15 best films with James McAvoy

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Whether in a blockbuster about superheroes or in a cheap author's film, McAvoy's characters look alive and attract the viewer. Even if the actor plays the villain.

A modest boy from a simple Scottish family dreamed of becoming a priest and going on a pilgrimage around the world. Once a neighbor of the teacher, director David Heyman, came to a lesson at his school. Filming stories inspired the teenager so much that he decided to become an actor.

Heyman soon gave him a small role. And then the young artist easily passed the competition at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and soon plunged into the world of cinema. The boy's name was James McAvoy.

Now he is known to literally every movie lover thanks to his versatile, but always well-crafted roles.

1. … and in my heart I dance

Inside I'm Dancing

• Great Britain, Ireland, France, 2004.
• Drama, comedy.
• Duration: 104 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 9.

Michael has cerebral palsy and spent most of his 24 years in a nursing home. He does not even think that life can be different until he meets a new patient. The cheerful and witty Rory, due to muscle atrophy, moves only his head and a pair of fingers. It is he who shows Michael that life can be enjoyed in a wheelchair.

Rory O'Shea is the first bright role in the career of James McAvoy. While preparing, he communicated with people with disabilities and tried to understand their thoughts and feelings. This allowed us to make the image as realistic as possible. Rory doesn't want pity and compassion. He dreams of living and enjoying like everyone else.

Around the same time, the actor got into the British TV series Shameless, on the basis of which the famous American remake was later filmed. In the original, McAvoy played Steve, a friend of the main character Fiona. By the way, with the actress Anne-Mary Duff, who played the main role, they got married a few years later.

2. The Chronicles of Narnia: the lion, the witch and the wardrobe

• USA, UK, 2005.
• Adventure, fantasy, family.
• Duration: 143 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 9.

In the house of a friend of their parents, four children find a mysterious wardrobe. Through him, they get to the fabulous Narnia. But in this country, everything is unsettled. An evil witch made an eternal winter, and the royal lion Aslan must defeat her in order to free the inhabitants.

In this film, McAvoy got a small but very memorable role of the faun Mr. Tumnus. The actor himself said that it was thanks to the books of Clive Lewis that he fell in love with fantasy and science fiction, and therefore even such a role in the adaptation of the classics was very important for him.

On the set, McEvoy used to put on makeup for several hours. Especially the goat nose and false ears, which had to move, were in the way. The actor also wore green tights on the set: with the help of computer graphics, they were turned into hooves.

3. The last king of Scotland

• UK, 2006.
• Biography, drama, historical.
• Duration: 123 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

A young doctor Garrigan arrives in Uganda, dreaming of helping ordinary people. The country has a new president, Idi Amin. Fate brings Garrigan to the ruler, and the doctor is at first fascinated by the bold deeds of the politician. But he soon realizes that he has become an accomplice of the bloody dictator.

The image of James McAvoy in this film is based on several real personalities at once, their names are usually not called. But the main thing is that the actor was able to show changes in the character of his character. At first, he is an enthusiastic and naive adventurer, and by the end of the plot - a broken man, ready for low deeds.

4. Penelope

• USA, UK 2006.
• Fairy tale, drama, romantic comedy.
• Duration: 102 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 8.

Penelope Wilhern is the heiress of an ancient aristocratic family. She is forced to hide from everyone in the family house, because she has a pig's nose instead of a nose. To save a girl from the curse, a noble young man must fall in love with her. But all the suitors scatter in fear until Max arrives, accidentally not seeing Penelope's face.

In form, this film is a fairy tale, except that the action unfolds in modern scenery. But in the picture there is also a topical theme of obsession with beauty, and even black humor. James McAvoy plays here a very simple charming young man who sincerely falls in love with Penelope and wants to help her.

5. Jane Austen

• Great Britain, Ireland, 2007.
• Biography, drama, melodrama.
• Duration: 120 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 1.

Parents force Jane Austen to marry of convenience. But the girl protests against this decision. One day she meets the charming Irishman Tom Lefroy, a future lawyer. Real passion flares up between young people. But the young man's poverty and the influence of his parents prevent Jane and Tom from being together.

While preparing to shoot a historical drama, James McAvoy studied with an etiquette teacher. He studied 18th century manners, how to bow properly and play cricket. At the same time, he managed not to turn his image into a caricature - the feelings and behavior of Tom Lefroy look completely natural.

6. Atonement

• UK, France, 2007.
• Melodrama, military.
• Duration: 123 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

Thirteen-year-old writer Briony Tallis has a rich imagination. And once she was too brightly freaked out by the circumstances of her sister's rape. The innocent Robbie becomes the prime suspect. He is sent first to prison, and then to war.

And again, James McAvoy showed a hero who changes almost beyond recognition. In the first part of the film, Robbie is a simple, positive and straightforward person. But the war breaks him down, he faces cruelty and injustice. The character of the hero is transformed. For this role, McAvoy was nominated for a Golden Globe and BAFTA, and the picture itself earned 7 Oscar nominations.

7. Especially dangerous

• USA, Russia, Germany, 2008.
• Action, crime.
• Duration: 110 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 7.

Wesley Gibson's life is boring and predictable. At work, he is humiliated all the time, and the girl is not ashamed to cheat on him. But suddenly the hero learns that his father was recently killed. He dumped Wesley as a child and was in a secret society of killers. Then the character himself becomes a murderer, discovering in himself almost supernatural abilities.

