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Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the many actors who entered the industry at a very young age. But he is also part of an elite group of artists who have managed to reinvent themselves year after year and outperform with each and every one of their productions. His interest in acting originated at the age of four, when he joined a musical theater group and made his stage debut in the play The Wizard of Oz. His performance caught the attention of an agent, who landed him his first roles in commercials and, later on, in TV productions. He made his debut in 1988 with the TV film Stranger on My Land, but his first major roles were in the soap opera Dark Shadows and the film A River Runs Through It. Among his first features were Holy Matrimony, Sweet Jane and Halloween H20: 20 Years Later.
Back in 2000, while his career was on the rise, Gordon-Levitt made a life-changing decision: he quit acting in order to focus on his studies at Columbia University. However, four years later, he decided to come back to the industry, intending to only appear in good movies from then on. That is how Gordon-Levitt cemented his place as an actor, starring in productions across every genre, such as 50/50, Looper, Inception and The Dark Knight Rises, among many others. He has even ventured into other film roles, from directing and producing to even writing several films and TV series. Check out his best comedy movies below.
8/8 Picking Up the Pieces
With an all-star cast featuring Woody Allen, David Schwimmer, Kiefer Sutherland, Cheech Marin, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Elliott Gould, Sharon Stone, and Gordon-Levitt, Alfonso Arau’s film Picking Up the Pieces was expected to be a great hit. And while it was by no means that, it is a production that has charmed many with its unique story. This black comedy follows Tex, a butcher who, after finding out that his wife is cheating on him, kills her out of jealousy and dismembers her, intending to bury her remains somewhere near the Mexican border. Unfortunately, Tex accidentally loses his wife’s hand along the way, with such terrible luck that a blind woman stumbles upon it and miraculously recovers her sight. From that moment on, word spreads, and hundreds of people start to worship this supposedly miraculous hand, while Tex attempts to recover the evidence by any means possible, as it could condemn him for life.
7/8 Angels in the Outfield
Angels in the Outfield is one of the very first films that Gordon-Levitt starred in. It was released in 1994 as a remake of the 1951 film of the same name. Directed by William Dear, this family film follows Roger Bomann, a boy who has been put up for adoption by his father after the death of his mother. Since his father told him they would be a family again when the struggling California Angels team had won the baseball championship, Roger prays to God and the angels to help him. And, while he took his father’s words way too literally, a miracle happens: a group of angels visible only to him come down to earth and help him fulfill his wishes. Joining Gordon-Levitt in the cast are Danny Glover, Christopher Lloyd, Tony Danza, Adrien Brody, Matthew McConaughey, and Neal McDonough, among other actors. This production was followed by two sequels, Angels in the Endzone and Angels in the Infield, both made for television.
6/8 Latter Days
Latter Days is a 2003 film written and directed by C. Jay Cox that caused quite a stir upon its release, mainly due to its plot. Starring Steve Sandvoss and Wes Ramsey alongside Rebekah Johnson, Jacqueline Bisset, Amber Benson, Gordon-Levitt and Khary Payton, Latter Days features the gay love story between a Mormon missionary and his gay neighbor, along with the challenges that the relationship had to face. This film premiered at the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and then had a limited run in the United States and a handful of countries. The screening of the film was seen as controversial, per A.V. Club, and many religious groups boycotted it and called for its removal from theaters, but to no avail. In this movie, Gordon-Levitt plays Elder Paul Ryder, one of the missionaries in the main character’s group.
5/8 The Night Before
Many years ago, Ethan’s parents passed away on Christmas Eve, and from then on, he made it a tradition to spend that night out with Isaac and Chris, his two best friends. Fast-forward to 2015, 14 years later, their lives have changed, and Ethan’s friends are ready to put an end to the tradition. However, in order to keep the good times alive, they are planning to celebrate one final night together, which promises to be the wildest ever. Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie star in the 2015 production, The Night Before, directed by Jonathan Levine from a script he co-wrote alongside Evan Goldberg, Kyle Hunter, and Ariel Shaffir. Joining the leads in the cast are Lizzy Caplan, Mindy Kaling, Jillian Bell, and Michael Shannon.
4/8 10 Things I Hate About You
The 1999 rom-com 10 Things I Hate About You launched its lead cast’s careers to stardom, and it turned into a cult film with a huge fan base that continues to grow to this day. This production, directed by Gil Junger, features two sisters that couldn’t be any more different from one another. Kat is an introverted young woman who doesn’t like to socialize or engage with boys. Her sister Bianca, on the other hand, is the complete opposite: she is the most popular girl in school, and cannot wait to go out on dates with boys. The girls’ father has one rule: if Kat doesn’t have a boyfriend, Bianca can’t have one either. So Cameron, a new student at school and Bianca’s pretender, hires the school’s bad boy to get Kat’s attention and invite her out on a date. This teen movie stars Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Gordon-Levitt, and Larisa Oleynik.
3/8 Don Jon
Don Jon is a 2013 film that marked Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut, in which he also served as writer and lead star. It follows Jon Martello, a young man with a very strict routine who is addicted to pornography. While he does engage in casual relationships with women, they are nothing compared to the pleasure he gets from watching porn, even though this practice embarrasses him and forces him to confess in church every week. Unhappy with his life and aware of the need for change, Jon sets out in search of a better lifestyle and stronger relationships, meeting two women along the way who will teach him some great lessons. Joining Gordon-Levitt in this production are Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Rob Brown, Glenne Headly, Brie Larson, and Tony Danza.
2/8 500 Days of Summer
500 Days of Summer is considered by many as one of the best films of 2009, and it is also one of Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel’s most memorable films. This Marc Webb rom-com follows the relationship of Tom, an aspiring architect who truly believes in love, and Summer, his boss’s new secretary, who doesn’t seem to believe in it at all. The film explores the entire relationship from the moment they first meet through the memories of the male lead, whose mission is to prove the young woman wrong, and seduce her until she falls in love with him. Supporting Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel in the cast are Geoffrey Arend, Chloë Grace Moretz, Matthew Gray Gubler, Clark Gregg, Key Williams, and Patricia Belcher. 500 Days of Summer was produced independently and later distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures, turning it into a worldwide hit.
1/8 50/50
Heading this ranking is 50/50, a film directed by Jonathan Levine and written by Will Reiser drawing on his personal experience with cancer. Released in 2011 and starring Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, 50/50 follows Adam, a 27-year-old who gets diagnosed with a rare type of cancer that has a 50% chance of recovery. Facing this unexpected diagnosis, Adam embarks on a journey through the uncertain and unfamiliar roads of this disease with the help of his best friend, an under-experienced therapist and his mother, who at times can be a little too overwhelming for his liking. Rounding out the cast of this acclaimed production are Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston, Serge Houde, Andrew Airlie, and Matt Frewer.
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