ComingSoon.net is counting down our five favorite films starring Matt Dillon, who has had many terrific roles over his four-decade career. Check out our choices in the gallery below!
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An 80s teen idol turned serious 21st century actor, Matt Dillon always manages to bring a level of grit and realism to whatever he happens to be starring in. Across the world of film and television, Dillon has proven his ability as a leading man time and time again. Still, for whatever reason, he seems to be criminally undercast. Still, there are certain filmmakers who know his worth and give him plenty to work with.
Looking like a mix of Jim Carrey and Billy Crudup, Dillon obviously has a knack for both drama and comedy. He’s an Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated actor, to be sure, but his performances are often deserving of so much more than just a nomination. Dillon is a bona fide winner, and is best roles prove this to be true.
What are your favorite Matt Dillon movies? Let us know in the comments below!
Matt Dillon movies
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Over the Edge (1979)
Released in 1979 at the start of his rise to fame, Over the Edge serves as an updated version of Rebel Without a Cause: its leading characters, played by Dillon, Michael Kramer, and Pamela Ludwig, are a few Midwestern teens with nothing to do and everything to prove… subsequently resulting in their descent into debauchery. It’s a movie about cries for help when surrounded by wealth, with an explosive ending that serves as a punctuation mark for the entire ordeal. It’s truly great work.
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Rumble Fish (1983)
One of legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola’s lesser-known works, 1983’s Rumble Fish comes from the S.E. Hinton novel of the same name. The film follows Dillon as Rusty James, a teen who dreams of taking over his brother’s status as the most feared gang leader in town. It’s both avant-garde and film noir, retaining much of the cast and crew from Coppola’s other S.E. Hinton adaptation The Outsiders to create something much less straightforward and much more ambitious. Dillon is absolutely electric.
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Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
One of few films to hold the elusive “100% fresh” certification on Rotten Tomatoes, Drugstore Cowboy is a Gus Van Sant crime-drama starring Dillon and Kelly Lynch. The film follows a close group of drug addicts as they travel across the country in search of ways to feed their addictions. The fact that it’s based on a true story certainly makes things heavier, to be sure, but Dillon is as graceful as can be with something so serious.
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To Die For (1995)
Another Gus Van Sant film, this one arriving six years after the former, To Die For is a mockumentary about the horrors of celebrity and fame. Starring Nicole Kidman and Matt Dillon, the film is almost as darkly comedic as The House That Jack Built—the film tackles obsession with fame and fortune head-on and with a bad attitude, resulting in a funny film anchored by great performances (Joaquin Phoenix plays a big part too, an actor who is a welcome addition to any film). Of all the filmmakers he’s worked with, Gus Van Sant might handle Dillon the best.
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The House That Jack Built (2018)
Lars Von Trier’s controversial pitch-black comedy from 2018 about a serial killer with OCD stars Dillon in the leading role. He’s demented and irredeemable, seen performing grotesque acts for his own sick pleasure, but Dillon manages to keep you watching from start to finish. Lars Von Trier is known for trying to shock his audiences, but The House That Jack Built is as self-aware as can be (and as watchable as can be, seeing as Dillon plays the titular Jack), which makes for an easier viewing experience compared to some of his other efforts.
