Few actors in Hollywood’s long history have had more legendary careers than Jack Nicholson. Ever since he first emerged as part of a new generation of acting talent in the late 1960s, Nicholson has proved that he’s one of the greatest acting talents of his — or any other — generation, alongside the likes of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. With a totally distinct look and an energy that is both terrifying and infectious, Nicholson has taken on a wide array of roles that span multiple genres.
Nicholson continued to deliver great performances decade after decade for nearly 40 years before unofficially retiring in the 2010s (he says he wouldn’t call it retirement, but he hasn’t been in a movie in about a decade now), and this list of Jack Nicholson movies chronicles some of his very best work.
Some of these films are great thrillers while others might be more neatly defined as comedies, but all of them are great. So, while it’s hard to narrow down his storied career in a list like this, we’ve nonetheless decided to rank the 11 best Jack Nicholson movies. For more great movies to watch, check out our lists of the best movies on Netflix and the best movies on Amazon Prime.
11. Terms of Endearment (1983)
10. Something's Gotta Give (2003)
9. A Few Good Men (1992)
8. As Good as It Gets (1997)
7. Batman (1989)
6. About Schmidt (2002)
5. Chinatown (1974)
4. Reds (1981)
3. Five Easy Pieces (1970)
2. The Shining (1980)
1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
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