5 Most Memorable Movie Roles Played by Colin Farrell, Ranked

Colin Farrell has done it all in his two-and-a-half decades-long career, stepping into roles ranging from supervillain to kind-hearted hero. In the world of independent film, Farrell has made himself a great reputation. He is a regular in the films of Yorgos Lanthimos and Martin McDonagh. Over the years, he has also earned several accolades for his roles.

Colin Farrell as the titular character in The Penguin | Credits: HBO Max

The Irish actor’s only Academy Award nomination came for the role in The Banshees of Inisherin. In the same year as the tragicomedy, he also starred in Matt Reeves’ The Batman as the Penguin, a role that got a spin-off series of its own. The Penguin received critical acclaim and won him a Best Actor Award at the 82nd Golden Globes.

Among his films, some performances of the actor will remain etched in the minds of the viewers.

5 The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

Long before he created the masterpiece Poor Things with Emma Stone in the lead, Yorgos Lanthimos helmed the unsettling satirical film, The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Lanthimos based his film loosely on the story of Agamemnon from Euripides’ play Iphigenia in Aulis.

Colin Farrell plays a heart surgeon opposite Saltburn star Barry Keoghan for the first time. Farrell’s Steve takes under his wing a fatherless teenager Martin, played by Keoghan. The story that starts innocently takes a turn for the worse when it is revealed that Steve is responsible for the death of Martin’s father.

The film deals with the themes of revenge and fate with a Lanthimos spin to it and appeals to any fans of the director’s usual line of work. Needless to say, it’s a brilliantly crafted film where the visuals and deadpan humor work hugely in its favor.

Once the story kicks off into the horror element, Farrell and Keoghan deliver a fantastic surrealist performance. It is truly a memorable performance from Farrell. Unsettling, yes… but memorable!

The Killing of a Sacred Deer is now available for streaming on Max.

4 The Gentlemen (2019)

With Guy Ritchie‘s signature gangster comedy genre and a star-studded cast, there is nothing that could go wrong with this film. Colin Farrell stars alongside Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Jeremy Strong, and Henry Golding.

The film has all the elements of a Ritchie film: some sleek action, brilliantly written comedy, hilarious performances, and perfect execution. The story follows an American gangster who wants to sell his marijuana empire in England. While McConaughey took on the central character, Farrell was perfect in the supporting role of Coach.

Critics gave generally positive reviews for the film, citing it as a fast-paced entertainer. It was a commercial success as well, earning $115 million against a $22 million budget. The success of the film even spawned a Netflix series of the same name that was released in 2024, with Theo James and Kaya Scodelario in the lead roles.

The Gentlemen is now available for streaming on Netflix.

3 Minority Report (2002)

Colin Farrell’s one of the first major roles came opposite Tom Cruise in Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi film Minority Report. Farrell played the antagonist in the film, which is not among the most popular Spielberg films of all time. He managed to nail the role of the Department of Justice agent, who pursues Cruise’s character in the film.

In 2045 AD, the Precrime police predicts crime before it happens with the help of precogs, who work pretty much like psychics. Cruise’s character John Anderton is the chief of the Precrime police. However, things go wrong for him when he is accused of a future murder. John tries to prove his innocence and find out why he was framed.

Farrell’s Danny Witwer goes on a manhunt when John flees after the precogs predict he will commit a murder. The film was a critical success and it earned $358 million at the box office. Philip K. Dick’s novel served as the inspiration for the film and it had a fresh theme, even for a sci-fi film.

The sci-fi elements are brilliantly woven with a whodunnit plot, accompanied by top-notch action and dialogues. Further, the themes of free will and fate explored in the film make it Spielberg’s one of the most underrated films. The same factors also make it one of Cruise’s and Farrell’s best films.

Minority Report is now available for streaming on Paramount+.

2 In Bruges (2008)

Martin McDonagh has only done four films in his career and three of them starred Colin Farrell in a major role. While two of them make it to this list, Seven Psychopaths is also a must-watch if you love these two other films of the pair. McDonagh’s debut feature film, In Bruges, had Farrell team up with fellow Irish actor Brendan Gleeson.

Farrell and Gleeson play two hitmen, Ray and Ken, who work for Harry, played by Ralph Fiennes. After a botched job in London, they are asked to lay low in the Belgian city of Bruges. As they navigate the beauty or lack thereof of the city, the characters have some amazing conversation that gives the audience a deeper look into their troubled past.

The film ranks among the best gangster comedy films. While it isn’t much discussed among other mainstream films, it is an undeniable masterpiece in the genre. Farrell is darkly funny in the role and even won his first Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his performance. McDonagh was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

In Bruges is now available for rent on AppleTV.

1 The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

Colin Farrell’s The Banshees of Inisherin will remain one of the biggest Oscar snubs after the film didn’t win in a single category out of its nine nominations. The critically acclaimed film premiered at the Venice Film Festival where Farrell won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor and director Martin McDonagh won the Golden Osella for Best Screenplay.

The film reunites Farrell with McDonagh and co-stars Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan. It brought him another Golden Globe for Best Actor. The Banshees of Inisherin is set on a remote island and explores a broken relationship as its central theme. Farrell’s Pádraic Súilleabháin isn’t able to deal with his lost friendship with his drinking buddy Colm Doherty.

Pádraic tries to get some answers and even make amends, with the help of his friend Dominic and sister Siobhán, played by Keoghan and Kerry Condon. However, it only results in Colm making a violent threat. The film’s ending is twisted and dark but still manages to be sweet and funny.

It is a well-crafted tragicomedy that is set against the backdrop of the Irish War of Independence. Farrell and Gleeson’s performances elevated the film which also relied on its strong narrative.

The Banshees of Inisherin is now available for streaming on Fubo.