10 Best Movies Starring Chris Cooper
Chris Cooper, an outstanding American actor, has an impressive filmography, which includes Hollywood movies such as "American Beauty" (1999), "The Bourne Identity" (2002), and "Capote" (2005).
His career began in 1987, and he is considered a top-tier supporting actor, earning acclaim through Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
His movies often receive positive reviews. Here, we present ten recommended Chris Cooper movies for your weekend watch list. Browse through this selection of must-watch movies and check out the reviews below!
1. American Beauty
American Beauty (1999), starring Chris Cooper, has an impressive IMDb rating of 8.3 out of 1.2 million users. The movie's awards include five Oscars, securing wins in categories such as Best Picture, Director, and Cinematography.
The plot of the movie revolves around Lester Burnham, an advertising executive facing a mid-life crisis triggered by his infatuation with Jane, his teenage daughter's best friend. Lester's attraction then turns to Angela, Jane's close friend, when they cross paths at a school dance.
As his infatuation intensifies, Lester dives into sexual fantasies involving Angela. At the same time, his wife, Carolyn, begins an affair with Buddy Kane, a married business rival.
Lester, still infatuated with Angela, becomes even more motivated to work out when he overhears Angela discussing with a friend that she is willing to have sexual relations if he improves his physique.
However, things take a darker turn when Lester is accused of engaging in sexual acts with a young man named Ricky. In this movie Chris Cooper acts as Ricky's father.
2. The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Identity (2002), Chris Cooper's action thriller based on Robert Ludlum's 1980 novel, stars Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, a young man battling psychogenic amnesia. The movie follows Bourne's quest to uncover his identity, which is linked to a secret CIA conspiracy.
The narrative begins when an Italian waiter discovers a young American adrift in the Mediterranean Sea, suffering from memory loss. Later, a code under his skin leads him to a bank vault in Zurich, which reveals a passport under the pseudonym Jason Bourne.
As Bourne exits the bank, an undercover agent alerts Alexander Conklin, who heads Operation Treadstone, a secret CIA program. Chris Cooper plays Conklin, who issues the order to capture Bourne, deploying three agents with deadly intent.
3. The Town
Chris Cooper's involvement in movies continued with the crime drama "The Town" (2010). Starring Ben Affleck, the movie is an adaptation of Chuck Hogan's 2004 novel, "Prince of Thieves".
The storyline essentially revolves around a bank robber who unexpectedly develops romantic feelings for one of his victims when circumstances force him to commit another heist.
Douglas MacRay, commonly known as Dough, and his close friends Jem, Gloansy, and Dez, go on a bank robbery spree. Things take an unexpected turn when Jem takes bank manager Claire Keesey hostage before releasing her.
Coincidentally, Claire lives in the same neighborhood as the four robbers. Dough gets to know the extent to which Claire cooperates with the police.
A romance develops between Dough and Claire. As he tries to hide his identity from Claire and keep his relationship from his colleagues, Dough becomes increasingly worried.
Claire has seen the tattoos on Jem's body, raising concerns that she might identify him and lead them down the path to arrests, like Dough's father, Stephen MacRay, played by Chris Cooper, who is currently in prison.
4. The Patriot
The Patriot (2000), an American historical epic war film directed by Roland Emmerich, is set in rural Berkeley County, South Carolina.
The story centers on Benjamin Martin, an American colonist who initially does not want to come into conflict with Great Britain. However, his stance changes when his son Gabriel, one of seven siblings, becomes the victim of a British officer, which pushes him into the throes of the Revolutionary War.
Gabriel, who had just fought against the British, was captured as a spy by Colonel William Tavington. Witnessing his brother's arrest, Thomas, Benjamin's other son, attempts to free Gabriel but is tragically killed by Tavington's bullet.
Benjamin's homestead was destroyed, and its American occupants executed. Fueled by grief and anger, Benjamin and his remaining sons refused to remain passive. They ambushed a British convoy transporting Gabriel, and ruthlessly finished off the soldiers.
Chris Cooper plays Brigadier General Harry Burwell in this movie, who was one of Benjamin's commanding officers during the French War.
5. Little Women
Directed by Greta Gerwig, the movie "Little Women" (2019) features Chris Cooper alongside a number of well-known stars such as Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, and Timothée Chalamet.
The coming-of-age period drama is adapted from the 1868 novel by Louise May Alcott. Little Women tells the story of the March sisters' lives in Concord, Massachusetts in the 19th century.
In 1861, Jo March, the second daughter of the March family, meets Laurie, a young man, at a dance. On Christmas morning, the March family was surprised to find their dining table full of food after feeding a poor neighbor. The source of this generosity turns out to be Mr. Laurence, Laurie's grandfather (Chris Cooper).
The close relationship between their families develops a strong connection between Jo and Laurie. As time goes by, Laurie's feelings for Jo grow, although he is still hesitant to respond. In the midst of an unexpected marriage and the loss of one of their daughters, the March family's journey is full of touching moments.
6. Adaptation
Chris Cooper's performance in the movie "Adaptation" (2002) earned him the Best Supporting Actor award at the 2003 Oscars. The movie, written by Charlie Kaufman, is an adaptation of the nonfiction book "The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean in 1998. Cooper acts as John Laroche, the main orchid thief character in Orlean's book.
The story is about Charlie Kaufman, a screenwriter who struggles with anxiety, social phobia, depression and low self-esteem. Tasked with adapting Susan Orlean's "The Orchid Thief" into a screenplay, Charlie faces difficulties due to the complex nature of the source material.
In a desperate move, he traveled to New York to meet Orlean and discuss it in person. Accompanied by his socially awkward twin brother Donald, Charlie begins interviewing Orlean, but their interactions result in puzzling responses.
7. Jarhead
Released in 2003, Jarhead is an American biographical war drama film based on the 2003 memoir by US Marine Anthony Swofford. The movie directed by Sam Mendes stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Lucas Black, and Chris Cooper.
Jarhead (2003) tells the story of Swofford's life and his military service during the Persian Gulf War. Swofford enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1989 and underwent rigorous recruit training.
Throughout his military journey, especially at Camp Pendleton, Swofford grappled with various challenges and feigned illness to avoid responsibility. His actions caught the attention of Chief Sergeant Sykes, who gave him the opportunity to attend a sniper course.
After intensive training, Swofford became a sniper alongside seven other candidates. His unit was deployed as part of Operation Desert Shield during the Gulf War.
Unfortunately, despite the fighting, Swofford never pulled out his weapon. In this context, Chris Cooper plays Lieutenant Colonel Kazinski, the battalion commander in charge of Swofford's unit.
8. Me, Myself & Irene
Me, Myself & Irene (2000) is an American slapstick black comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers and starring Jim Carrey and Renée Zellweger. The movie also features Chris Cooper as a police officer named Gerke, who pursues Charlie during his escape.
Charlie Baileygates is an experienced cop who becomes an easy target to manipulate, even by his wife, Layla. Soon after their marriage, Layla not only has an affair but also has triplets as a result of the affair.
Despite his friends' warnings and the obvious differences between him and the triplets, Charlie remains in denial. The townspeople admired Charlie, yet they also tormented him for years.
Under this pressure, another personality named Hank Evans emerges in Charlie. Unlike the gentle Charlie, the cruel and ruthless Hank, came to the surface during times of stress.
Under these turbulent circumstances, Charlie is assigned to escort a woman named Irene, who becomes the backdrop for a series of comedic and chaotic events.
9. A Time to Kill
Another highly recommended movie featuring Chris Cooper is "A Time to Kill" (1996), directed by Joel Schumacher and adapted from John Grisham's 1989 novel.
The movie tells the tragic story of a ten-year-old African-American girl, Tonya Hailey, who is the victim of kidnapping, rape, and brutality by two white men, Billy Ray Cobb and James Williard. Surprisingly, Tonya survived despite being thrown into the river by her attackers.
Sheriff Ozzie Walls managed to catch the perpetrators. However, Tonya's father, Carl Lee Hailey, became disillusioned after hearing the opinion of lawyer Jake Brigance who said that the perpetrators might escape severe punishment. Fueled by frustration, Carl Lee took drastic action at the courthouse, opening fire.
As a result, both assailants were killed, while Deputy Dwayne Looney (Chris Cooper) suffered injuries that led to his amputation. As a result, Carl Lee was arrested, and Brigance came forward to defend him.
Carl Lee's legal battle was utilized by prosecutor Rufus Buckley to further his political ambitions. In this pursuit, Buckley sought the death penalty against Carl Lee.
10. Capote
The movie "Capote" (2005) by Chris Cooper delves into the biographical drama of American novelist Truman Capote, focusing on his experiences during the creation of his 1965 non-fiction book. The movie gained significant critical acclaim, earning nominations in five honorable categories at the Oscars.
Capote was deeply affected after learning about the horrifying murder of a family in Kansas. Motivated by the incident, he contacted William Shawn, editor of The New Yorker, with a plan to document the tragedy.
To carry out his plan, Capote enlisted the help of his childhood friend, Nelle Harper Lee. However, Alvin Dewey's rejection was a challenge. Chris Cooper plays Dewey, the chief investigator of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation who leads the murder case.
Eventually, the perpetrators are caught, and Capote forms a complex emotional bond with one of them, Smith. This relationship prompted Capote to turn the horrific events into a book.
When it comes to Chris Cooper's filmography, the ten titles mentioned in this article represent only a fraction of his incredible work. Nevertheless, by looking at these ten movies and the diverse roles played by Cooper, it is clear that he belongs to one of the talented actors in Hollywood.
Well, among the ten movie titles mentioned above, is there any of your favorite?