As one of the least showy character actors in Hollywood, it’s often easy to overlook the work of Chris Cooper.
In fact, in Jean-Marc Vallée’s new comedy drama Demolition, he’s lumped with a particularly thankless role, as if the director overlooked him entirely. He plays the father-in-law of Jake Gyllenhaal’s bereaved banker who tries to get him back on track. But with roles in JJ Abrams’ sci-fi TV show 11.22.63 and Ben Affleck’s forthcoming crime drama Live by Night, we’ve got more, and hopefully larger, Cooper performances to look forward to.
Here are five of his finest moments:
Matewan
After serving in the US coast guard reserve and then studying ballet, Cooper made his big screen debut in John Sayles’ emotive drama about a coal miners’ strike in the 1920s. It was an astonishing calling card, given that he was starting his movie career at the age of 36, and also led to a fruitful relationship between director and star.
Lone Star
This friendship contributed to even greater acclaim in 1996 with this smartly constructed mystery drama. It was widely considered to be Sayles’ best film and Cooper was perfectly cast as the sheriff struggling to come to terms with his family history. It also exemplified his skill at inhabiting figures of authority, something he would do many more times in his career.
American Beauty
While we were all impressed with Sam Mendes’ suburban drama on release (it was a box office hit and won the best picture Oscar in 2000), it’s not aged particularly well. The broad stereotypes and fridge-magnet philosophy grate on reflection but somehow, amid the dross, Cooper’s performance endures. It’s subtle and scary and, unlike most of the film’s other characters, his feels real.
Adaptation
While he was unfairly snubbed by the Academy for his work in American Beauty, he was triumphant three years later when he picked up the best supporting actor Oscar for his role in Spike Jonze’s sharp meta-comedy. It’s a compelling performance filled with idiosyncrasies and odd charm, and his chemistry with Meryl Streep is electric.
Breach
In this incredibly underrated thriller, Cooper took on the fascinating role of Robert Hanssen, the disgraced former FBI agent who was a spy for Soviet and then Russian intelligence for 22 years. Cooper brought depth and humanity but also severity and bitterness to his take on Hanssen for what remains his most undervalued piece of work.
