It’s Colin Farrell’s birthday! To mark the occasion, here are six great movies with the incredible actor.
In Bruges (2008)
In Bruges is quite possibly Farrell’s finest on screen performance. Martin McDonagh’s incredible dark comedy is a great vehicle for Farrell to display his surprising comedic timing as well as his willingness to explore a character’s deepest vulnerabilities. Playing a first time hitman, Colin Farrell’s performance is grounded and anchored despite the character’s chaotic nature. His ability to keep an otherwise silly and immature role inquisitive and nuanced is nothing short of spectacular.
Miami Vice (2005)
Farrell, and his co-star, Jamie Foxx, perfectly echo the heart of Michael Mann’s cult classic – smart, cool, sexy, suave, rugged, and professional. As detective Sonny Crockett, Farrell sports terrific long locks and filthy yet slick mustache. His slick movements through the film’s exotic settings only add to the hazy brilliance of Mann’s vision. Farrell’s greatest gift is knowing when to not overact and let the performance come to him. Miami Vice is another great example of that.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
Most movie fans are probably more familiar with the first Yorgos Lanthimos/Colin Farrell collaboration, The Lobster, which I’m told is a wonderfully weird cinematic experience. That being said, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a sleek Kubrickian nightmare of a film (in all the right ways). Playing opposite a sinister Barry Keoghan and a frantic Nicole Kidman, Farrell once again brings the goods by restraining his performance the perfect amount. He makes spiraling out of control look so effortless.
Phone Booth (2002) 
Farrell’s career can mostly be described by knowing the right weird risks to take. Phone Booth is by no means a stand out all time classic film. Nor is it an all time performance by Farrell. However, the film and Colin’s turn in it are exactly the right fit for what we’re expecting as audience members. Sometimes it’s nice to watch a familiar face take on an interesting performance just for the heck of it.
Also despite playing a dude from the Bronx, Farrell’s accent remains Irish throughout the film, which is quite hilarious.
The New World (2005)
Much like Miami Vice, The New World was a misunderstood masterpiece that was sorely under-appreciated at the time of its release. It’s also a movie that features Colin Farrell with beautifully flowing hair and fantastic facial hair. The transcendent Terrence Malick vehicle makes great use of Farrell’s screen presence. His chemistry with Q’orianka Kilcher is the core of the movie’ beauty, acting as heart and soul of the proceedings.
Daredevil (2003) 
There was no way I was leaving Daredevil off of this list. A worthwhile comic book movie typically features a villain performance where an actor fully commits to the bit. Colin Farrell’s performance as Bullseye is one of the great over the top comic book villain performances. Farrell brings such a manic energy to the role it’s hard to be anything but fully enthralled by it.
What are some of your favorite films to feature Colin Farrell?
