Hollywood has blessed us with several amazing actors, and one among them is Leonardo DiCaprio. He didn’t make his acting debut with any high-budget project; instead, it was a low-budget horror film, Critters 3. Later, he gave us some of the most intriguing films that no cinephile should sleep on. Leonardo DiCaprio has also bagged several awards for his contribution to the film industry. Well, if you are curious to know about the best films that he has worked in so far, here’s the list of 10 best Leonardo DiCaprio movies.
10. Once Upon a Time in.. Hollywood
- Genre: Comedy, Drama
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Timothy Olyphant, Austin Butler, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Al Pacino
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.6 / 86%
What’s better than seeing Leonardo DiCaprio in a Quentin Tarantino film? Seeing Leonardo and Brad Pitt together in a Quentin Tarantino film would certainly fit the bill. The movie takes you back to the 1960s, the good old Hollywood era, when Western movies ruled the industry. In the movie, Leonardo plays the role of a struggling actor, Rick Dalton, who will soon be forgotten by the industry. Rick wants to star in some big movie, and for that, he takes help from a legendary yet controversial stuntman, Cliff Booth.
As expected, Leonardo is amazing as Rick, and his chemistry with Brad Pitt is spectacular. The story is for sure amazing, but the amazing teamwork between two legendary actors steals the show for many fans.
9. Killers of the Flower Moon
- Genre: Crime Drama
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.6 / 93%
Killers of the Flower Moon is one of the recent movies that features Leonardo DiCaprio in the leading role. It’s an epic anti-Western movie that features an ensemble cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. It’s a story that sheds light on the criminalities Native Indian people faced at the hands of political bosses.
These powerful and sinister people killed not one but many tribal people, and why? To steal their ancestral land and get their hands on the natural resource. It’s a rather brutal yet emotional tale, and the story does bring out the best from Leonardo DiCaprio and the rest of the cast.
8. Titanic
- Genre: Romantic, Disaster
- Director: James Cameron
- Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Nucci, David Warner, Bill Paxton
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.9 / 88%
You haven’t watched Titanic? If the answer is yes, you must have been living away from civilization. Jokes aside, Titanic is the legendary romantic disaster film loosely based on the real-life sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912.
Titanic will always be remembered as the film that blessed Leonardo with his breakout role. We all love Jack, and we all hate that he didn’t survive in the end when the massive ship sank. But one thing we can’t hate about the movie is Leonardo’s carefree and beautiful portrayal of Jack’s character. The love story of Jack and Rose is etched in our hearts, and to this day, we can’t help but fall in love with the innocent and joyous face of Jack.
7. The Revenant
- Genre: Action, Drama
- Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
- Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8 / 78%
Based on the real-life events that occurred with the frontiersman Hugh Glass, The Revenant is one of the best films in Leonardo DiCaprio’s arsenal. It is a brutal tale that recounts Hugh Glass’s survival against the harsh climatic conditions. The movie basically has a scene where the character survives the cold by sleeping inside a horse’s carcass. Yes, it’s one of the most physically challenging roles, and no one could’ve done a better job at it than Leonardo.
The Revenant is more than just a “survive the cold” story, as the main focus of the story is Hugh Glass’s quest for revenge against John S. Fitzgerald, portrayed by none other than Tom Hardy.
6. Blood Diamond
- Genre: War, Action
- Director: Edward Zwick
- Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou, Michael Sheen, Arnold Vosloo
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8 / 64%
Blood Diamond is extremely different from everything else we discussed in the list. And what does that tell? It suggests that Leonardo is such an incredible actor that he can slip into any role, regardless of its complexity. Blood Diamond is set in a country that is torn apart by a civil war, and amidst all that, there’s Danny Archer, who gets into trouble while smuggling diamonds. However, Danny is fortunate enough to make a good friend in all this mess, and not only does he survive the entire ordeal, but he also helps a man reunite with his family.
Honestly, the role of Danny Archer wasn’t an easy one. No, that’s not because he smokes like a chimney but because of the dilemma he faces in each step in the story. And guess what? Leonardo takes on the job and shines like a diamond (pun intended).
5. Catch Me If You Can
- Genre: Crime, Comedy
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8.1 / 96%
Catch Me If You Can is exactly what its title says, as it features the story of a conman, Frank Abagnale Jr., who committed several frauds when he was young. Leonardo does a great job at playing the complex character of Frank, a charming con man who commits several identity thefts and cons not only several small businesses but also hospital staff, airline staff, and even the FBI.
Catch Me If You Can is a captivating story that hooks you from the very beginning. If you watch the film today, you can’t help but admire the young days of Leonardo and how talented he was from the very start.
4. Shutter Island
- Genre: Psychological Thriller
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Max von Sydow
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8.2 / 69%
What happens when you mix suspense, thriller, drama, and horror into one movie? Well, that’s when you get Shutter Island. Leonardo takes on the role of Edward “Teddy” Daniels, a U.S. Marshal who visits Ashecliffe Hospital to investigate the disappearance of a person. What happens next? Well, the viewers get bombarded with one twist after another, and yes, each twist in the story will simply blow your mind away.
The story is surely one of a kind, but Shutter Island wouldn’t have been a masterpiece if it weren’t for Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo’s incredible acting.
3. The Wolf of Wall Street
- Genre: Biographical Black Comedy
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8.2 / 79%
The Wolf of Wall Street is an Oscar-winning film that features Leonardo DiCaprio taking on the role of the ambitious stockbroker, Jordan Belfort. The film is loosely based on Jordan Belfort’s life, who is infamous for conducting multi-million dollar fraud during his time on Wall Street. There’s more to the movie than greed, though, as it also featured Jordan’s struggle against drugs.
The movie primarily features the rise and fall of the character, and indeed, the main character experiences a range of emotions throughout the film. It’s like watching multiple layers of a single character, and well, who could have portrayed such a complex character on screen? You know the answer. In the end, it’s one of the best movies of Leonardo DiCaprio, and no one can argue with me on that.
2. Django Unchained
- Genre: Revisionist Western
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Dennis Christopher, James Remar, Michael Parks, Don Johnson
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8.5 / 87%
Django Unchained doesn’t feature Leonardo DiCaprio in the leading role. In fact, the actor only appears during the final act of the film. However, the movie still features one of the best performances from the Oscar-winning actor. Yes, the movie is about revenge, love, redemption, and much more, but in the end, you can’t help but remember Leonardo’s sinister monologue in the final act.
The movie tackles tough subjects like slavery, and honestly, it was incredibly daring of Leonardo to take on the role of an evil man in Django Unchained. But as expected, he outshone everyone with his performance in the film and proved why he is considered one of the most diverse actors of our generation.
1. Inception
- Genre: Action, Science-Fiction
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8.8 / 88%
Ah, the good old Christopher Nolan movie that we all miss. Inception is a kind of film that will be considered a masterpiece for several generations. It’s a story that breaks past every level of your imagination. A dream inside a dream inside a dream – if you haven’t heard of something bizarre like this, you are missing out on a spectacular story that we all remember by the name of Inception.
Obviously, it’s hard to talk about this movie without spoiling the narrative for fans, but let’s just say that apart from the story, you’ll love Leonardo’s acting in the film. It’s a sci-fi flick where the main character leads a team while also being emotionally vulnerable after losing his wife. The way Leonardo handles two different personalities in the film is something that can’t be explained through words. You’ll have to watch the film to experience its beauty.
Shashank Shakya
