Denzel Washingtonis a household name, and moreover,he’s often a synonym for quality viewing since he’s known for carefully picking his roles. Of course,he stated that heregretted passing on certain roles(likeSe7enandMichael Clayton), but the ones he did work on remain memorable masterpieces that people love to watch and rewatch very often.
Whilesome of his most famous workincludes gritty action, likeMan on FireandThe Equalizer, as well as someamazing deep cuts, likeDevil In a Blue Dress, there area few of Washington’s films that can be called genuine masterpieces. It may not be only five, since he has over 60 acting credits onhis IMDb page, but these five are works of art acknowledged by various critics, award-givers, and broad audiences.
5’Flight' (2012)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Washington stars in and carriesFlight, the movie that brought him an Oscar nomination after over a decade.Flightwas the first time Washington worked withRobert Zemeckis, and Zemeckis fought for about a decade to get the movie greenlit and produced.Zemeckis himself is a private pilot, so directing Washington in his role as a commercial airline pilot inFlightwas likely natural for him. Both men gave up their usual fees to makeFlightafter readingJohn Gatins' captivating script, and greenlighting a passion project is never easy in Hollywood. Washington was nominated for theBest Actor Oscar, aGolden Globe, and aSAG Awardfor his role as Whip Whitaker; it’s one of his most immersive roles, and losing these awards was unfair, according to many fans.
Flightfollows airline pilot Whip Whitaker,who hides his alcoholism; when he miraculously crash-lands a malfunctioning plane, saving nearly everyone on board, he becomes a hero until an investigation into the events takes place.As it unfolds, questions about Whitaker’s character and alcoholism arise, and the story spirals into an exploration of a morally gray man and his addiction, denial, and ultimate redemption.Washington delivers a pretty powerful and layered portrayal, subtly shifting between charm, defensiveness, and vulnerability. In addition to great acting throughout the movie, the jaw-dropping plane crash scene was actually inspired by a real-life Alaska Airlines incident that happened in 2000, adding more realism and a heavier punch to the entire story.
4’Fences' (2016)
Directed by Denzel Washington
The movie Washington himself directed,Fences, is a massive personal project that was brewing in his mind for a long time.August Wilson, the playwright, wroteFencesin 1985, and it ran on Broadway in 1987, whenJames Earl Jonesportrayed the lead and patriarch of the Maxson family, Troy. The play was revived in 2010, five years after Wilson’s death, and Washington played Troy, whileViola Davisjoined him as Troy’s wife, Rose Maxson. Both actors won Tony Awards for Best Leading Actor and Actress for the revival, andwhen Washington decided to turn the play into a feature film, he decided to, once again, star in it with Davis as his co-star. Beyond just Davis, Washington also held onto the play’s cast,such as Stephen McKinley Henderson,Russell Hornsby, andMykelti Williamson. Davis won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress inFences, while Washington got the Best Actor and Best Picture nods (sadly, no wins, though).
Fencesis set in 1950s Pittsburgh and follows Troy Maxson, his wife Rose, and teenage son, Cory (Jovan Adepo). Troy is a former highly skilled baseball player who couldn’t step out into professional leagues because Black players were still not accepted into pro sports. Troy transfers the bitterness of the lack of acceptance he encountered onto Cory, who is a promising football player in high school.The movie then unravels, showing us Troy’s relationships with his friends, family, and himself. Troy’s simmering bitterness and anger are fueled by all those faded dreams, which drive him toenter conflict with his familyoften. Though Davis won the Oscar,Washington commands the screen with a sort of Shakespearean energy. Wilson’s play is pretty heartbreaking but realistic in portraying thebitterness of a passing lifefilled with discrimination and quiet successes, which we firmly believe while watching Washington in it.Fencesis a somewhat underrated masterpiece but should be remembered for Washington’sdirecting and perfect performance.
Fences is a period drama written by American playwright August Wilson. It was directed by Denzel Washington, who also plays Troy Maxson, a garbage collector whose checkered past prevented him from fulfilling his potential as a baseball player. The movie was well-received by both critics and viewers, with many praising Washington’s performance as the bitter sanitation worker.
3’Glory' (1989)
Directed by Edward Zwick
Gloryis the true story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment—the first Civil War unit with Black soldiers.It was a massive hit when it came out and remains one of those timeless movies that are great even today. In fact,Glorycan be considered a masterpiece that is brilliantly acted and beautifully directed.Rotten Tomatoescritics' consensus saysGloryis “one of the finest Civil War movies ever made.“Washington won his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor here, and the film’s other Oscar wins include Best Cinematography and Sound. More than just the Oscar, Washington also won a Golden Globe and a couple of other acknowledgments, like the one by the NAACP.
