Timothée Chalamet is one of the most prolific actors of our generation. Nearly everyone has heard of him; the movies he stars in range across many genres, meaning that no matter what kind of movies you like to watch, chances are that you’ve seen one with Timothée Chalamet. I have seen him in some films, and enjoyed them, but I have never considered myself a die hard fan, and I have certainly never watched a movie just because he was in it. Recently, after watching A Complete Unknown with my family, I looked back and realized I had unintentionally watched seven of his films. Seven! And I was slightly surprised to find that every one of those was a movie I thoroughly enjoyed. So, while I by no means have seen every Timothee Chalamet movie, and while I still admit I don’t know as much about him as a true fanatic would, here is a ranking of the Timothee Chalamet movies I’ve seen, from lowest to highest.
7. A Complete Unknown
Okay . . . so we’re starting off with the one I already mentioned as the lowest on the list. Honestly, my ranking has almost everything to do with personal preference and almost nothing to do with Chalamet’s performance; I’m more so ranking the movie than the actor. A Complete Unknown is a film about Bob Dylan’s life, with Chalamet in the lead role. I really enjoyed the storytelling and the focus on smaller details rather than the big picture of his life. Part of why this is the lowest on the list is that I don’t usually go for movies that are a retelling of someone’s life. Although Chalamet did a great job as the lead, I found his character to be so unlikable that it made the film unpleasant at times. And while Chalamet surprised me with his ability to sing and play the guitar, I thought the number of songs in the movie was a bit much. However, this is definitely worth watching, and there’s no denying it was well made. I can’t say whether you’ll love this or not if you’re a die-hard Bob Dylan fan, but I will say that my dad, who is a Bob Dylan fan and usually extremely picky about movies, thoroughly enjoyed this and hopped on the Timothee Chalamet train afterwards.
6. Dune: Part Two
This is such a good movie. This ranking is almost a bit ridiculous because I love each one of the movies on here in their own way. Also, am I the only one who liked Dune: Part One more than Dune: Part Two? Dune: Part Two follows the journey of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), the Duke of the House of Atreides (which is kind of like a prince). It takes place in the distant future on a planet named Arrakis, but better known as Dune due to the endless desert sand dunes. I was really impressed by Chalamet’s performance as Atreides; even more so, really, than in Dune: Part One. However, this ranks lower because I found the action to be a bit excessive, especially compared to the slower pace of Dune: Part One, which I found flowed more smoothly (although I’ve heard more than one person say it was boring). Without spoilers, I will say that Chalamet’s depiction of Atreides in a critical scene towards the end of the film was extremely well done. Also, Zendeya is in this movie, so what more of a reason do you need to watch it?
5. Dune: Part One
Anyone who knows me can tell you I am not the biggest fan of sci-fi. Whether it’s books, films, or TV shows– I just can’t seem to get into it. With that being said, I absolutely loved Dune. The cinematography, the script, the acting– everything comes together and does an incredible job of drawing the viewer into the world of Dune. Every scene, every item of clothing, every panel, every movement, is well thought out and intentional. This is something you can watch dozens of times. I really appreciated the attention to detail, which made the world seem alive and real. This is a thought-provoking movie; psychologically, spiritually, religiously, and politically. This is also a very engaging film plot-wise. Chalamet is well-cast; I’d say this is his most “serious” role. He doesn’t do much talking, which makes his acting all the more impressive.I was really able to get a good idea of Atreides’ character through Chalamet. Watching this left me tempted to read the book, despite its colossal length.
4. Interstellar
Yes, I included this, even though Chalamet makes about a 40 second appearance. His role is much smaller in Interstellar than in any of the other movies on this list, so forgive me if I don’t talk about him as much. Interstellar is such an emotional, thought-provoking, adventurous movie, and it left me absolutely floored the first time I saw it. Interstellar is about Cooper, a farmer who becomes an astronaut looking for an inhabitable planet. One of the main themes of the movie is the relationship between Cooper and his daughter, Murphy. Cooper makes the heart-wrenching decision to leave her at a young age in order to help humanity, and they spend much of the movie separated. Chalamet plays the role of Murphy’s brother, Tom, who is soon to give up on the hope of Cooper’s return. Interstellar explores family, loss, humanity, isolation, and strips people down to their most basic fears and desires. All the while, there are extremely entertaining moments of space travel and exploration. This movie is also very pretty; the scenes of outer space, mixed with Hans Zimmer’s composition, are breathtaking. Make sure to have a box of tissues handy if you’re seeing this for the first time (or the fifth).
