My buddies and I were engaged in a debate about who is the greatest actor of all time. And for my money, I think it’s Jack Nicholson.
Just here, the diversity of kinds of roles he’s played, the directors he’s worked with, and the legendary performances he’s given are enough to make any argument.
Jack Nicholson defined the “New Hollywood” revolution, gave us the power of the anti-hero, and perfected the art of the slow-burning psychological breakdown.
From his early indie days with Roger Corman to his high-wire act of studio movies in the 2000s, Nicholson’s career is a roadmap of brave choices and technical brilliance.
So today, I want to go over the 10 best Jack Nicholson movies every filmmaker needs to see.
Let’s dive in.
1. Chinatown (1974)
- Director: Roman Polanski
- Writer: Robert Towne
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston
If you want to study the “perfect” screenplay, look no further than Chinatown. Robert Towne’s script is the gold standard for three-act structure and plant-and-payoff.
Nicholson plays Jake Gittes with a restrained cynicism. It’s kind of hard to understand how human and how broken he makes this PI.
For directors, pay attention to how Polanski uses the camera to keep us “in the dark” right along with Jake. We get information only when the protagonist sees it.
2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
– YouTube www.youtube.com
- Director: Miloš Forman
- Writers: Lawrence Hauben, Bo Goldman
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Will Sampson
Nicholson’s McMurphy is the ultimate disruptor. You could study him and how he sort of deconstructs the worldbuilding done by Nurse Ratched. Haskell Wexler shot this movie in such a way that it’s one of the most beautiful of all time. You get high-key, flat lighting to emphasize the oppressive nature of the hospital and the need for rebellion.
3. The Shining (1980)
– YouTube www.youtube.com
- Director: Stanley Kubrick
- Writers: Stanley Kubrick, Diane Johnson
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd
Stephen King famously hated this adaptation, filmmakers worship it for its Steadicam (operated by Garrett Brown), and for the way Kubrick brings tension. the secret>? Cast Jack Nicholson to carry the story. You get so much foreboding from him. So many creepy twists and turns. It’s enthralling.
4. Five Easy Pieces (1970)
– YouTube www.youtube.com
- Director: Bob Rafelson
- Writer: Carole Eastman (as Adrien Joyce)
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Susan Anspach
This is the quintessential “New Hollywood” character study that not enough people have seen. It rejects traditional plot beats in favor of atmosphere, existential angst, and growth. Jack carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. And we feel his existential crisis as he tries to put his life together.
5. The Departed (2006)
– YouTube www.youtube.com
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Writer: William Monahan
- Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson
The movie where Scorsese finally got his Oscar, and Nicholson’s Costello was a big reason why. He became one of the most feared movie villains in recent memory. Jack was reportedly given a lot of room to improvise, and you see the culmination of that in the terrifying “prop gun” scene. He kept everyone scared and off balance; they had to react to him.
6. The Passenger (1975)
– YouTube www.youtube.com
- Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
- Writers: Mark Peploe, Peter Wollen, Michelangelo Antonioni
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Maria Schneider, Jenny Runacre
If you want to see Nicholson subvert his own “Jack” persona, this is the one. It is so slow, deliberate, and dedicated to pulling a man apart at the seams and building someone new. He plays a journalist who steals a dead man’s identity. This is not your typical Hollywood story. There’s a seven-minute tracking shot that sums up the theme of the whole movie, and even a real execution on camera.
7. A Few Good Men (1992)
– YouTube www.youtube.com
- Director: Rob Reiner
- Writer: Aaron Sorkin
- Cast: Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore
Jack is just so good in big Hollywood movies because he carries such a bold presence. He steals every scene he’s in, and Aaron Sorkin’s razor-sharp dialogue provides the ammunition. Nicholson’s delivery of the “You can’t handle the truth!” monologue is a lesson in power dynamics.
8. As Good as It Gets (1997)
– YouTube www.youtube.com
- Director: James L. Brooks
- Writers: Mark Andrus, James L. Brooks
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear
Writing an “unlikable” protagonist is one of the hardest things to do but this movie crushes it. It’s a textbook example of character arc. We see a man with zero empathy slowly change in ways that get us caring and rooting for him.
9. The Last Detail (1973)
– YouTube www.youtube.com
- Director: Hal Ashby
- Writer: Robert Towne
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Otis Young, Randy Quaid
An all-time underrated movie. You gotta see this film to just bask in the performances at its center. Hal Ashby was a former editor, and you can see that rhythmic precision. Nicholson plays a sailor on a mission to deliver a prisoner, and the film serves as a brilliant study in naturalism. This is what 70s filmmaking was all about.
10. Easy Rider (1969)
– YouTube www.youtube.com
- Director: Dennis Hopper
- Writers: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Terry Southern
- Cast: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson
The film that launched a thousand indies. and also a lot of weed smoke. Easy Rider broke every rule in the book, from its non-linear editing to its use of a rock-and-roll soundtrack instead of an original score. All of it worked, and it created a star out of Jack, who was just in a supporting role.
Nicholson shows up halfway through as the alcoholic lawyer George Hanson and essentially walks away with the movie. And never looked back.
Summing It All Up
Jack Nicholson’s filmography is a history of how American cinema evolved. And he was the anchor for so many generations.
Whether he’s playing a private eye, a journalist in existential crisis, or a supernatural caretaker, he always committed to the character. And he brought us with him on the journey.
What are your favorite Nicholson movies?
Let me know in the comments.
