10 Best Movies Starring Peter Sarsgaard
John Peter Sarsgaard is an American actor who started his career in 1995. Three years later, he landed an important role in the movie 'The Man in the Iron Mask' (1998) alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.
He gained recognition for his acting skills after starring in Boys Don't Cry (1999). He then solidified his position as a lead actor in the movie The Center of the World (2001).
From that point on, Sarsgaard continued to build his reputation as one of the top actors in the industry, receiving numerous awards and nominations. If you're interested, you can enjoy his journey in several movie titles listed below. Let's explore them together!
1. The Batman
In Gotham City, on Halloween, the Riddler, a masked serial killer, murders Don Mitchell Jr, the mayor. Bruce Wayne, who is also Batman (Robert Pattinson), teams up with Lieutenant James Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department to investigate the murder.
The Riddler strikes again, killing Commissioner Pete Savage. Batman and Gordon discover a flash drive from the Riddler, which contains photos of Mitchell with a woman named Annika Kosolov. These pictures were taken at a nightclub managed by the henchmen of Carmine Falcone, a crime boss.
Annika goes missing, and it's revealed that both Pete Savage and the district attorney, Gil Colson (Peter Sarsgaard), are receiving payments from Falcone.
Colson gets kidnapped by the Riddler, who attaches a bomb to his neck and sends him to disrupt Mitchell's funeral. To save Colson's life, he needs to reveal the informants who helped the police during a drug raid that dismantled gangster Salvatore Maroni's operation.
Batman and Gordon continue their pursuit of the Riddler, which leads them to an old orphanage funded by Bruce Wayne's deceased parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne. Here, Batman discovers that the Riddler has a vendetta against his family.
2. Orphan
In the highly acclaimed psychological horror movie "Orphan" (2009), directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, Peter Sarsgaard portrays the central character, John Coleman.
In the narrative, John is married to Kate (played by Vera Farmiga). Having tragically lost their third child, they make the choice to adopt a 9-year-old Russian girl named Esther (played by Isabelle Fuhrman).
Esther's behavior raises doubts for Kate because, considering her young age, she seems to have an unusually deep understanding of sexual matters. Additionally, the young girl displays an unfriendly demeanor towards their two sons, Max and Daniel.
Sister Abigail, who is in charge of the orphanage where Esther came from, alerts John and Kate about disturbing incidents linked to Esther. Tragically, after Sister Abigail departs, Esther violently assaults her. She even pressures Max into assisting her in moving Sister Abigail's body.
While Kate becomes persuaded by her doubts about Esther, John remains unconvinced. The harmony between the husband and wife starts to fray due to Esther's deception. Can John save his family from this troubling situation?
3. Garden State
Garden State (2004) is a romantic comedy-drama directed, written, and starring Zach Braff, drawing from his own life experiences. Peter Sarsgaard also plays a role in the movie alongside Natalie Portman.
The film follows the story of Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff), a 26-year-old actor who comes back to his hometown after his mother's passing.
Upon his arrival in New Jersey, Andrew recognizes the people responsible for preparing his mother's burial. Two of them happen to be his old friends, Mark (Peter Sarsgaard) and Dave. Alongside them, Andrew also encounters a girl named Sam (Natalie Portman).
Sam shares aspects of her life with Andrew, particularly her tendency to tell lies. Their connection deepens, but Andrew eventually has to return to Los Angeles.
For Andrew, Sam has brought about significant changes in his life. Yet, he realizes he needs to confront personal issues before fully engaging in relationships with others. The question remains: Will Andrew let Sam slip away?
4. Blue Jasmine
Our next recommended Peter Sarsgaard film is Blue Jasmine (2013), which falls under the category of drama comedy. The movie centers around a socialite from Manhattan who faces financial difficulties and has to rely on her working-class sister for support.
Jasmine Francis (Cate Blanchett) admits her bankruptcy to her sister, Ginger, yet continues to take luxurious flights. As her financial troubles escalate, Jasmine experiences a mental breakdown and seeks refuge with Ginger.
In the past, Ginger and her ex-husband Augie fell victim to a scam orchestrated by Jasmine and her late husband. However, Jasmine's life has taken a drastic turn; she now needs to work to make ends meet.
Jasmine crosses paths with Dwight Westlake, portrayed by Peter Sarsgaard, a wealthy widower and diplomat. With a hidden agenda, Jasmine pretends to be an interior designer to Dwight. Regrettably, her plan unravels when Augie reveals their shady history to Dwight.
5. The Magnificent Seven
The Magnificent Seven (2016) is a remake of the 1960 film with the same name, itself inspired by the Japanese movie Seven Samurai (1954). In this film, Peter portrays a corrupt industrialist named Bartholomew Bogue.
In 1879, Bogue seizes control of a town with armed forces, imposing his dominance. Moreover, he compels the townspeople to work in his mines for meager wages.
When the residents stand up against him, Bogue resorts to burning churches and committing a brutal public murder of a farmer named Matthew Cullen. Seeking help, Cullen's widow, Emma, turns to bounty hunters to liberate the town from Bogue's grip.
Sam Chrisholm (Denzel Washington), a famous US Marshal, takes a keen interest in Bogue's name. He assembles a group of individuals, including sharpshooters and hired guns, forming a team known as The Seven. This group infiltrates the town, preparing to confront and overthrow Bogue.
