Matt Dillon is one of my favorite actors. While he’s had a prolific and long career, he still doesn’t seem to have the recognition that he deserves. I’ve seen a majority of Dillon’s films and while he’s great in all of them, these are 10 movies where he gives an amazing performance and that I think are just great films overall.
10. Little Darlings (1980)
While at summer camp, two 15-year-old girls Ferris (Tatum O’Neal) and Angel (Kristy McNichol) compete to see who can lose their virginity first.
This is one of my all-time favorite teen sex comedies because it focuses so much on the female characters and creates such realistic interactions and developments between all of them. Matt Dillon is more of a subplot in his role as Randy, Angel’s fling, but he’s still very memorable. It’s interesting to see his character being the object of desire, rather than one of the girls, as it normally is.
Dillon and McNichol have some of the best scenes in the film and they feel very comfortable around each other. They both approach their characters and moments together with honesty. It’s incredibly refreshing to see a movie about sexuality handle its themes with such grace. It’s also just really fun and Matt is great as a sort of brainless and horny camper from across the lake.
9. To Die For (1995)
Partially based on a true story, Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) will do whatever it takes to become a world-famous television reporter. Even if that means killing her husband Larry (Matt Dillon).
This film is 100% Nicole Kidman’s, her performance is legendary. But the supporting cast is great as well, including some of my favorites: Joaquin Phoenix, Illeana Douglas, and of course, Matt Dillon. The razor-sharp script, written by Buck Henry, is clever and I love the mockumentary style that it’s presented in.
Dillon plays the unassuming husband who deserves more screentime, but it’s interesting to see his story and character become manipulated throughout the film through the retelling of other people’s words. We don’t really know him that well but it’s intriguing to try and piece the puzzle together.
8. City of Ghosts (2002)
Matt made his directorial debut with this haunting yet beautiful film. He stars as an agent on the run from the United States government to Cambodia, getting more than he originally bargained for. I think Matt’s performance is really the highlight for me, it’s not a film that I particularly like per se, but I can tell that Matt put so much into this movie as he wrote, directed, and starred in it.
The nice thing is that while it takes place in Cambodia, it never feels exploitative of the people or culture of those who live there, which seems to be a rare thing for Hollywood films made in Asian countries. I think the movie really shows how much of a free-spirit and dreamer Matt is, which isn’t immediately apparent about him. Hopefully, he’ll get the opportunity to direct more in the future because I enjoy his style and its uniqueness.
7. Sunlight Jr. (2013)
Matt plays Richie, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident and struggling to stay out of poverty with his girlfriend, Melissa (Naomi Watts). Melissa discovers she is pregnant and must decide whether or not to keep the baby.
While I don’t necessarily think it’s good for able-bodied actors to play characters with disabilities, Dillon really embodies his character. This movie has its flaws, but is always held together by the wonderful performances and chemistry between Dillon and Naomi Watts. The film feels very realistic, almost like a documentary, giving us a glimpse into the lives of real people which I think is because of how natural and raw the lead performances are.
I admire Matt’s ability to play such nuanced characters with so much heart and soul behind them. That’s especially apparent in this film, as Richie is prone to drunkenness and fits of rage, but you can’t help but feel for him because of all the suffering he is going through.
6. Over the Edge (1979)
Matt’s first movie, where he plays (another) Ritchie and feels very realistic in his part. I always find it so interesting to watch an actor’s first couple film roles and see how they’ve evolved since then. Usually, I find them to be rougher around the edges and slightly inexperienced, but almost more natural because they haven’t really been in front of a camera before. That’s how I feel about Matt in this movie.
Over the Edge is about a group of teenagers who grow tired of the monotony of their planned community and start to wreak havoc on the adults in the neighborhood. It’s a really fun and rebellious film with an awesome soundtrack. The entire cast of kids are newcomers, which adds to the naturalism and charm of the movie. It was the first movie of Matt’s that I saw, so it means a lot to me because of that.
5. The Outsiders (1983)
Matt plays Dallas Winston, one of the most interesting characters in film/literature, at least in my opinion. He’s outwardly a tough rebel with a checkered past, but once we learn more about his character, he turns out to be a product of his abusive environment and a society that breeds and promotes toxic masculinity. Dillon plays him with such vulnerability so you have to feel for him.
In general, this is one of my favorite movies and I think it explores the effects of toxic masculinity very well. Dallas is just another cog in this harmful machine, and we see how his actions impact everyone else in his group of friends. While this is probably the type of performance Matt is most well-known for, he’s still very good at it.
4. Rumble Fish (1983)
In his second Francis Ford Coppola and final S.E. Hinton collaboration, Matt plays Rusty-James, a teenager trying to grow up in a failing town in the shadow of his brother, The Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke). It’s an excellent film all around, and one of Matt’s best performances. Despite the fact that Rusty-James is not the nicest person, Matt still gets you to feel for him and the circumstances that he’s been put in with his performance.
Throughout the film, we see Rusty-James become more human, peeling away the rough outer layers. Matt portrays him with such sensitivity and naturalism, which is helped even further by his great chemistry with his co-stars. This is one of his more physically expressive roles, and while he could be playing ‘just another hoodlum,’ there’s actually a lot of depth and nuance to Rusty-James.
3. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Bob (Matt Dillon) leads a quartet of drug-addicted young adults who rob drugstores to get their fix. Matt is so charismatic and confident in this role, yet there’s a hint of sadness and pain behind his eyes. For me, this is one of his most nuanced performances and so much of it has to do with his facial expressions and physicality. Matt has some of the most expressive eyes I’ve ever seen in an actor, and he really uses them to his advantage in each of his roles.
He also portrays the effects of drug use and drug addiction very realistically – the manic highs, depressive lows, antsy feelings, and unclear logic. As the film goes on, his character really develops and it shows the broadness of Matt’s acting abilities.
2. Tex (1982)
Two teenage brothers (Matt Dillon and Jim Metzler) are growing up in rural Oklahoma with an absent father, unsure of what lies ahead in their future. This was Dillon’s first collaboration with author S.E. Hinton and she said this was one of his best performances. I definitely agree with her on that. Despite his Oklahoman accent is not that great, Matt really brings Tex to life in the film.
It’s refreshing to see Matt in a softer and calmer role, playing a quiet character who isn’t necessarily dumb, but just not sure what to do with his life. It’s fun to see him interact with the horses and be more playful with his friends, something that he wasn’t really given the opportunity to do in his other films. I think Matt does really well with the brother relationships in his movies, and he and Jim Metzler play off each other really well. I think this was one of Matt’s best performances from his earlier movies, and it makes me wish he had gotten more serious roles later on in his career.
1. The Saint of Fort Washington (1993)
Possibly Matt’s most underrated movie, he plays a character (also named Matt) who is thrown out on the street after his landlord evicts him. It’s a gritty yet touching tale and really held together by the relationship between Matt and Jerry (Danny Glover), a man he befriends.
This is Matt’s most vulnerable and understated performance. I think it’s maybe his best ever (though I haven’t seen every single one of his films, this really stands out). His character is so tender and sad, something Matt hardly ever gets to play, even though he does it so well. The movie really hinges on his relationship with Danny Glover’s character, and the two of them have excellent chemistry and every scene between them feels so natural.
At times it can be a little too depressing but never dips into exploitation. I hope the film someday gets the recognition it deserves.
Written by: Audrey Cornell
