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"I don't care!" It might be just three words, but the way Tommy Lee Jones dryly delivers that line in the 1993 film The Fugitive ensured it became one of the most iconic quotes in Hollywood. The veteran actor and Oscar winner (for The Fugitive itself) have over 90 acting credits and have directed two films. Even though he has turned 77, Tommy Lee Jones is in no mood to slow down. The actor has lent his incredible acting prowess to indie fare and escapist cinema alike. While we've seen him delivering stellar performances in acclaimed films like No Country for Old Men, Lincoln, and The Company Men, we've also been thrilled to watch him in movies like the Men In Black franchise, Batman Forever, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Jason Bourne. Tommy Lee Jones Birthday Special: From The Fugitive to Men in Black - a Look at Some of his Brilliant Roles.
In this special feature, we explore eight movies where the veteran actor embraced dark shades of grey to portray menacing antagonists.
Eyes of Laura Mars
The 1978 supernatural mystery thriller features the great Faye Dunaway as a photographer who experiences deadly visions of women being targeted by a mysterious serial killer. Tommy Lee Jones plays a police lieutenant who investigates these murders and becomes infatuated with the protagonist, but there's a twist. (SPOILERS AHEAD, though you'd expect this in this feature) It turns out that Jones' character was the killer all along, suffering from multiple personality disorder.
Natural Born Killers
In Oliver Stone's film, there are no truly positive characters, considering the film's two protagonists, played by Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis, are serial killers. Nevertheless, Tommy Lee Jones' Warden Dwight McClusky stands out due to his corrupt nature and tough methods at the prison, which ultimately lead to a grisly end at the hands of the inmates he tried to control.
Batman Forever
Many may not love this portrayal of Two-Face, one of Batman's famous foes, and Jones himself might agree with them. Still, the actor fully embraces the campy nature of Joel Schumacher's film, making an effort to match the hammy performance of the film's other antagonist, Jim Carrey's The Riddler.
Blown Away
In this 1994 thriller, Tommy Lee Jones plays Ryan Gaerity, an IRA fighter who escapes prison and seeks vengeance on the people who put him there, including the film's protagonist and his former friend, played by Jeff Bridges. The deadly cat-and-mouse game between the two provides the film with its many thrills, while Jones impresses with his complex portrayal of the vendetta-seeker.
Under Siege
Who remembers that Tommy Lee Jones once played the main antagonist in a Steven Seagal film? Perhaps it's the presence of this fine actor in a movie that doesn't necessarily require his caliber, but Under Siege remains one of Seagal's best films, if not the best. While Seagal plays a former Navy SEAL who now works as a cook on a US Navy warship and must protect it from a team of mercenaries, Jones portrays the tough leader of those mercenaries bring the exact flamboyant flair needed for a film like this. The Burial: Alan Ruck Joins the Cast of Amazon Studios’ Film Alongside Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones.
Small Soldiers
While we don't get to see Tommy Lee Jones in person in this comic adventure film by Joe Dante, the actor lends his voice gravitas to the main antagonist of the movie, Major Chip Hazard. Hazard is the leader of the dastardly set of toys brought to life by a computer chip within them, and in their pursuit of their programmed objectives, they bring chaos to a small, sleepy town. Well, it's definitely no Toy Story!
Jason Bourne
Jason Bourne is far from the best film in the franchise, but this Matt Damon-starrer has its moments. Tommy Lee Jones plays the main villain in the film, portraying Robert Dewey, the corrupt CIA chief who is out to eliminate the protagonist. It may not be one of the actor's best roles, but it's still entertaining to see him cause trouble for our hero.
Ad Astra
A thought-provoking and underrated sci-fi film, Ad Astra has Brad Pitt playing an astronaut whose father, also an astronaut, went missing with his team on an expedition to discover life on other planets. It turns out the father was still alive, but he had killed the rest of the crew because he didn't want to return to Earth, and they did. It's a very complex negative role for the veteran performer, whose actions may be hard to connect with, but whose motivations seek out our empathy.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 15, 2023 09:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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Who remembers that Tommy Lee Jones once played the main antagonist in a Steven Seagal film? Perhaps it's the presence of this fine actor in a movie that doesn't necessarily require his caliber, but Under Siege remains one of Seagal's best films, if not the best. While Seagal plays a former Navy SEAL who now works as a cook on a US Navy warship and must protect it from a team of mercenaries, Jones portrays the tough leader of those mercenaries bring the exact flamboyant flair needed for a film like this. The Burial: Alan Ruck Joins the Cast of Amazon Studios’ Film Alongside Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones.
Small Soldiers
While we don't get to see Tommy Lee Jones in person in this comic adventure film by Joe Dante, the actor lends his voice gravitas to the main antagonist of the movie, Major Chip Hazard. Hazard is the leader of the dastardly set of toys brought to life by a computer chip within them, and in their pursuit of their programmed objectives, they bring chaos to a small, sleepy town. Well, it's definitely no Toy Story!
Jason Bourne
Jason Bourne is far from the best film in the franchise, but this Matt Damon-starrer has its moments. Tommy Lee Jones plays the main villain in the film, portraying Robert Dewey, the corrupt CIA chief who is out to eliminate the protagonist. It may not be one of the actor's best roles, but it's still entertaining to see him cause trouble for our hero.
Ad Astra
A thought-provoking and underrated sci-fi film, Ad Astra has Brad Pitt playing an astronaut whose father, also an astronaut, went missing with his team on an expedition to discover life on other planets. It turns out the father was still alive, but he had killed the rest of the crew because he didn't want to return to Earth, and they did. It's a very complex negative role for the veteran performer, whose actions may be hard to connect with, but whose motivations seek out our empathy.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 15, 2023 09:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).