The Best Tom Waits Movies

Ranker Film
Updated August 11, 2023 791 votes 195 voters
Over 100 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Tom Waits Movies
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List of the best Tom Waits movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Tom Waits'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 Tom Waits movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Tom Waits movies will be at the top of the list. Tom Waits has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Tom Waits movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Tom Waits films to end the squabble once and for all.

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

Items on this list include Paradise Alley and Cold Feet.

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

Tom Waits is no stranger to working with popular directors, including Robert Altman, Tony Scott and Francis Ford Coppola. Is Tom Waits your favorite person to watch on the big screen? You might also want to vote on our best Johnny Cash and David Bowie films lists too.

Ranked by
  • Down by Law
    1

    Down by Law

    Tom Waits, Ellen Barkin, Roberto Benigni
    49 votes
    • Released: 1986
    • Directed by: Jim Jarmusch
    Down by Law is a 1986 black-and-white independent film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It stars Tom Waits, John Lurie, and Roberto Benigni. The film centers on the arrest, incarceration, and escape from jail of three men. It discards jailbreak film conventions by focusing on the interaction between the convicts rather than on the mechanics of the escape. A key element in the film is Robby Müller's slow-moving camerawork, which captures the architecture of New Orleans and the Louisiana bayou to which the cellmates escape.

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  • The Fisher King
    2

    The Fisher King

    Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges, Amanda Plummer
    26 votes
    • Released: 1991
    • Directed by: Terry Gilliam
    In the compelling film The Fisher King, Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges), a former radio shock-jock, is entangled in a journey of redemption and self-discovery after an on-air misstep leads to tragedy. He finds an unlikely companion in Parry (Robin Williams), a homeless man who believes himself to be on a quest for the Holy Grail. As their lives intertwine, they navigate the complexities of guilt, love, sanity, and survival in this drama-comedy hybrid. The movie won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Mercedes Ruehl) and was nominated for four other categories including Best Actor (Robin Williams).

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  • Coffee and Cigarettes
    3

    Coffee and Cigarettes

    Roberto Benigni, Steven Wright, Joie Lee
    34 votes
    • Released: 2003
    • Directed by: Jim Jarmusch
    This 11-vignette film focuses on the human interactions that happen while partaking in the everyday indulgence of coffee and cigarettes. Featuring well-known actors and other artists as themselves or some version thereof, the film highlights the nuances and subtle hostilities that can be a part of seemingly normal conversations. Bill Murray waits on the Wu-Tang Clan, Iggy Pop and Tom Waits get on each others' nerves and Jack and Meg White of the White Stripes discuss Nikola Tesla.

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  • Short Cuts
    4

    Short Cuts

    Andie MacDowell, Bruce Davison, Julianne Moore
    24 votes
    • Released: 1993
    • Directed by: Robert Altman
    Many loosely connected characters cross paths in this film, based on the stories of Raymond Carver. Waitress Doreen Piggot (Lily Tomlin) accidentally runs into a boy with her car. Soon after walking away, the child lapses into a coma. While at the hospital, the boy's grandfather (Jack Lemmon) tells his son, Howard (Bruce Davison), about his past affairs. Meanwhile, a baker (Lyle Lovett) starts harassing the family when they fail to pick up the boy's birthday cake.
  • Bram Stoker's Dracula
    5

    Bram Stoker's Dracula

    Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins
    33 votes
    • Released: 1992
    • Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
    Bram Stoker's Dracula is a chilling journey into the heart of darkness, masterfully directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The tale unfolds with Count Dracula (Gary Oldman), an ageless vampire haunted by a tragic love story. He leaves his castle in Transylvania and ventures to Victorian England, lured by a photograph of Mina Murray (Winona Ryder), who bears an uncanny resemblance to his long-lost beloved. In this grim world, Professor Abraham Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins) emerges as a beacon of light. A scholar with profound knowledge about vampires, he becomes the chief adversary to the Count's unholy plans. The movie cascades through a series of hauntingly beautiful scenes that paint a vivid picture of love, loss, and horror. Winner of three Academy Awards, this Gothic horror film reinterprets Bram Stoker's classic novel, offering viewers an intricate tapestry of passion and terror. It stands as a testament to Coppola's cinematic genius and the enduring allure of the Dracula legend.

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  • Rumble Fish
    6

    Rumble Fish

    Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane
    24 votes
    • Released: 1983
    • Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
    Disaffected and restless, Rusty James (Matt Dillon) is spoiling for a fight. Abandoned by his mother and living with his alcoholic father (Dennis Hopper), he hangs out with his girlfriend, Patty (Diane Lane), and his similarly aimless friends Midget (Larry Fishburne), Smokey (Nicolas Cage) and B.J. Jackson (Christopher Penn). When his brother, the Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), returns to town, Rusty hopes to gain guidance and wisdom from someone most people think is crazy.

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