The Best Chris Cooper Movies

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Updated August 11, 2023 605 votes 111 voters
Over 100 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Chris Cooper Movies
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List of the best Chris Cooper movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Chris Cooper's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Chris Cooper movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Chris Cooper movies will be at the top of the list. Chris Cooper has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Chris Cooper movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Chris Cooper films to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best Chris Cooper role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Chris Cooper performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.

Examples of films on this list include The 24 Hour Woman and Silver City.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Chris Cooper movies?" and "What are the greatest Chris Cooper roles of all time?"

Joel Schumacher and Natalie Portman have both worked with Chris Cooper over the years, as have plenty of other well-known directors. Movie fans who love Chris Cooper have also been known to enjoy films starring Ewan McGregor and Ben Foster.

Most divisive: Pharaoh's Army
Ranked by
  • October Sky
    1

    October Sky

    Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern
    16 votes
    • Released: 1999
    • Directed by: Joe Johnston
    John Hickam (Chris Cooper) is a West Virginia coal miner who loves his job and expects his sons, Jim (Scott Miles) and Homer (Jake Gyllenhaal), to follow in his footsteps. But Jim gets a football scholarship, and Homer becomes interested in rocket science after seeing Sputnik 1 crossing the sky. John disapproves of his son's new mania, but Homer begins building rockets with the help of friends and a sympathetic teacher (Laura Dern). Rocketry, he hopes, will prove his ticket to a better life.

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  • Capote
    2

    Capote

    Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Clifton Collins
    19 votes
    • Released: 2005
    • Directed by: Bennett Miller
    Reading of the murder of a Kansas family, New York City novelist Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman) decides to cover the story himself, and travels to the small town with his childhood friend, aspiring novelist Harper Lee (Catherine Keener). When Perry Smith (Clifton Collins Jr.) and Dick Hickock (Mark Pellegrino) are arrested and charged, Capote forms an emotional bond with Smith during his jailhouse interviews despite the young criminal's apparent guilt.

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  • Adaptation
    3

    Adaptation

    Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper
    15 votes
    • Released: 2002
    • Directed by: Spike Jonze
    Adaptation, a drama-comedy film, spins an intriguing tale of self-reflection and artistic struggle. The plot centers on Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage), a talented but troubled screenwriter grappling with the challenge of adapting 'The Orchid Thief', a non-fiction book by Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep). As he dives deeper into the story, his own life begins to intertwine with that of the book's protagonist, John Laroche (Chris Cooper), creating a complex narrative that blurs reality and fiction. Directed by Spike Jonze, this movie bagged an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Chris Cooper). It is celebrated for its witty dialogue, unique storyline, and compelling performances.

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  • American Beauty
    4

    American Beauty

    Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch
    23 votes
    • Released: 1999
    • Directed by: Sam Mendes
    American Beauty, a drama directed by Sam Mendes, unravels the life of Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), a depressed suburban father in the throes of a mid-life crisis. The narrative pivots around his infatuation with his daughter's attractive friend, Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari). His wife Carolyn (Annette Bening), an ambitious realtor, and their alienated daughter Jane (Thora Birch) are significant characters in this introspective tale. The film earned numerous accolades, including five Academy Awards. It explores themes of love, freedom and self-discovery amidst the mundanity of American suburban life.

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  • A Time to Kill
    5

    A Time to Kill

    Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Matthew McConaughey
    17 votes
    • Released: 1996
    • Directed by: Joel Schumacher
    In the heart of Mississippi, A Time to Kill unfolds, a legal drama with a backdrop of racial tension. Young attorney Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) takes on a daunting case defending Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson), a black man accused of taking law into his own hands after an unspeakable crime against his daughter. With Ellen Roark (Sandra Bullock) offering her help, they navigate the deeply divided town. The movie, directed by Joel Schumacher, is an adaptation of John Grisham's first novel and won Samuel L. Jackson the Best Actor award at the NAACP Image Awards.

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  • Lone Star
    6

    Lone Star

    Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Peña, Joe Morton
    17 votes
    • Released: 1996
    • Directed by: John Sayles
    In the Texas border town of Frontera, Sheriff Sam Deeds (Chris Cooper) digs up the past when he finds an old skull in the desert. As he traces the murder of Sheriff Charlie Wade (Kris Kristofferson) 40 years earlier, Deeds' investigation points toward his late father, the much-loved Deputy Buddy Deeds. Ignoring warnings not to delve any deeper, Sam rekindles a romance with his high school sweetheart while bringing up old tensions in the town and exposing secrets long put to rest.

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