10 Best Movies of Christian Slater
Starting as a young actor in small roles on TV shows, this actor also became known for performing in different Broadway shows before he started acting in movies.
Christian Michael Leonard Slater was born in New York on August 18, 1969. Acting runs in his family - his dad and half-brother are actors, and his mom works with finding and selecting actors for roles.
Since he was a kid, Christian Slater was guided into acting. He went to private school and then attended a school that focused on preparing students for jobs in the arts. Eventually, he honed his talents at the famous Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Arts in New York City.
Christian Slater began his acting journey on screen in 1980, but he truly made his mark in the film industry with The Legend of Billie Jean in 1985. Following that, he starred in numerous movies and became a well-known and successful actor in the 1990s.
Curious about Christian Slater's top movies? Take a look at the article below, which provides a detailed review of his standout performances in the world of cinema.
1. Heathers
Jason is a newcomer at Westerburg High School. He gets caught up in a conflict among a group of female friends, all named Heather, except for one named Veronica.
These Heathers often bully others, which both Veronica and Jason dislike. They team up to get revenge, but their plan ends up causing many casualties at the school.
This darkly comedic teen movie stars Christian Slater as Jason and Winona Ryder as Veronica. Their love and desire for revenge against the Heathers push them to break social norms and commit several murders.
Despite its seemingly sadistic nature, director Daniel Waters presents everything in a humorous way that sets this movie apart from other teen films of its time. Each death is portrayed in a way that actually brings a smile, due to the absurd and twisted handling of the corpses about to be buried.
2. True Romance
Clarence (Christian Slater) and Alabama (Patricia Arquette) fall in love and decide to marry. To rescue Alabama from her life in prostitution, Clarence kills her pimp, Drexl, and grabs a bag nearby.
However, they discover that the bag is full of cocaine. They then become targets of the cocaine's owner and other criminals who want to take it from Clarence. Can they escape from these criminals chasing them?
This romantic crime movie, directed by Tony Scott and written by Quentin Tarantino, stands as one of Tony Scott's finest creations.
Christian Slater's portrayal of Clarence is remarkable. He captures the essence of a man deeply in love and willing to shield his partner from dangerous criminals.
Although True Romance didn't perform well at the box office upon release, it gained attention as its cast, including Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, and Gary Oldman, rose to fame one after another. This movie eventually earned a cult status.
3. The Contender
President Jackson (Jeff Bridges) nominates Senator Laine (Joan Allen) to become the new vice presidential candidate after the previous one passes away. However, Republican congressman Sheldon Runyon disagrees. He prefers Governor Jack as the candidate.
Sheldon learns about Laine's troubled history from Democratic Party representative Reginald Webster. During a hearing, Sheldon pressures Laine to address rumors from her college years, suggesting her involvement in a scandalous event. Laine struggles to respond and nearly backs down. The rumors spread widely through mass media.
In response, President Jackson suggests a clever plan to Sheldon: making Jack the vice president to put an end to the harassment of Laine. However, on inauguration day, Jack's patriotic story is revealed to be false, humiliating Sheldon. He resigns from his congressional position.
So, who will become the vice presidential candidate?
This tense political drama is Christian Slater's final major role in a major studio production. His portrayal of a party representative who uncovers information about Senator Laine's past is not very prominent, though not disappointing either. His performance doesn't quite match the acting prowess of Joan Allen and Jeff Bridges, both of whom received Oscar nominations for their roles in this film.
4. Pump Up the Volume
Mark (Christian Slater) never anticipated the impact his nightly amateur radio broadcasts would have on his suburban Phoenix neighborhood. His listeners enthusiastically embrace his opinions and arguments, unaware that Mark is just an ordinary school teenager.
Following the tragic suicide of one of his listeners during a broadcast, concerned parents promptly report his broadcasts to the government's Communications Commission.
Recognizing that he has unintentionally become the voice of his generation in the area, Mark decides to conclude his broadcasts and reveal his true identity to his listeners. Despite his subsequent arrest, Mark's influence continues to resonate with his audience.
Film critics widely regard Christian Slater's performance in this movie as one of his finest. He adeptly portrays a daytime introvert who transforms into a nighttime radio conversationalist. He effectively captures the essence of challenging societal norms.
Beyond Christian Slater's exceptional portrayal, Allan Moyle's teen comedy-drama film is enriched by a collection of 90s alternative rock tracks on its soundtrack. The soundtrack album, featuring artists like Soundgarden, Pixies, Concrete Blonde, and more, achieved Gold certification by selling 500,000 copies.
5. The Name of the Rose
Strange deaths unfold during a theological conference in an old church in Northern Italy. William of Baskerville (Sean Connery) and his student, Adso of Melk (Christian Slater), set out to unravel the mystery.
As they dig deeper into the investigation, they uncover the possibility of a dark cult's involvement, leading to more fatalities.
While exploring different theories and gathering evidence, the Vatican's inquisition sends their investigator, Bernardo Gui (F. Murray Abraham). This arrival interrupts William's investigation, introducing his old adversary. Nevertheless, they manage to unveil a hidden library beneath the church, ultimately exposing the truth behind the murders.
