Here are Cinephile Corner’s picks for the 10 best Paul Schrader movies, ranked:
10. The Canyons (2013)
9. The Comfort of Strangers (1990)
8. American Gigolo (1980)
7. Light Sleeper (1992)
Now later in life, there’s clearly a resemblance in the characters of Taxi Driver and Light Sleeper that Paul Schrader identifies with. It could be the need to redefine oneself with age, or examine the decisions made at a younger stage of life. Willem Dafoe stars as a guilt-riddled, lonely man journaling his thoughts away in privacy.
6. Master Gardener (2022)
While Master Gardener plays comically similar to his previous few movies, Paul Schrader finds enough new ideas to still make his newest film feel fresh. Topped by a career-best performance by Joel Edgerton, the movie is a worthwhile treat for longtime fans of the director.
5. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
4. The Card Counter (2021)
Paul Schrader has often explored the psychology of men trapped by their pasts, from Taxi Driver to Light Sleeper, and The Card Counter feels like a natural extension of that lineage. It’s a film that lingers—methodical, unrelenting, and quietly devastating. Perhaps not his flashiest work, but unquestionably one of his most powerful late-career efforts.
3. Hardcore (1979)
2. Blue Collar (1978)
1. First Reformed (2018)