3. Little Women
Little Women is one of the best comfort movies out there. Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, Little Women follows the lives of four sisters— Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy– as they traverse love, relationships, illness, and adolescence. I read the novel before this film came out, and honestly, I did not picture Timothée Chalamet as Laurie. Laurie seemed to me more traditionally masculine in the book, and less emotional. However, I have to admit that Chalamet definitely brings something to the character, and portrays him well in his own way. Little Women is a story about life, its struggles, and its small joys. Each scene offers a glimpse into the natural beauty of small moments. While no movie can even do the book complete justice, I thought this was a good adaptation, and stuck to the original characters’ personalities pretty well. I love how easy it is to find yourself in at least one of the characters. It offers a hopeful perspective, even through some of the hardest moments of adolescence.
2. Lady Bird
I just realized that my ranking of these films may not be the most popular among Timothée Chalamet fans. But I will unapologetically say that Lady Bird is one of my favorite movies of all time. I personally think it’s difficult to fully appreciate this movie if you’re not from California– I am from California, and I felt in some moments that this movie reached right into my brain and put in on a screen. There are some things Lady Bird, the main character and namesake of the movie, says that I’m pretty sure I have said word for word at some point before seeing the film. Lady Bird is a coming-of-age movie following self-named Lady Bird, a high schooler from Sacramento who wants to escape her life in California to go to college on the East Coast. If you haven’t already noticed, there are a couple of things I have in common with her. However, I by no means find Lady Bird to be a very likable character. There are some things about her I find extremely annoying– she makes bad decisions, she’s impulsive, and extremely self-centered. This is the beauty of the film, though– Lady Bird is such a real character, and perfectly embodies “teen angst”, the struggle of being a teenager in a life you feel trapped by. I also really love the depiction of the mother-daughter relationship in the film; while it can be difficult to watch sometimes, it’s unapologetically realistic, and I’m sure there are plenty of teenage girls who can relate to this aspect of the movie. Timothee Chalamet plays a smaller role in this movie; he’s the douchebag guitar-player that Lady Bird has a brief fling with. As you can see with any movie he’s in, however, Chalamet is clearly a versatile actor who does beautifully with any role he’s given. I truly wanted to punch him in the face while I was watching this.
- Call Me by Your Name
I may or may not have written this article just so I can rave about how much I love Call Me by Your Name. Yes, the age difference is problematic. Yes, Armie Hammer might be a cannibal. BUT. This movie is the most picturesque, emotional, and moving story you will ever experience. At least, in my opinion. Set in somewhere in Northern Italy in the 1980s, this movie follows a love affair between Elio (Timothee Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer). I was extremely hesitant about watching this, and avoided it for years. But when I finally decided at 3 in the morning on a summer night to watch it, I fell in love with this movie. The storytelling is some of the most lyrical and moving storytelling I’ve ever seen. Also, every scene in this movie is absolutely gorgeous: whether we’re having lunch outside in the lush, overflowing garden, kissing in the grassy field, or swimming in the bright blue sea, the viewer is completely immersed and overcome with the beauty of the Italian countryside. This movie is about love, and how we can be transformed by it. Elio is so likable; he is seventeen, emotional, intelligent, and feels and experiences with his whole being. I really loved his character, and Timothee Chalamet was the perfect and only person who could have played him. I read the book afterward and loved it as well. I often find that movies are ruined by their endings, but the ending for Call Me by Your Name, while devastating, was exactly what the film needed.
Each one of these movies offers something different and original; you might love one and hate another. I find it really impressive how Timothee Chalamet has such an extensive acting career, spanning across the genres that he does. He makes every character his own, and I have yet to be disappointed by his performance. Since I enjoy so many of his movies, I’ve decided that I’ll be keeping up with him from now on, and maybe go back and see some of his older works. Hopefully one of these films has sounded interesting to you; there is probably at least one Timothée Chalamet movie out there for everyone.