Oscar Isaac's movies over the last decade have helped him to become one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. Isaac has had a long and varied career over the years with his recent success proving anything but an overnight achievement. Though his recent television role in the MCU with Moon Knight earned him plenty of new fans, his movies have long showcased his incredible versatility, even if some Oscar Isaac movies are better than others.
Isaac has proven there is no genre he is not willing to step into from the giant blockbuster franchises like Star Wars to smaller dramas like A Most Violent Year. Likewise, he is willing to play a ing role in movies like Drive as well as carry his own movie in a project like Inside Llewyn Davis. From hard-hitting dramas and wacky comedies to intense thrillers and family-friendly adventures, the collection of Oscar Isaac movies — both good and bad — highlights his amazing career thus far.
40 Lenny The Wonder Dog (2005)
- Stream on Tubi
Looking at this early role from Oscar Isaac makes it all the more impressive the career he has since built for himself. Lenny the Wonder Dog is about the titular canine implanted with a microchip that allows him to talk and gives him special powers. Isaac's role as a detective named Fartman gives an idea of the level of humor at play here. The main issue Lenny The Wonder Dog faces is that the movie cannot decide if it is a genuine talking-dog family movie, or a parody of the subgenre.
39 Big Gold Brick (2022)
- Stream on Hulu
The recent movie Big Gold Bring suffers from having so many ideas and influences that it fails to convey exactly what it is. Oscar Isaac produces and stars in this quirky, ensemble about a suicidal writer (Emory Cohen) cajoled into penning the autobiography of Floyd Deveraux (Andy Garcia), an enigmatic man with several tall tales to tell. Isaac plays Anselm, one of several oddball characters Floyd meets along the way, and plays him with such diffuse weirdness that it feels like his character has been pulled from an entirely different movie — a frequent issue for Big Gold Brick's often frenetic characterizations.
38 Life Itself
- Stream on Prime Video
2018’s Life Itself is written by Dan Fogelman about a young couple whose plans for the future meet a tragic end , which then also impacts various other people's lives. The movie attempts to go for the same appeal as Fogelman's This is Us, but ends up feeling overly melodramatic and contrived. Even a strong ensemble that includes Antonio Banderas, Olivia Cooke, and Annette Benning couldn't fully redeem Life Itself. While Isaac's turn as grieving widow William Dempsey is good, it deserved to be in a better film.
37 W.E. (2014)
- Stream on DIRECTV
Directed by the pop superstar Madonna, 2011’s W.E. had the potential to be an unusual, artistic take on a decade-spanning, historical love story. A semi-biographical film about one woman’s obsession with King Edward VIII’s abdication of the throne in pursuit of love. Better still it had an eclectic cast, led by Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough, and of course Isaac, who plays a besotted security guard. The inarguably beautiful film, while ed by all of the above, ends up being unfortunately dull, with stiff dialogue and a monotonous pace.
36 Mojave (2015)
- Stream on HBO Max
In Mojave, Isaac plays Jack, a murderous drifter who squares off against Garrett Hedlund’s Tom after they stumble across each other in the Mojave Desert. While trying to say something about the sleaziness of Hollywood, the film ultimately fails by taking itself way too seriously and saying nothing at all. Isaac’s Mojave character Jack is a fairly one-dimensional character, spouting literary monologues and spurious threats.
35 The Addams Family 2 (2021)
- Stream on Prime Video
While slightly better than most animated sequels, thanks in part to a phenomenal and eager voice cast, The Addams Family 2 lost a lot of heart the second time round. Isaac plays Gomez Addams, who decides to take his strange family on a road trip. Some novel ideas, visual gags, and fun hijinks elevate this above other family movies that attempt a spooky vibe. However, the end result is simply a series of disparate events, only very loosely pulled together by the Addams Family minibus (which looks suspiciously like a converted hearse).
34 The Life Before Her Eyes (2008)
- Stream on Prime Video
2007’s The Life Before Her Eyes is a misguided melodrama, utilizing a school shooting as an emotional trigger point. Mediations on school shootings shouldn’t be off limits, but unlike the brilliant Mass, The Life Before Her Eyes has very little to say about the shock and trauma of such events. Isaac turns up briefly, as a bad-boy conquest of Diane McFee (Evan Rachel Woods) and leaves a mark, only because his character lacks the exhausting, forced seriousness of the rest of the film.
33 Suburbicon (2012)
- Stream on Paramount+
When George Clooney was announced to direct 2017’s Suburbicon, with Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, and Oscar Isaac starring in the adaptation of a script by the Coen Brothers no less, expectations were high. But unfortunately, what followed was a jumbled mess, a little too on-the-nose with its message about gentrified America. Clooney proves he cannot handle the deft mixing of dark comedy the way the Coen's do. However, within the multi-layered and misdirected Suburbicon, Isaac shone as an insurance claims investigator called Bud Cooper, who is as persistent as he is entertaining.
32 Won’t Back Down (2012)
- Rent on iTunes
Isaac isn’t given much to do in 2012’s Won’t Back Down. He’s there to simply be the romantic interest for Maggie Gyllenhall’s character, Jamie, who is trying to change the education system at her child’s school. It’s no great loss though, as the film is as forgettable as his role. While Gyllenhall and Viola Davis appear to be the only two actors given anything to do, the rest of the cast and the story itself falls flat while trying to ruminate on the topic of education reform.
31 X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
- Stream on Disney+
The beginning of the end of the X-Men franchise, X-Men: Apocalypse began to show the cracks in what had once been a promising revitalization of the X-Men universe. Bland, repetitive, and without any real purpose, the film had lost the initial spark of X-Men: First Class and the novelty of X-Men: Days of Future Past. Apocalypse saw the franchise floundering and Isaac as the titular villain was lost under inches of make-up. The seasoned actor appeared to be able to barely move his face, leaving audiences to watch Isaac act frantically with his eyes. A disappointing waste of a terrific actor and an iconic X-Men villain.
