Johnny Depp movies are a thrill to watch. Although, we have all seen recently how the Depp-Heard trial has inundated social media conversations and press coverage. Recent verdicts are on a positive end for the Depp team. However, what most have forgotten is that Depp was and is one of the biggest stars in world cinema. The peculiarity of his career comes from his fame and success. They aren’t solely dependent on appearing in large-scale projects. He started his career with film choices that anyone his age wouldn’t even go close to in today’s era.
His inclination towards taking offbeat roles in indie, small-budget films is what warmed him up to purists. Johnny demonstrates the immense skill and love he has for the art form. Yet, Depp’s success in movies like ‘Pirate of the Caribbean’ and ‘Willy Wonka’ is even more remarkable because he didn’t just play those roles; he made them his own.
Must-Watch Johnny Depp Movies to Binge-Watch
As Johnny said, there were many “him” in each character – things that he lent to make them so memorable. As a tribute to his legacy, we invite you to watch some of the best, lesser-known films he has performed. Here we go into Johnny Depp movies!
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
The titular character has become a part of pop culture as a legendary creative creation. But at the time, a boy with scissors for hands didn’t sound too commercially viable. Depp still took on the role, trusting Tim Burton’s process and genius. And the rest, as they say, is history. The beautiful heart of the story brings fully-grown adults to tears even today. The film can also have launched Depp as an actor capable of doing justice to roles with depth and gravitas.
Burton explored on a macro level, through Depp’s character, how appearances can deceive and how conditioning can lead to prejudice. Despite its dynamic path, his storytelling tools keep the pace and seldom swerve. On an individual level, Edward represents the dreadful feeling of being lonely. His outward characteristics keep him from ever making friends or going out.
The Gothic archetypes heavily reference yesteryear films about scientific creations of humans that are more human as they discover their identity. Depp’s haunting performance will surely make you question the film’s ending and motive through the specter of your morality.
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Despite its popularity as one of the biggest box office hits of the last few decades, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ doesn’t appraise Johnny Depp’s exotic role. Carroll’s tale is one of the most popular children’s books of all time, and it is natural for viewers to focus on the way the story is portrayed on screen. Depp plays Tarrant, who is more or less a madman in the novel. Despite the vitality of his character, Depp’s artistic choice to keep him more grounded in the narrative tone works well for Burton’s overall storytelling.
Depp is not afraid to invent his methods and the foundation of the character. Burton gives him free license to bring out the human side of Tarrant and explore the strangeness in his personality through a reflective lens. Despite the stark contrast between paper and screen, it is safe to say that Depp’s version is a complete study.
Arizona Dream (1993)
Several emotionally troubled foxes, including the older and suicidal Faye Dunaway, and her step-daughter Lilli Taylor, becomes romantically involved with Johnny Depp’s fish tagger, who reluctantly moves to Arizona to help uncle Jerry Lewis run his car dealership. Despite trying to say something meaningful about life, this whimsically surreal comedy never quite gets there. Arizona Dream has much in common with the films of the great Hal Ashby, who created this niche within the genre. Similar dreamlike moods are conjured here, as somnambulance wanders through a hazy American landscape littered with the husks of capitalism, politics, and ideals. Yet again, Depp proves he is the seductive idealist who discovers strength in the tenderness that he offers to his viewers.
Public Enemies (2009)
Under Michael Mann’s able, futuristic, and patient direction, many stories, otherwise beset by a prejudiced, fast-paced tone, tend to become slow-burn masterpieces. The filmmaker has a unique style marked by an irresistible urge to a borderline obsession with the lead character’s life more than detailing the plot. It seems like an optionality to him to muster the challenge of setting the background and characters. It all seems to fall in place magically by itself. Depp’s Dillinger is one of the most profound and chilling accounts of a mobster in the genre’s illustrious history.
The list of great performances within the contours of a criminal is long. Many have attempted to capture the underlying essence of what it is to be someone like these isolated men in a reimagining that mostly misses out on fact. Depp does precisely the opposite. As a movie character, Dillinger is as stone-cold as he is unrecognizable to anyone. Even when he is in the thrust of the action, Depp remains a shadow of the man he plays. The distance he maintains while recreating Dillinger allows the character’s interaction with the audience more in the context of the setting – which is exquisitely detailed by Mann – and not the man’s reputation.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
If one is looking at one of the most fun, absurd, and surreal experiences on the list, it is this one. Even watching the film gets you a whiff of how the characters experience their reality under the influence of drugs. ‘Fear and Loathing in LV’ is about Raoul and Gonzo, two friends who take a road trip to the city and, upon entrance, take a crazy pill to “enhance” their adventure. Unfortunately, it does not exactly go according to plan – or at least it does, in their minds. The intake of substances worsens as the trip goes deeper into uncharted territory.
As a result of its premise, you see a lot of creativity in what the two friends see. The flurry of highs ranges from a moray eel handling a hotel reception to an LSD-induced flashback where a hippie gets intimate with Raoul. It can have a polarizing effect on the viewers because of how silly and pointless the entire journey is. The plot is mostly non-existent. The buffoonery is what Gilliam wants you to enjoy and cherish. ‘Fear and Loathing’ swings in the extremes – the worst and the best – of the glamorous city. Make the most of it at both ends!