6. Knight and Day
Starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, this witty American action comedy also includes Peter Sarsgaard. Knight and Day (2010) follows the story of June Havens (Cameron Diaz), a classic car restorer.
June's life takes a wild turn when she crosses paths with a quirky secret agent on the run from the CIA, Roy Miller (Tom Cruise). Their unexpected encounters begin with a collision at the airport.
Peter Sarsgaard portrays a CIA agent named John Fitzgerald, who suspects June of collaborating with Roy. As June prepares a gift for her sister's wedding, she is apprehended by John and other agents. However, Roy arrives, eliminates the agents, and rescues June.
Roy convinces June that her safety lies with him. He even tries to charm her by discussing Zephyr, a perpetual energy battery. But things take a turn when John steals the battery and traps Roy.
Their adventures continue until they find refuge on Roy's secluded island. It's here that June finally discovers Roy Miller's true identity.
7. Green Lantern
Green Lantern is a superhero film based on characters from DC Comics. The movie stars Ryan Reynolds as the main actor.
In this movie, the story follows Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), a test pilot who is selected to become the first human member of an intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps. This Corps was established by a group called the Guardians of the Universe.
Among the 3,600 designated sectors, the Green Lantern in Sector 2,814, Abin Sur, managed to defeat Parallax, a malevolent entity that thrives on fear, and imprisoned it on a distant planet. Over time, Parallax breaks free, pursuing and injuring Abin Sur.
Abin Sur flees and lands on Earth. He commands his power ring to locate a worthy successor, and that's where Hal Jordan comes in.
After Abin Sur's death, scientist Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) performs an autopsy on his body. Unfortunately, fragments of Parallax from Abin Sur's body enter Hammond's, leading to chaos and unsettling events.
8. Jarhead
Jarhead (2005) is a film based on the 2003 memoir of US Marine Anthony Swofford. In 1989, Anthony Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) enlists in the United States Marine Corps and undergoes recruit training before being stationed at Camp Pendleton. Staff Sergeant Sykes (Jamie Foxx) recognizes Swoff's potential and invites him to join the Scout Sniper course.
Following the training, Swoff becomes a sniper alongside seven comrades, including Corporal Alan Troy (portrayed by Peter Sarsgaard). The group is deployed to the Arabian Peninsula as part of Operation Desert Shield.
As the war reaches its conclusion, they are assigned a sniper mission by Lt. Col. Kazinski, their battalion commander. The task involves killing one of two high-ranking Iraqi Republican Guard officers at a nearby airfield.
However, time runs out before they can execute the mission, and the airfield is already destroyed by fighter planes. Consequently, Swoff and Troy do not fire their rifles until the war's end.
9. Black Mass
Black Mass (2015) is a biographical crime drama centered around American mobster Whitey Bulger. The film is based on the book Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neil.
Set in 1975, the story follows James 'Whitey' Bulger (Johnny Depp), the leader of the Winter Hill criminal gang that held sway over much of Boston's criminal activities. Bulger's dominance is challenged by the Anguilo Brothers, particularly following the killing of a Winter Hill member by their gang.
Bulger also collaborates with FBI Agent Connolly (Joel Edgerton) as an informant. However, their partnership isn't entirely smooth, as Bulger exploits his position to commit a range of crimes. Despite this, their alliance remains intact.
The strong bond between them raises concerns from Connolly's colleague, Brian Halloran (Peter Sarsgaard). Halloran becomes uneasy and reports Bulger to the FBI. Tragically, this leads to Halloran's murder.
However, even after Halloran's death, Bulger and Connolly's relationship endures, until Bulger eventually distances himself from Connolly due to the FBI agent's downfall. Will their connection come to an end at this point?
10. The Man in the Iron Mask
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) is a dramatic film directed by Randal Wallace. The story is set in 1662 in the Kingdom of France, which is facing financial troubles due to the extravagant lifestyle of King Louis XIV (Leonardo DiCaprio).
The king's three famous musketeers have drifted apart as well. Aramis (Jeremy Irons) has become an aged priest, while Porthos (Gérard Depardieu) has succumbed to a life of excess. Athos (John Malkovich) resides with his son, a hopeful Musketeer named Raoul (Peter Sarsgaard). D'Artagnan (Gabriel Byrne) is the sole Musketeer still serving.
The plot takes a twist when Louis becomes enamored with Christine Bellefort, Raoul's girlfriend. In his pursuit of her, Louis sends Raoul to the battlefield, leading to Raoul's unfortunate demise. Athos is consumed by grief and seeks revenge against Louis.
Frustrated by Louis' reckless behavior, Aramis, Porthos, and Athos hatch a plan. They introduce a masked man, known as the "Man in the Iron Mask," who is revealed to be Louis' twin brother Philippe (Leonardo DiCaprio). Aramis envisions Philippe as a better ruler to replace Louis for the sake of a more prosperous France.
The list of Peter Sarsgaard movies we've suggested is just a selection of the many films he has been a part of. Apart from the ones mentioned, you might have other favorite movies he's acted in, right? What's certain is that almost every movie with Peter Sarsgaard tends to have an intriguing plot and gains a lot of attention.