Here is Cinephile Corner’s ranking of the 11 best John Turturro movies (partially accounting for how long he appears in the film – bear with me):
11. To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
10. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
9. Gloria Bell (2018)
8. Rounders (1998)
7. The Batman (2022)
The Batman is a complete reimagining of superhero genre tropes. A moody noir piece backed by a haunting score and Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader, Matt Reeves’ 2022 blockbuster rewrites what’s possible for these genre films. John Turturro plays infamous crime lord Carmine Falcone in a performance that really takes shape in the second half of the film.
6. The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (2026)
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York finds John Turturro in arguably his best performance and most rewarding material of the 21st century, giving him the rare opportunity to be a leading man again rather than the character actor he’s spent the last few decades becoming. It’s the kind of classical, late-period performance that feels like it should finally earn an actor some overdue Academy recognition, especially one who’s never even been nominated for an above-the-line Oscar.
Read our full review of The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
5. Clockers (1995)
4. The Big Lebowski (1998)
3. Do the Right Thing (1989)
2. Miller’s Crossing (1990)
In the Coens’ filmography filled with bold tonal shifts and genre experiments, Miller’s Crossing sits as a reserved yet razor-sharp piece of storytelling. It may not wear its eccentricities on its sleeve like Barton Fink or O Brother, Where Art Thou?, but it reflects the Coens’ precision and intelligence with remarkable clarity. For most filmmakers, this would be a career-best. For the Coens, it’s just another strong chapter in a catalog that rarely misses. At the center of the conflict is a crooked bookie, Bernie Bernbaum (played with manic, desperate flair by Turturro), who’s been skimming money from fixed fights and digging his own grave without even knowing just how bad he is at hiding it.
1. Barton Fink (1991)
READ MORE: Every Olivia Wilde-Directed Movie Ranked, 5 Best Coen Brothers Movies
