Heath Ledger’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked

With a career that spans a little under a decade, Heath Ledger‘s talent and versatility as an actor are evident in his best movies. Ledger’s career began at home in Australia, starting with television shows and his movie debut in Blackrock. However, it wouldn’t be long until he got his breakout role in 10 Things I Hate About You, establishing Ledger’s talent and place in Hollywood.

Directors and actors who got the opportunity to work with him before his passing in 2008 have frequently praised Ledger for his commitment, intuition, and natural curiosity. These traits, along with his easily recognizable talent, have gained Ledger an immense legacy in Hollywood. By far, Ledger’s most celebrated role is as the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. However, this didn’t come along until the end of his career, and Ledger’s filmography before that had already been building up, exhibiting his true range as an actor.

10 The Brothers Grimm (2005)

Jacob Grimm

Though The Brothers Grimm was not a success, commercially or with critics, it’s still worthy of a mention as the film brings out an underrated performance from Ledger. Playing to the film’s adventurous and comedic tones, Ledger takes a few steps back from acting as the lead and gives a fun performance. Starring alongside Matt Damon, Ledger’s performance is more subtle than his previous works and those to come. The Brothers Grimm is set in a fantastical world and tells an inflated version of the titular brothers’ story, referring to many of their popular folktales.

9 Candy (2006)

Dan

A tougher watch from Ledger’s filmography, Candy is a story of two individuals, Candy (Abbie Cornish) and Dan, who are stuck in an intense relationship rooted in their shared drug addiction. Due to Candy‘s generally negative response from critics, the film unfortunately often gets missed when discussing Ledger’s career, despite his strong and convincing lead performance. Candy doesn’t add much to conversations about drug use, but it’s still a harrowing portrayal of how addiction alters the couple’s life.

8 Monster’s Ball (2001)

Sonny Grotowski

Monster’s Ball is best known for being the film in which Halle Berry made history with her Academy Award win. However, Monster’s Ball also features Ledger in a small role as Sonny Grotowski. Sonny works alongside his overbearing father, Hank (Billy Bob Thornton), as a correction officer, but outside of work, the two’s relationship is hostile. Ledger isn’t in the film for long but makes a lasting impact. Not only does Sonny’s final action act as the catalyst for Hank’s future, but Ledger’s emotional performance is striking and proves his ability to hold his own alongside strong actors.

7 A Knight’s Tale (2001)

William Thatcher

A Knight’s Tale is a lighthearted medieval film that accommodates Ledger’s comedic side. In the film, Ledger plays a squire who pretends to be a knight to compete in jousting tournaments. Music by David Bowie and Thin Lizzy is coupled with the medieval setting, so the film doesn’t take itself too seriously, but that doesn’t undermine Ledger’s highly entertaining performance. Ledger’s signature charm works soundly as the underdog squire with hopes and determination to turn his fate around. Setting him up to lead future films, A Knight’s Tale secured Ledger’s star power.

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6 I’m Not There (2007)

Robbie Clark

Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There is a musical drama inspired by the life and works of Bob Dylan. The varying aspects of Dylan’s life are told in the film’s unconventional narrative and are portrayed by I’m Not There‘s cast, which includes Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett. Ledger played Robbie Clark, an actor whose marriage begins to fall apart after a rocky relationship with fame. Ledger said portraying Robbie was challenging (via Slash Film), and though I’m Not There‘s reception was focused heavily on Blanchett’s performance, Ledger’s ability to overcome those challenges and deliver a captivating performance should not go unnoticed.

5 Lords Of Dogtown (2005)

Skip Engblom

The biographical drama, Lords of Dogtown, takes a look at skateboarding culture in the ’70s, following the lives of a group of skateboarders known as the Z-Boys. The Z-Boys came to be established with the influence of Skip Engblom, played by Ledger. Throughout his career and following his passing, Ledger was repeatedly praised for the care and attention to detail he put into his performances and the role of Skip was another example of this.

Lords of Dogtown wasn’t particularly loved by critics, but they generally agreed that Ledger’s performance was the best part of the film. Even people who knew the real Skip Engblom complimented Ledger and his ability to accurately portray not only Skip’s persona but his mannerisms and voice as well. Since its release, Lords of Dogtown has grown a passionate following and is highly ranked among skateboarding films.

4 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Patrick Verona

A Knight’s Tale is often credited for establishing Ledger as a leading man, but the modernized retelling of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You, helped introduce American audiences to his talent. Ledger’s character starts with indefensible reasons for wanting to ask out Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) and this makes Patrick Verona dislikable at times. However, Ledger brings an endearing charisma to his performance, leading to 10 Things I Hate About You becoming a beloved rom-com that audiences keep coming back to over the years.

3 Two Hands (1999)

Jimmy

The same year 10 Things I Hate About You came out, Ledger starred in the Australian crime-comedy, Two Hands. Ledger plays Jimmy, who botches an assignment given to him by a known mob boss in the local area and therefore must come up with ways to retrieve the stolen money. Two Hands isn’t a groundbreaking film by any means, but critics praised the film for its writing, quick pace, and a notable performance by Ledger. Due to his entertaining performance, Two Hands is also the first film in which Ledger received award nominations, most notably an Australian Film Institute Award.

2 Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Ennis Del Mar

Ledger acts alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain, the two telling a moving love story between their characters, Jack and Ennis. As Ennis, Ledger delivers a strong and committed performance, fluctuating between subtle and bold displays of emotion. Brokeback Mountain is often considered Ang Lee’s best film due to the story and the apparent care of those involved with the film.

Brokeback Mountain‘s cast and crew were awarded many accolades, including Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director. For Ledger, he received his first Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. In the years since its release, Brokeback Mountain remains a cherished film for its contribution to LGBTQ+ cinema and Ledger’s memorable performance.

1 The Dark Knight (2008)

Joker

Without a doubt, Ledger’s most recognizable and notable role throughout his career is as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Over the years, The Dark Knight has been viewed as heavily impacting the genre of superhero films and is argued to be one of the best. The Dark Knight also became the first comic book adaption to win an Academy Award in the acting categories when Ledger posthumously won for Best Supporting Actor.

However, much of this praise and celebration wouldn’t be possible without Ledger’s performance. Ledger as the Joker intimated his co-stars due to the impressive twisted and terrifying elements he brought to the character. Many critics and audiences praised Ledger’s ability to fully immerse himself in the villainous character, earning him continuous praise from critics, directors, and fellow actors, all citing his performance as an inspiration for films that followed.