Director Timur Bekmambetov greatly softened the comic strip by Mark Millar, turning it from trash and madness into a driving thriller. And for the main role, quite unexpectedly, they invited James McAvoy, better known for his dramatic roles. But the actor did an excellent job with the image of a tough guy and even performed many stunt stunts.

8. Last Sunday

• Germany, Great Britain, Russia, 2009.
• Biography, drama, melodrama.
• Duration: 112 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 0.

The middle-aged Leo Tolstoy is more and more at odds with his wife Sofya Andreevna. He renounces religion and title of nobility and plans to rewrite his will. His wife is forced to fight for her well-being. The writer's secretary Valentin Bulgakov, who literally idolizes Tolstoy, is drawn into family affairs.

In this film, James McAvoy works with amazing actors. The role of Leo Tolstoy was played by Christopher Plummer, and his wife was played by Helen Mirren. But the image of Bulgakov, embodied by McAvoy, was not lost against the background of even such an experienced couple. The hero's vivid emotions really catch on. After all, the character first extols the idol almost like a god and only then begins to see him as a simple person.

9. The conspirator

• USA, 2010.
• Drama, crime.
• Duration: 122 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 9.

Eight people have been arrested on conspiracy charges since the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Among them is the single woman Mary Surrett. No one doubts the guilt of the suspects, and even lawyer Frederick Aiken is reluctant to defend the girl. During the investigation, it turns out that Mary was a victim of tragic circumstances and did not commit a crime. Then Aiken is already sincerely trying to help the woman.

A slow spoken film is built on emotions and contradictions. This is not a detective story, but a drama in which the hero makes difficult moral choices. He must defend the interests of his client, but he does not want to have anything to do with the president's killers.

10. X-Men: First Class

• USA, UK, 2011.
• Superhero action movie.
• Duration: 131 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

Friends Charles Xavier and Eric Lehnsherr gather mutants with unusual abilities together. But they are opposed by the "Hellfire Club", which decided to unleash a war. Over time, the contradictions between Charles and Eric grow stronger. This will lead to future mutant confrontation.

James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender faced a very difficult task: to replace the legendary Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in the roles of Professor X and Magneto. The actors did a great job, and they later appeared regularly in the X-Men franchise.

11. Trance

• UK, France, 2013.
• Detective, thriller.
• Duration: 101 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 9.

Auction house employee Simon colludes with thieves and helps them steal the painting. But during the robbery, he gets hit on the head and loses his memory. As a result, Simon, even under torture, cannot remember where he hid the painting. Then the criminals hire a hypnotherapist to restore the course of events.

In Danny Boyle's unusually constructed and controversial film, the attitude towards the protagonist changes repeatedly. And here again McAvoy's acting talent is revealed. As a result, everyone has the right to decide for himself whether to consider the hero a victim or a villain.

12. Dirt

• UK, 2013.
• Comedy, drama, crime.
• Duration: 97 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 1.

Police detective Bruce Robertson wants a promotion. And for this he is ready for any meanness and crime. Bruce shamelessly substitutes his rivals and takes advantage of his official position. And in ordinary life, he is not the most pleasant person. Although it turns out that a riotous lifestyle does not give him sincere pleasure.

The role in the film adaptation of Irwin Welch's novel "Shit" is considered by many to be the pinnacle of James McAvoy's skill. After all, his hero is the embodiment of all possible vices and repulsive qualities. However, the actor did his best to make Bruce charming. And McAvoy succeeded.

13. Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby

• USA, 2013.
• Drama, melodrama.
• Duration: 89 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 9.

Conor and Eleanor have been married for several years. They don't get along very well with their parents, but they are really happy with each other. But a tragic moment comes in their relationship. Each of the heroes experiences it in their own way. And then Eleanor decides to disappear from Conor's life.

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby is a trilogy with the subtitles "He," "She," and "They." The first part tells a story from the point of view of a man, the second - a woman, in the final film the lines are united. It is interesting to observe how differently the characters perceive events and try to deal with the situation. James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain create a real drama, the whole plot is based on their skill.

14. Split

• USA, 2016.
• Thriller, horror.
• Duration: 117 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

A stranger puts three girls to sleep and kidnaps them right in the parking lot. They wake up in an unfamiliar room. And soon they find out that 23 persons coexist in the body of their kidnapper Kevin Crumb. But all the heroes are waiting for the creepiest, 24th.

Another challenge for McAvoy. He is not considered a master of transformations like Christian Bale or Joaquin Phoenix. But James McAvoy showed that he can play different characters without changing outwardly. In one film, he portrayed an organized person, a psychopath, a woman, and even a child. Of course, some of the images turned out to be a little grotesque. But all the same, the changes in character and behavior look very bright.

15. Explosive blonde

• USA, 2017.
• Action, thriller, detective.
• Duration: 115 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 7.

During the Cold War, British intelligence dispatches special agent Lorraine Broughton to Berlin, divided by a wall. Here the girl should find a microfilm with a list of spy names. To complete the mission, Lorraine teams up with undercover agent David Percival.

In this film, the image of McAvoy is largely built on the contrast with the main character. She is cool and charming, and he looks sloppy and often acts ridiculous. But in reality, Percival seems more realistic, because the agent is undercover and should look so that no one would suspect him.