Christian Slater as a young actor starting his film career at that time, was remarkably fortunate to share the screen with two seasoned actors, Sean Connery and F. Murray Abraham.
His performance is quite commendable as William's curious apprentice, dedicated to unraveling the complexities of the case. Throughout the story, he also develops feelings for a mysterious girl whose identity remains elusive.
6. Interview with the Vampire
Daniel (Christian Slater) conducts an interview with Louis (Brad Pitt), who claims to be a vampire. Louis recounts his entire journey, starting from when he became a vampire, his conflicts with a vampire name Lestat (Tom Cruise), his travels across Europe with a girl, Claudia (Kirsten Dunst), and his eventual return to America.
After the interview concludes, Daniel expresses a desire to become a vampire, which angers Louis. For Louis, the life of a vampire is filled with suffering, particularly the burden of taking human lives.
As a reporter in San Francisco, Daniel, portrayed by Christian Slater, struggles to grasp the depth of Louis' story, marked by profound torment. After a chance encounter on the Golden Gate Bridge, Daniel encounters Lestat, who turns him into a vampire by feeding on his blood. What will happen to Daniel next?
This gothic horror film, also featuring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Kirsten Dunst, stands among the finest vampire-themed movies.
Adapted from Anne Rice's novel by Neil Jordan, this movie showcases one of Christian Slater's most compelling performances, despite his limited screen time. Nevertheless, he remains the linchpin of the entire narrative.
7. The Public
Amidst the winter cold in Cincinnati, a homeless man is discovered deceased outside the library building. Another homeless man who used to seek refuge around the library then leads his companions to take shelter within the library to escape the harsh weather and prevent more tragic outcomes. However, their presence attracts the attention of the police, who are determined to remove them.
This sparks a conflict between the homeless group and law enforcement. What lies ahead for these homeless individuals?
In Emilio Estevez's drama film, Christian Slater portrays District Attorney Josh Davis, who endeavors to mediate the issues between the conflicting parties. Teaming up with negotiation expert Detective Bill Ramstead (Alec Baldwin), he strives to arrive at the most equitable solution to the dilemma, ensuring that no side suffers harm.
This movie marks Christian Slater's second collaboration with Emilio Estevez following the success of Bobby in 2006.
8. Chupa
While visiting his grandfather's home in Mexico, Alex (Evan Whitten) encounters a mythical creature known as a chupacabra.
Alex befriends the young chupacabra and spends time with it until their bond is threatened by Richard Quinn (Christian Slater), a scientist who sees the chupacabra as a potential source of medicine. Alex, along with his two cousins, embarks on a mission to shield Chupa from Richard's pursuit and reunite it with its mother.
This Netflix fantasy adventure film is designed for families, so the chupacabra is portrayed as a friendly character. Christian Slater's performance as Richard is notable, portraying a character who relentlessly pursues the baby chupacabra. While his intentions might be noble, Richard assumes the role of the antagonist in the movie.
9. Untamed Heart
Adam (Christian Slater) works alongside Caroline (Marisa Tomei) and Cindy in a cafeteria. But due to his shyness, Adam rarely engages in conversation with the two women.
One evening, Adam comes to Caroline's aid as she faces danger from two men attempting to assault her on the street. Following this incident, Caroline develops feelings for Adam. They eventually embark on a physical relationship, helping Adam overcome his shyness.
However, a confrontation arises one day when Adam intervenes to protect Caroline from the same two men who had targeted her before. This fight leaves Adam injured and Caroline discovers that he has a heart condition, necessitating a transplant for his survival. Can Adam survive his illness?
This bittersweet romantic drama may follow a somewhat predictable path and maintain a straightforward narrative, but the enchanting performances of Christian Slater and Marisa Tomei lend depth to the story, making the movie emotionally resonant.
10. Broken Arrow
During a training flight involving a plane with a nuclear missile, pilot Riley (Christian Slater) is betrayed by his partner Vic (John Travolta), who plans an act of terrorism.
Stranded and accused of colluding with Vic, Riley takes matters into his own hands with the assistance of Terry (Samantha Mathis), a female park ranger.
Vic demands a large sum of money from the government, threatening to detonate a nuclear device in a major American city. Riley and Terry risk their lives to thwart Vic's plan by attempting to halt the train carrying the missile.
John Woo's second Hollywood venture delivers a thrilling array of action sequences, a hallmark of his Hong Kong cinema background. John Travolta and Christian Slater offer compelling performances, but the plot itself is relatively straightforward.
While it teeters on the brink of being a B-grade action movie, "Broken Arrow" managed to rake in $70 million at the box office. Nevertheless, following this role, Christian Slater's career experienced a sharp decline, leading him to feature in low-budget action films that went straight to video distribution.
Those are the ten best movies featuring Christian Slater. After becoming popular in the 1990s, his career took a downturn into lower-quality action films. He faced difficulties in that area for quite some time, but now it seems his career is improving and moving in the right direction.
It's unfortunate that the acting skills he has honed since he was young are being used in movies that aren't very good. Hopefully, in the future, Christian Slater can pick films more wisely that truly showcase his talents and help his film career get better.
For reasons that bring back good memories, I suggest watching all of Christian Slater's movies mentioned above. Enjoy!