Bruce Willis' top five performances

With his distinctive charisma and intensity, Bruce Willis has managed to become one of Hollywood's safest bets and a given star in many action-packed blockbusters. But with a career that spans four decades, the rugged tough guy has also had the chance to show his more dramatic as well as comedic sides, not least in the TV series Moonlighting or prominent films such as Pulp Fiction or The Sixth Sense. Roles where his ability to balance his macho side with vulnerability was really brought to the fore.

(5)

Looper (2012)

As the older version of Joe, Willis delivers an intense and emotionally nuanced performance, perfectly capturing the complex character of the time-travelling assassin. The desperation of a man who, against all odds, fights his younger self with a singular determination. The dynamic between Willis himself and his counterpart played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt is also exquisite, creating a captivating portrayal filled with moral dilemmas where Willis' skill in conveying both brutality and humanity made for a role we will never forget.

(4)

Death Becomes Her (1993)

In Robert Zemeckis' dark comedy, Bruce Willis shows off his comic talent and versatility as the mad doctor Ernest Menville. Slack-eared, despondent and confused, he shines here with his ability to mix traditional slapstick with a slightly nasty manipulative side that creates an incredible contrast with Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. Through subtle expressions and incredibly skilful comic timing, Willis brings an almost sympathetic tragedy to the role, an extra dimension beyond what we are used to seeing him in and something that deviates greatly from his otherwise typical image as an action hero.

(3)

The Jackal(1997)

In what may well be his most intense role, Bruce Willis, the often righteous hero, offers something quite different here as he lets his more zealous, sardonic side completely engulf him as the gleefully evil, cold-blooded The Jackal. Willis' acting is at its peak here with an unparalleled intensity and unpredictability that embodies the complex and terrifying antagonist. An incredible portrait that once again shows Willis' flexibility and ability to change disguises and personalities effortlessly. Singularly memorable and thrilling.

(2)

Unbreakable (2000)

With Unbreakable, Bruce Willis found something entirely new within himself through his incredibly subtle and nuanced portrayal of David Dunn, the seemingly ordinary man who discovers he possesses supernatural powers. Willis captures Dunn's inner struggle and inability to find a clear path forward, mixing guilt with disbelief in what is as dark as it is meditative. Low-key and absolutely dazzling acting that is as poignant as it is memorable, peppered with Willis' dynamism and brilliant touch.

WILLIS' BEST ACTING PERFORMANCE:
(1)

12 Monkeys (1995)

His four-decade career has given us many incredible roles, but nothing surpasses Willis' incomparably moving performance as the time-travelling Cole trying to prevent the outbreak of a deadly disease. It is a portrait characterised by desperation, confusion and emotional vulnerability, with Willis also able to convey the enormous psychological strain Cole is under. The portrayal is that of a man struggling to maintain his grip on reality, conveying a strength and fragility that lends the character an astonishing credibility. Willis is absolutely unforgettable in the role.