Alexander Payne's Best Movies, Ranked
Alexander Payne's films? A bitter pill to swallow - yet deeply gratifying if you can handle his blunt reality checks. As someone who's trudged through every underwhelming Payne flick, I'm here, setting the record straight. This is my definitive ranking from top to bottom. Agree or burn with rage - that's on you.
This is my definitive ranking of Alexander Payne's movies from top to bottom. Read on, and I'll explain why...
- The Holdovers
- Sideways
- About Schmidt
- Nebraska
- The Descendants
- Election
- Downsizing
- Citizen Ruth
I know, I know - heated takes incoming. But hear me out...
1. The Holdovers
Payne's latest, The Holdovers, is an unexpected gem. Warm and brilliant. Who knew watching grumpy teachers bond with straggler students could charm so utterly? The comedic timing? Chef's kiss. The feels? They'll sneak up and floor your cynical butt. I may be going soft, but this is Payne firing with stunning precision.
2. Sideways
Of course, mesmerising Sideways nabs a top spot. Payne's bromance about two sad sacks on a wine-soaked vision quest? Way deeper and more hilarious than you recall. Paul Giamatti is mesmerising as the constantly imploding lead. You cringe yet can't pry your eyes away. An adulthood-pummeling masterwork.
3. About Schmidt
Jack Nicholson transcends in About Schmidt. He's the ultimate curmudgeon having an intimate late-life awakening. Poignant yet darkly funny. That epiphany where he grasps his own pettiness? It still gets me misty. Brilliant character writing that avoids trite redemption arcs.
Cast your vote! Rank Alexander Payne's best films...
4. Nebraska
Nebraska is a subtle stunner I initially underrated. Bruce Dern as that blind-optimist dad? An amazingly committed turn lends profound grace. The black-and-white cinematography isn't just window dressing either - it's gorgeous. One that enriches with every rewatch.
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5. The Descendants
Scowl all you want, The Descendants sneaks into the respectable ranks. Clooney's signature smarm gets leavened by real pathos as a befuddled father figure. Uneven, but the dysfunctional Hawaii family moments often hit home. Not Payne's peak, but a quality entry nonetheless.
6. Election
Election is undoubtedly a razor-sharp satire. But it's also Payne's most one-note, unsubtle outing. Witherspoon as the monstrous overachiever? Fall-down incredible and a brilliant skewering of high school hierarchies. However, it lacks the thematic richness of Payne's juggernauts. Entertaining but not much else.
7. Downsizing
Ugh, what a clunky misfire Downsizing was. The killer shrinking-human premise gets squandered on trite ecological lecturing and mawkish character arcs almost immediately. Matt Damon's listless lead? Totally uninteresting. I really wanted to dig this offbeat satire, but it's a chore.
8. Citizen Ruth
Finally, we arrive at the filmmaker's rough debut, Citizen Ruth. This messy stab at edgy abortion satire shows glimmers of Payne's acerbic voice amidst tonal chaos. I respect its uncompromising provocativeness. But it's a cynical jumble - thankfully just growing pains.
There you go - my definitive and utterly correct Payne ranking. Love or hate his films, you must respect the obsessive introspection and fearless truth-telling. Even when he stumbles, ambition and substance are never in doubt. Just maybe skip the misfires unless you're a masochist for great artist's failed experiments.