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Leonardo DiCaprio had eyeballs firmly on him for his “differentiated” act. It is often the center of attention for movie publicity and the critics when someone does that. Depp, in the background, quietly monitors the progression of Lasse Hallstrom’s vision. DiCaprio gained all major accolades, somewhat relegating Depp to playing second fiddle. Depp’s appealing characterizations aligned with the previous works that defined him as an artist as good as he was. Grape’s inert personality, shy demeanor, and sincere motivations align with the qualities that most Depp characters have.
Despite that, he makes himself an affable presence whenever we see him. In addition to that, the way Depp fits into the story has a lot to do with it, but you can never ignore Depp’s outstanding performance in the movie. Go check this gem out if you haven’t already.
Ed Wood (1994)
Like all Tim Burton projects, ‘Ed Wood’ is an emotional rollercoaster. The many phases and moods of the film, just like its eponymous protagonist, capture the entire range of the spectrum. Depp plays Wood; a director ridiculed for his style and lack of success. His unorthodox approach often prevents his works from ever getting wide releases. The conflicts with his peers come from his inability to assert himself on his vision. The absence of defiance in his dealings with the films’ producers is a gap he struggles to fulfill. However, one can instantly see what drew Burton to the project.
Burton would have found Ed’s circumstance to be his when he was in a similar phase. But rest assured, as is confirmed by a meeting with Orson Welles in the final moments, this aspect of filmmaking cannot be avoided. For someone who wants to enjoy the process, it is inevitable. The performance shows a real vulnerability that Depp manages to create in Ed’s character. Wood himself was a cheery man in real-life. His spirit was indomitable despite his repetitive frustrations. Depp is mindful of the same and strikes the perfect balance to present the unseen side of Wood that comes across as captivating.
Dead Man (1995)
Bill Blake’s general demeanor suits Depp’s personality. His taciturn restrains what we have seen from him all these years. He frames Blake as a man on the run but not afraid to face what lies ahead. There’s a strange boldness to him that is empowering. Jim Jarmusch, another master filmmaker’s take on the lawlessness and savagery of the West, places his exploration of Blake on a widened scale. The dynamism in his storytelling is matched by the fleeting camera that covers a lot of distance and captures the lifestyle of a generation. ‘Dead Man’ is a spectacular film that will leave you with an unfulfilled sense of entitlement and a character who is made memorable by Depp’s backbreaking work.
Donnie Brasco (1997)
The relatively subtle manner of ‘Donnie Brasco’ is traditionally opposed to gangster movies. Part of that is how Depp and Al Pacino bring Paul Attanasio’s script to life is part of that. However, Mike Newell’s deft direction and soft framing combine well with the harsh reality of Brasco’s cinematic universe. This choice elevates the film’s appeal and impact. Donnie Brasco’s real-life story is genuinely a heroic tale of sacrifice and patience. He was almost discovered on more than one occasion, barely making it past the nascent stages of his assignment.
More than the thrills, Newell chose to highlight the friendship and affection between Donnie and Lefty, giving a very excellent quality to the production. Both the actors are up to the task. In hindsight, their portrayals became the benchmark for actors going in to recreate the magic and rare quality of palpable tension the pair managed to deliver. It is genuinely one of Depp’s most underrated roles to date acted in Johnny Depp movies.
Finding Neverland (2004)
Robert Louis Stevenson’s pirates, Indians, and kidnapped boy stories influenced and inspired the real JM Barrie as a child in Scotland. His vivid imagination served him well as a young London journalist during the Gilded Age.
Barrie was a keen sportsman in his youth, and he founded a cricket club with Arthur Conan Doyle and PG Wodehouse. He once remarked to H.G. Wells, “It is all very well to be able to write books, but can you wiggle your ears?” It was in the very early years of the 20th Century, now 101 years ago, and the same year that in the windy Outer Banks of North Carolina that the Wright Brothers took flight that Jamie Barrie’s Peter Pan soared into the air on wires in the London stage.
With ‘Finding Neverland,’ Marc Forester’s captivating film biography inspired by Allan Knee’s play, “The Man Who Was Peter Pan,” is brought to life in a delightful, moving manner. The story combines historical reality with lushly imagined adventures in a fantasy Neverland. This adaptation is performed emphatically by Johnny Depp in the role of Sir James Mathew Barrie and an outstanding ensemble cast under the able direction of Marc Forster.
As he gently and reassuringly leads us inside an artist’s heart, mind, and soul, Depp captivates us. Isn’t it easy to judge people by what they look like? The fear we still feel regarding all we do not understand. Innocence is suspect since purity belongs exclusively to the innocent by its very nature. The world tends to destroy innocence every time it claims it will protect it. “Finding Neverland” is filled with moments of enlightenment. They come in short spurts but are as moving and caring as any long, skewed sequences so imagined alternatively.
More Johnny Depp Movies to Admire
Depp is one of the few actors who have been able to do justice both as an artist to realize new possibilities in cinema and as a showman of the highest quality. Blockbuster Johnny Depp movies are well known to all. Although it remains to be seen if he will ever make a comeback in some of those roles again, it can be safely said that his incredible ability to inspire and create continues to enthrall.
If you liked our list of these undiscovered gems that made Depp a solid actor, check out many more Johnny Depp movies, like the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Fantastic Beasts franchise, and him as Willy Wonka. We also bring you other listicles you might be interested to check out from us: