Movies - TV
16 Best Forest Whitaker Movies, Ranked
By SAMANTHA JACOBS
16. Repo Men
Forest Whitaker's performance as Jake in "Repo Men" helps to drive the plot forward, but the role doesn't fully showcase his acting abilities. Although his excellent supporting turn serves as a catalyst for his partner's transformation, Jake's personality falls flat and doesn't leave a
lasting impression.
15. Panic Room
Whitaker plays Burnham, a surprisingly principled criminal who serves as the voice of reason for his band of burglars and wrestles with the moral implications of his life choices. He makes the ultimate sacrifice, but the film's genre limits his development as the concept takes priority over individual characters.
14. Color of Money
In "The Color of Money," Whitaker portrays Amos, an amicable amateur who bests Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) in a double-or-nothing game of pool. His role is so brief that Whitaker's name doesn't appear in the opening credits, yet a relatively inexperienced Whitaker holds his own against mega-star Newman.
13. City of Lies
Whitaker plays Darius "Jack" Johnson, a persistent and eccentric journalist who partners with a disgraced former detective to uncover the truth behind the murders of Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace. Despite being one of Whitaker's more multidimensional roles, Johnson tends to fade into the background, making him somewhat forgettable.
12. The Forgiven
Whitaker delivers an impressive performance as Archbishop Desmond Tutu in "The Forgiven," as he convincingly captures Tutu's mannerisms, inflection, and aesthetics. Unfortunately, his impressive portrayal gets lost in the film's convoluted plot, which is inspired by a fictional play about the Archbishop and a South African criminal.