdered wife, Tessa (Rachel Weisz), who is shown primarily in flashback to their courtship. Pete Postlethwaite plays Dr. Lorbeer, the inventor of a new drug, Dypraxa, which has been linked with the deaths of locals. Lorbeer is a man racked by guilt, and though Postlethwaite plays him with pride, the pain of his actions weighs heavily on his shoulders, a juxtaposition Postlethwaite depicts perfectly.

4

Brassed Off (1996)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Danny

0159396_poster_w780.jpg

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Brassed Off

R
ComedyRomanceDrama

Brassed Off, released in 1996, depicts a Yorkshire coal mining community facing closure of their mine. The story follows the Grimley Colliery Brass Band’s attempt to win a national competition, bolstered by Gloria, a newcomer with a flugelhorn, as tensions arise regarding her integral role in their quest.

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Release Date

November 1, 1996

Runtime

107 minutes

Cast

Pete Postlethwaite
, Tara Fitzgerald
, Ewan McGregor
, Stephen Tompkinson
, Jim Carter
, Philip Jackson
, Peter Martin
, Sue Johnston
, Melanie Hill
, Mary Healey
, Lill Roughley
, Peter Gunn
, Kenneth Colley
, Olga Grahame
, Bernard Wrigley
, Ken Kitson
, Adrian Hood
, Sally Adams
, Katherine Dow Blyton
, Sky Ingram
, Luke McGann
, Christopher Tetlow
, Adam Fogerty
, Sally Ann Matthews
, Tubby Andrews

Director

Mark Herman

Expand

Brassed Off is a little-seen comedy-drama that deserves much more love. Loosely based on the United Kingdom’s miners’ strike in the 1980s, Brassed Off follows Gloria Mullins (Tara Fitzgerald), an agent for the British Coal Board, who comes to the town of Grimley to determine if their mining operation, which employs most of the town, is profitable. She stumbles upon the town’s impressive brass band, conducted by Danny Ormondroyd (Pete Postlethwaite), who is a proud man trying to keep the spirits of his fellows afloat in the roughest times. Notably, one of Danny’s lines opens Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping”.

3

The Town (2010)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Fergus “Fergie” Colm

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9.3/10

The Town

R
DramaCrimeThriller

Directed by and starring Ben Affleck, The Town is a crime thriller detailing a robber developing romantic feelings for one of his victims after a robbery takes place. As these complicated feelings develop, the team makes plans to Rob Fenway Park. Aside from Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Blake Lively, and Jeremy Renner also star in the movie.

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Release Date

September 17, 2010

Runtime

125 minutes

Cast

Rebecca Hall
, Ben Affleck
, Blake Lively
, Chris Cooper
, Jon Hamm
, Jeremy Renner

Director

Ben Affleck

Budget

$37 million

Ben Affleck’s The Town is an intense, thrilling, and whip-smart heist film starring Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, and Pete Postlethwaite. In the crime-ridden neighborhood of Charleston, Boston, a group of thieves goes for one last robbery before the FBI finally tracks them down. Operating the criminal organization is Fergie the florist (Pete Postlethwait), whose love of shrubbery belies a sadistic streak. Every word out of Postlethwaite’s mouth is chilling, and he barely needs to glance at Affleck to make the larger man shrink.

2

Among Giants (1998)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Ray

0126334_poster_w780.jpg

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Among Giants

R
ComedyRomance

Among Giants is a British romantic drama directed by Sam Miller. It follows Ray, a worker hired to paint power towers outside Sheffield, and his interaction with an adventurous Australian woman named Gerry. As romance develops between Ray and Gerry, they navigate challenges posed by personal entanglements and job pressures.

Release Date

June 24, 1998

Runtime

93 minutes

Cast

Pete Postlethwaite
, Rachel Griffiths
, James Thornton
, Andy Serkis
, Lennie James
, Rob Jarvis
, Alan Williams
, Steve Huison
, Sharon Bower
, Emma Cunniffe
, David Webber

Director

Sam Miller

Among Giants stars Pete Postlethwaite as Ray, a downtrodden, middle-aged father of two who is separated from his wife. When he and his friends are hired to take on a dangerous, and under-the-table, job of painting electricity pylons, Ray meets the freewheeling Australian backpacker, Gerry (Rachel Griffiths). The pair begin a relationship that strains their other friendships and as time passes, both participants are unsure of what they want. It’s one of the few romantic leading performances of Postlethwaite’s career, and he portrays the yearning of his character with a deeply affecting performance.

1

In The Name Of The Father (1993)

Pete Postlethwaite Plays Giuseppe Conlon

In The Name of The Father - Poster

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In the Name of the Father

R
CrimeDrama

In The Name of The Father is a 1993 film directed by Jim Sheridan. Based on the true story of the Guildford Four, it follows Gerry Conlon, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, a man wrongly accused and convicted of the 1974 Guildford pub bombings in London. The film portrays Conlon’s fight to prove his innocence and the systemic issues within the British legal system, featuring Emma Thompson and Pete Postlethwaite in supporting roles.

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Release Date

February 25, 1994

Runtime

133 Minutes

Cast

Daniel Day-Lewis
, Pete Postlethwaite
, Alison Crosbie
, Philip King
, Emma Thompson
, Nye Heron
, Anthony Brophy
, Frankie McCafferty

Director

Jim Sheridan

In the Name of the Father is a biographical crime drama based on the true story of the Guilford Four, four men who were wrongfully convicted for the 1974 Guildford pub bombings which killed four off-duty British soldiers and civilians. Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Gerard Patrick “Gerry” Conlon and his father, Patrick “Giuseppe” Conlon, is played by Pete Postlethwaite. Postlethwaite earned an Academy Award nod for his part as Gerry’s beleaguered, desperate father. His intensity and fear for his son is heart-wrenching and his silence in the face of Day-Lewis’ anger is as powerful as any line reading.

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