Cosmopolis
This small little thriller was the first of Pattinson’s collaborations with David Cronenberg, and it was early proof of Pattinson’s determination to commit to a part no matter how strange it becomes. Pattinson’s millionaire Eric Packer, for example, received a prostate checkup while still chatting business and never exiting his luxury car. Although the picture is a slow burn that may not appeal to everyone, Pattinson maintains control of the screen throughout. The movie is a slow burn that doesn’t work for everyone, but Pattinson owns the screen for the whole running time, adapted from the Don DeLillo novel and set in one day as the asset manager watches as he loses his fiancée and a huge chunk of his fortune.
The Lost Of City Z
James Gray’s epic narrative of British office Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam) hunting for an ancient city in the Brazilian rainforest is an excellent illustration of Pattinson’s performance in films about obsession. Pattinson plays Corporal Henry Costin, Fawcett’s devoted aide de camp, who saves him without fanfare on numerous occasions; he doesn’t even have to rise to save Fawcett from a mutinous crew member. It’s a powerful supporting performance that reminds you that while he’s a leading guy, he’s also a fantastic character actor. While Costin is similarly focused and determined, by the end of the book, he is able to step away from discovering answers, telling Fawcett, “I can no longer endure the cost.” It was a decision that most likely saved his life.
The Lighthouse
You best bring your A-game when your film is a two-man show and the other actor is Willem Dafoe. Pattinson went above and beyond in the role of a junior lighthouse keeper who goes insane after being imprisoned on a small island with a demanding, flatulent boss. Pattinson commits to the darkness and even finds humor in the part, singing sea shanties with enthusiasm, never losing his Maine accent, and wearing magnificent facial hair. Pattinson, a fan of Robert Eggers’ “The Witch,” approached the director about collaborating, and one hopes he’s found a collaborator with whom he’ll work again and again, as the director pushes his star to go for broke, literally emptying his guts.
Good Time
In a flawless performance, Pattinson summoned all of his past work’s talent, charm, risk-taking, and devotion to bring the role of the bank robber, Connie Nikas, to life for Josh and Benny Safdie’s unsettling, unrelenting thriller. When Connie takes his functionally slow brother Nick (played by Benny Safdie) out of a therapy session to help him with a robbery, there are echoes of the cold resolve shown in “Cosmopolis.” Cedric Diggory’s charm shines through as he sweet-talks both his girlfriend and a stranger he meets on a bus for assistance. And Connie’s night on the run exemplifies the single-minded dedication that turns to despair when things unravel that he portrays in so many of his characters. Pattinson also gets to show off his comedic chops while watching TV with the granddaughter of the stranger who has taken him in; his response to seeing his face on the news while watching TV with the granddaughter of the stranger who has taken him in is a laugh-out-loud moment.
Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1
Skeptics can scoff all they want, but there’s a reason the “Twilight” flicks made stars out their two leads, and Pattinson beat over a slew of other actors for the coveted position. And for those who disregard the film’s quality, there’s even more reason to admire the actors who have to pull off some massive plot twists. While Edward Cullen has been downcast and dour for the majority of the previous three films, he finally comes into his own in “Breaking Dawn.” He marries his true love (death? ), has a child, and eventually loses his loving wife.