Edward Thomas Hardy, better known as Tom Hardy, is an English stage, television, and film actor. Born in London’s Hammersmith district, he began his career in 2001 by starring in HBO World War II mini-series Band of Brothers and Ridley Scott‘s Somali Civil War film Black Hawk Down. After that he had roles on stage and in less well-known movies until 2008 when he got an exposure as Charles “Bronson” Salvador in the Nicolas Winding Refn directed film Bronson. More recently his fame has grown thanks to major roles in prominent films. In the near future he will star in Christopher Nolan‘s Dunkirk, which will be released in 2017. The actor will turn 39 years old on September 15, 2016. To celebrate his birthday let’s look at his best films as ranked by users of Flickchart.
10. Legend (2015)
Role: Kray twins
The film Legend belongs to the interesting tradition of a single actor playing more than one role. It is based on the true story of identical twin brothers who engaged in criminal activities in 1960s London. The brothers had very different personalities, with Reggie’s confidence and slickness contrasting with Ronnie’s paranoia and violent behavior. Directed and written by Brian Helgeland, Legend is worth viewing for crime flick fans despite receiving mixed reviews and being called an average gangster movie. (Flickchart’s David Conrad gave it an enthusiastic review.) The film’s greatest strength is Tom Hardy’s performance. Praised by many, Hardy won awards from Independent Film Awards, London Film Critics’ Circle, and Toronto Film Critics Association for his involvement in the film.
- currently ranked #8169 of all-time
- ranked 2681 times by 199 users
- wins 47% of match-ups
- 3 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 0 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
9. The Drop (2014)
Role: Bob Saginowski
Released in 2014, The Drop deals with New York City’s crime scene. The plot follows a bartender working in a place where illegal “drops” occur. Also starring are Noomi Rapace and James Gandolfini in his last feature film role. Once again, the strong cast is the main asset of this production. The script keeps the viewer entertained, and the dialogue taps into real emotions while tension slowly builds up to the satisfying finale.
- currently ranked #3011 of all-time
- ranked 9098 times by 484 users
- wins 52% of match-ups
- 11 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 0 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
8. Lawless (2012)
Role: Forrest Bondurant
Based on real events about Bondurant brothers and their successful moonshine business during Prohibition era, violent conflict and corrupt policemen are the main topics of the film. Hardy stars as Forrest Bondurant, famous because of his claims of invulnerability. Released to positive reviews, Lawless can be recommended to period and true crime fans. It was a contender for the Cannes film festival’s Palme d’Or.
- currently ranked #2625 of all-time
- ranked 23534 times by 1395 users
- wins 49% of match-ups
- 38 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 4 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
7. Locke (2013)
Role: Ivan Locke
Locke is a minimalist film focusing on a man driving a car and dealing with personal issues. It plays out mostly through phone calls, and this rare form of narrative allows Hardy to once again show his acting talent. No surprise the performance earned him the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor. A true character study done in a brilliant way, Locke is recommended to road movie and psychological drama fans.
- currently ranked #2386 of all-time
- ranked 11557 times by 676 users
- wins 55% of match-ups
- 18 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 0 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
6. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Role: Ricki Tarr
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was a critical and commercial success back in 2011. Nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Actor, it topped the British box office chart for three consecutive weeks. Although the main star of the movie is Gary Oldman (whom Hardy called “the greatest actor that’s ever lived”) it shows the talents of Colin Firth, Mark Strong, John Hurt and Benedict Cumberbatch in a realistic espionage thriller. Hardy plays Ricki Tarr, the spy who first learns that there’s a mole in British intelligence. (See our Book to Screen article on this film.)
- currently ranked #1655 of all-time
- ranked 43478 times by 2824 users
- wins 55% of match-ups
- 103 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 8 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
5. Bronson (2008)
Role: Michael Peterson known as Charles Bronson
The role of a real life criminal called Charles Bronson is considered a breakthrough for Hardy. Typically for director Refn’s style, this flick combines art film features with wild crime drama content. Critics and fans agreed again that the lead actor’s work was the best thing about it, but a story about a man who wants to destroy everything around him, and himself too, is interesting enough material on its own. Every cinephile should see it.
- currently ranked #1414 of all-time
- ranked 30752 times by 1680 users
- wins 55% of match-ups
- 60 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 5 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
4. Warrior (2011)
Role: Tommy Conlon
- currently ranked #599 of all-time
- ranked 53672 times by 2958 users
- wins 63% of match-ups
- 245 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 22 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
3. The Revenant (2015)
Role: John Fitzgerald
The Revenant was one of the most prominent films of 2015. Showered with awards and nominations, it was noted for its direction, cinematography, acting, and the instantly-famous bear attack scene. Clearly overshadowed by the one and only Leonardo DiCaprio (who finally won the Oscar after years of the fan-proclaimed neglect from the Academy), Hardy still managed to get his first Academy Award nomination for the role of John Fitzgerald, the man who commits atrocities against the protagonist Hugh Glass. The Revenant is a film about human morality, the will to survive in an untamed world, nature, and revenge. It is beautiful in its own harsh and grimy way.
- currently ranked #516 of all-time
- ranked 24177 times by 1641 users
- wins 61% of match-ups
- 142 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 11 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
2. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Role: Bane
The Dark Knight Rises is the final film from Christopher Nolan’s vision of Batman, certainly one of the most important comic book and superhero characters. Superheroes, of course, require supervillains: bad guys that can go toe to toe with the heroes through their strength, intelligence, tactical knowledge, or superhuman abilities. Bane from Nolan’s film checks the first three of those boxes. The visual concept of Bane was criticized by some because of the mask that distorted Hardy’s voice, yet Hardy was able to make the villain’s presence memorable, menacing, and powerful.
- currently ranked #346 of all-time
- ranked 192543 times by 12469 users
- wins 66% of match-ups
- 1840 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 170 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
1. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Role: Max Rockatansky
A cinematic and cultural phenomenon in 2015, this visually stunning, over the top concept of a wasteland populated by tormented and crazed people is also noted for reviving a Mad Max franchise that had been dead for thirty years. Winning six Academy Awards in technical categories and performing well in the box office, it showed a bold approach in comparison with other action films. Theron, Hoult, and Keays-Byrne may be more memorable than Hardy because of the wider range of emotions their characters show, yet even the previously-skeptical Tarantino has said that Tom is “pretty good” in the movie.
- currently ranked #218 of all-time
- ranked 61298 times by 3427 users
- wins 69% of match-ups
- 626 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 62 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time