Steve Buscemi: 10 Best Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes

Who doesn’t love Steve Buscemi? This New York City native made his film debut in 1985, and he’s acted in dozens and dozens of movies and television shows since. From independent ventures to big-budget action movies to quirky comedies, Buscemi does it all. The ultimate “That Guy” actor, Buscemi’s career got a boost when he starred in Quentin Tarantino’s mob ensemble Reservoir Dogs in 1992, and he became an even bigger deal after his role in 1996’s dark comedy Fargo.

In the past decade, Buscemi has become most recognizable for his lead role in HBO’s Prohibition-era drama Boardwalk Empire. Buscemi’s range is hard to surpass. He’s able to pull off a serious moment while turning goofy in the same breath. Whether it’s with the Coen brothers or Adam Sandler, Buscemi always brings an energetic edge to his roles. Here are his 10 best movies, ranked by their score on Rotten Tomatoes.

10 Reservoir Dogs (1992)  – 91%

“Y’know what this is? It’s the world’s smallest violin.” As Mr. Pink in Quentin Tarantino’s heist drama Reservoir Dogs, Buscemi plays a con man hired by a mob boss. The film opens with an infamous dialogue-driven scene at a diner, as the group of gangsters argues about Mr. Pink’s no-tipping policy.

Considered an independent classic, Reservoir Dogs accentuates Tarantino’s signature sarcasm, gruesome violence, and stylized portrayal of criminal activity. Buscemi shares the screens with the likes of Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Tim Roth, and Chris Penn.

9 Miller’s Crossing (1990) – 91%

This Coen brothers noir thriller takes place during the Prohibition era, focusing on two rival gangs vying for power in an unspecified city. The film’s characters are a bunch of self-serving, ego-driven men who will do whatever it takes to stay on top.

Buscemi plays the lover of Bernie, portrayed by John Turturro, who meets an unfortunate end due to the ongoing rivalry. Miller’s Crossing is essentially a homage to all the gangster media that came before it, and the Coen brothers fill it with references to various sources, such as The Godfather and Dashiel Hammett’s novels.

8 Lean On Pete (2018) – 91%

This understated drama tells the story of a 15-year-old who begins working at a horse stable, where he develops a relationship with an aging horse named Lean on Pete. The teenager, Charlie, learns that the horse’s days are numbered, so he takes him on an adventure through the wild frontier.

Buscemi stars as Del in the film, a horse trainer. Lean on Pete is directed by Andrew Haigh, known for independent dramas like Weekend and 45 Years.

7 The Laramie Project (2002) – 92%

Based on the play of the same, The Laramie Project is a fictionalized retelling of the murder of Matthew Shephard, a young man who was targeted because of his sexuality. Despite being deemed a hate crime, the two men responsible for his death couldn’t be charged as such because the state of Wyoming, as well as many other US states, didn’t have hate crimes the year of Matthew’s death, 1998.

The Laramie Project is an ensemble drama, and Buscemi plays a man known as Doc O’Connor, a limo driver who knew Matthew and used to give him rides to gay bars out of town.

6 Pulp Fiction (1994) – 92%

Buscemi has a minor role in this layered series of intertwined stories that come together into one of the best films of the 1990s. He makes a cameo as a saucy waiter in a Buddy Holly themed restaurant called Jack Rabbit Slim’s. This is the place John Travolta’s character Vincent takes Uma Thurman’s character Mia for dinner.

Many critics consider Pulp Fiction to be Tarantino’s masterpiece, and this ensemble drama revived or jump-started the careers of many actors, from Travolta to Christopher Walken to Bruce Willis.

5 In The Soup (1992) – 92%

Directed by Alexandre Rockwell, known for independent films like Somebody to Love and 13 Moons, In The Soup tells the story of a screenwriter looking to get his latest script made into a movie. Buscemi stars as Adolpho, and his 500-page script is completely unfilmable.

Desperate to see his dream realized, Aldopho posts an ad to sell his script to the highest bidder. Along comes a gangster named Joe, played by Seymour Cassel. Joe wants to make the movie, but his demands require a lot more than Aldolpho is prepared for.

4 Ghost World (1999) – 92%

This unconventional Terry Zwigoff independent comedy is based on a Daniel Clowes graphic novel with the same name. Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson play a pair of high school graduates in Southern California who have no idea what they want to do with their lives.

Thora’s character, Enid, develops a peculiar friendship with Buscemi’s character, a jazz enthusiast named Seymour with an impressive record collection. As two people disenchanted by society at large, Enid and Seymour’s bond grows, until the attraction between them comes to a head.

3 Fargo (1996) – 93%

A Coen brothers dark masterpiece, Fargo is a violent story about life in North Dakota. It spawned an anthology TV series of the same name. In the movie, Buscemi plays a con man named Carl, who is hired by a broke car salesman played by William H. Macy. Macy’s character Jerry wants Carl and his partner Gaear to kidnap his wife and extort his father-in-law.

As they do in Coen brothers films, things go terribly wrong. Gaear and Carl turn against each other, and Carl meets an unfortunate end in a woodchipper.

2 The Death Of Stalin (2018) – 96%

Buscemi plays Russian statesman Nikita Khrushchev in this political dark comedy written and directed by Veep creator Armando Iannucci. Adapted from a graphic novel, The Death of Stalin details the events that occurred after Joseph Stalin died from a heart attack in 1953. Full of backstabbing, intrigue, and witty dialogue, the film was met with critical praise.

The film depicts Krushchev’s power grab, getting into the particulars of how he was able to seize control of the Soviet Union. Buscemi gives a memorable, comedy performance as the eventual leader of the USSR as it reached the height of the Cold War.

1 Monsters, Inc. (2001) – 96%

A massively popular and critically-acclaimed Pixar animated film, Monsters, Inc. is the fourth feature by the now prolific movie studio. The movie depicts an alternate reality, where monsters survive off the screams of children they scare. Monsters are employed by a company, where they are cast out in the human world to do their biding.

Buscemi voices Randall, a scaly, lizard-like monster who competes against the main characters Sulley and Mike for screams. This self-serving, purple reptilian beast is an antagonist to the more laid-back and humorous monsters around him.

About The Author