Glory,as mentioned,follows the soldiers of the 54th Regiment, but it opens with Captain Robert Shaw (Matthew Broderick) becoming their Colonel. This was one of the first Black regiments in the US Army during the Civil War, consisting of volunteers, one of whom was Private Trip, played by Washington.In an unforgettable performance, Washington portrays Trip with a raw, angry, and defiant charisma; his willingness to stand up for himself and encourage his squad mates to do the same makes Trip a natural-born leader and one of the most memorable characters in the movie. WhileRoger Ebertinterestingly noted thatGlorywastold mainly from Shaw’s perspective, a white character, he concluded that, in spite of that, it was still “a strong and valuable film no matter whose eyes it is seen through.”
2’Malcolm X' (1992)
Directed by Spike Lee
Washington and his longtime collaboratorSpike Leealways make magic when they meet. Having starred in five of Lee’s movies (withHighest 2 Lowestas the most recent feature) helped Washington gain international fame, most notably for his performance as Malcolm X in the feature film of the same name.Washington’s transformation into Malcolm X was incredible—he’s not just the film’s protagonist but the emotional anchor that guides the story forward; obviously, as a biopic, this aspect is crucial, butWashington himself embodies the character in a way that makes it difficult to see anybody else, though the rest of the cast does an incredible job anyway. Having prepared for the role for almost an entire year, it makes sense that his physical and vocal transformation feels like Malcolm X’s spirit is in Washington’s body, in a way.
Malcolm Xis a powerful and incredibly interesting chronicle of, to say the least, an interesting person. It showcases the transformation of Malcolm Little into Malcolm X, from when he was a street hustler all the way until his Nation of Islam days. The movie culminates in Malcolm’s assassination, which, in real life, happened in February 1965. A fun fact about Washington’s portrayal is that he didn’t always rehearse the speeches, and he would often improvise parts of them. Lee mentioned that,after doing a take of Malcolm’s speech, Washington continued talking long after the speech was over in the script. A lot of it was left in the movie, including many of his other improvised lines.Malcolm Xearned Washington anotherOscar and Golden Globe nominationand is widely considered one of the greatest andmost essential biopics ever made.
A portrayal of a controversial and influential leader in the fight for civil rights, the narrative tracks his evolution from a criminal to a fervent advocate for the rights of African Americans. His pilgrimage to Mecca brings about a significant change in his approach to activism, leading to a broader vision of peace and unity that challenges his earlier views.
1’Training Day' (2001)
Directed by Antoine Fuqua
Before they worked on thevigilante trilogy,The Equalizer,Antoine Fuquaand Washington worked together onTraining Day, which is, undoubtedly, Washington’s most iconic feature film. It’s a tie betweenMalcolm XandTraining Day, though the latter gave Washingtonsomething that the biopic didn’t, which was an Oscar win.It’s incredible that he has only ever won two Oscars, considering his dedication to his rolesand the magnitude of each of his performances, but if there’s one movie of Washington’s that we must remember, it isTraining Day. This career-defining performance helped us see that Washington wasn’t just capable of being a great hero of a story;he could also become a marvelous antagonist that hypnotizes viewers with his larger-than-life storytelling methods. Some might argue that Washington is better at playing villains, but any seasoned actor confident in his self-image and talents is oftenbetter at portraying villainousand morally gray characters.
Training Dayfollows LAPD rookie Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke), who spends the day with the rogue narcotics detective Alonzo Harris (Washington). Harris is supposed to determine whether Hoyt is capable of joining the narcotics unit, essentially being his mentor for the day. However, Harris has some unusual approaches to mentoring Hoyt, often showing a wild and erratic side that’s an inevitable consequence of being on the streets all the time. Interestingly, neither Fuqua nor Washington were initially attached to the project, butwhen Washington got the role of Alonzo Harris, he asked for Fuqua to direct; Hoyt was almost played byEminem. The movie was inspired by some notable police scandals, including theRampart Scandal and its key figure, LAPD officer Ray Lopez. Washington and Fuqua agreed that Alonzo Harris needed to be seductive andcharismatic in a way that’s also immediately destructive, and Washington thrills at the depiction of a man whose intentions and motivations become blurrier with each passing moment. Indeed, “King Kong ain’t got sh**” on him.
Training Day
A rookie cop spends his first day as a Los Angeles narcotics officer with a rogue detective who isn’t what he appears to be.
NEXT:10 Major Actors Who Have Surprisingly Never Worked With Quentin Tarantino
