There might not be another star throughout the history of Hollywood that has appeared in more high-qualitythrillersthan the one at hand, American actorJake Gyllenhaal. He made his debut in the early nineties withCity Slickers(1991), and then reached superstardom a decade down the line with a particular film that made this very list. But of course, more on that later.
Several of these titles also go down as some of the highest-quality projects of their respective decades, too, with big-name directors attached to nearly every entry herein. All that said, this is every thriller with Jake Gyllenhaal, ranked.
13Homegrown
Undoubtedly the least well-known film on the list,Homegrown(1998) can actually fall undera number of disparate genres. Thriller is one of them, as it follows marijuana harvesters in North California whose plans are interrupted by various different parties, including the police and the mafia. Common elements of the genre at hand.
The product garnered mediocre reviews from critics and even worse numbers in theaters despite a star-studded cast of names like Billy Bob Thornton, Kelly Lynch, John Lithgow, and even Jon Bon Jovi. But perhaps the biggest story worth writing home about in this regard would be the fact that it was directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal— father to the actor at hand. It was one of a few of Stephen’s films that featured one of his children, and again: although the film is far from famous, it’s notable nonetheless.
12Ambulance
This is a bit of an anomaly on the list, as it was directed by Michael Bay but still made mediocre money at the box office. So, there isn’t much to write home about, with all due respect toBay and his filmography. But it has decent approval ratings on review consensus websites. So while its thin plot and lackluster performances held the film back, critics for the most part had positive things to say.
It follows Gyllenhaal’s protagonist alongside Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s character as adoptive siblings — but they’re also bank robbers. Things kick into first gear when they’re forced to hold hostage two first responders after the former pair hijacks an ambulance. As that premise might suggest, there are of course thrilling moments worth writing home about here. But in the end,Ambulance(2022) comes up short for its unfortunate lack of depth.
11Rendition
Although this had plenty of potential with a well-regarded cast and an intriguing premise,Rendition(2007) ultimately fell short on nearly every level of success. Which was completely unwarranted, as its 47% approval rating on critical consensus website Rotten Tomatoes indicates a far worse product than is actually the case. And it undoubtedly should’ve made more than its $27 million budget at the worldwide box office despite scraping by with half a million more.
It makes the audience question the plot without much depth therein, thanks to ambiguous story beats and meaningful sub-plots. But it’s a film that will stick with you even if you don’t scramble for a pen to write home about its quality, and lands here at number eleven.
10Nocturnal Animals
Alongside Amy Adams as his ex-wife, he stars as a troubled writer inNocturnal Animals(2016), a psychological thriller that can alsoclassify as neo-noir. And from the opening scene until the film’s final frame, there are many uncomfortable moments that make this an anxiety-inducing project unlike few films on this list, and of Gyllenhaal’s career.
Adams portrays the owner of an art gallery who is currently reading the newest novel from her aforementioned ex-husband. And for those unfamiliar with the deeper intricacies of this plot, it’s best to check outNocturnal Animalsfor yourself. It’ll stick in your mind months after an initial viewing, and in the end, that’s undoubtedly the film’s greatest selling point.
Related:Why Nocturnal Animals is Worth Watching if You Missed It
9The Guilty
In this crime thriller by Antoine Fuqua, the featured actor starred as Joe Baylor, an LAPD officer who works the late shift at his local 911 call center. But of course, a thrilling twist takes place that lands this project on the list.
It also features Paul Dano, who Gyllenhaal appears alongside with in a film that appears later on, along with Peter Sarsgaard. And for those unfamiliar with that latter name: he’d been connected to Jake on multiple occasions beforeThe Guilty(2021) was even conceptualized. They costarred alongside one another in bothJarhead(2005) andRendition, firstly. But Sarsgaard is also married to Maggie Gyllenhaal, the older sister of Jake. And although he only appears in a voice role, it’s still a prominent one.The Guiltyshould go down asone of the best of Fuqua’s career.
8Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant
Directed by Guy Ritchie, the most recent film on the list follows a U.S. Army sergeant named John Kinley who goes back to Afghanistan in an attempt to rescue an interpreter named Ahmed from the Taliban. The latter saved the former’s life during the War in Afghanistan, and now he’s setting out to return the favor despite having a wife and kids of his own to look after and think about.
And, sure, this plot clearly describes a film that falls into the war genre. But it also fits neatly into the category at hand, even deemed an action-thriller by some pundits thanks to its intense sound design and carefully calculated camerawork. The film could’ve benefited from cinematographer Ed Miles taking note of the fact that moving the camera isn’t necessary in every single shot just for movement’s sake. But in spite of that singular gripe,Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant(2023) lands here at number eight.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, this goes down not only as one of the most underrated films on this list, but also one of the most overlooked psychological thrillers of all time. Its plot follows Gyllenhaalin a dual role— a professor of history named Adam Bell on one end of the plot, and an actor named Anthony Claire on the other. ButEnemy(2013) also features a wonderful performance from actress Mélanie Laurent.
It follows Bell as he discovers Claire to be physically identical to himself and the two become intertwined in each other’s personal lives in the most unexpected of fashions. Other plot details will remain unclear, as they’re best experienced for yourself, but just know: it might require multiple viewings, as all the greatest thrillers do.
6Source Code
Here in the science fiction action-thrillerSource Code(2011), Gyllenhaal stars as Colter Stevens, a Captain in the U.S. Army who finds himself inside an intriguing yet uncomfortable premise with regard to the overall plot. Captain Stevens is sent into an eight-minute-long digital recreation of a train explosion that legitimately took place, tasked with locating the explosive first and the terrorist who planted it next.
And although such a concept could seem a bit off-the-wall to some, director Duncan Jones pulls it off to rip-roaring perfection. Its plot facilitatedsome truly intense set pieces, and its well-written script will throw you off guard around each corner of the overall product. It holds up just wonderfully more than ten years down the line.
5End of Watch
AlthoughEnd of Watch(2012) doesn’t quite get the love of other Gyllenhaal films from this period in time, its technical prowess from a sheer filmmaking perspective rivals the greatest projects of the actor’s career. Directed by David Ayer, this action-thriller can also be classified as a buddy cop film of sorts, as it follows Gyllenhaal’s character Brian Taylor who records his daily routines as a police officer via a video camera.
Michael Peña costars as Mike Zavala, the aforementioned protagonist’s partner as police officersin South Central Los Angeles. And while the script herein features witty dialogue and a rock-solid structure, what’s truly worth noting is its distinctive style of cinematography. It switches between cinematic shots and techniques that resemble a documentary to mirror Officer Taylor’s hobby, resulting in a truly well-made film from start to finish. And Gyllenhaal performs just brilliantly.
4Nightcrawler
This is one of those films that’s bound to induce anxiety in its viewers, with dark color palettes and a haunting score that truly highlights the film’s atmosphere from start to finish. It’s a truly thrilling project, with perhaps the single most impressive performance of Gyllenhaal’s career. He somehow came up short across the board of award associations for his work here inNightcrawler(2014), but that’s a different discussion entirely.
He stars as Lou Bloom, a newfound stringer who records violent happenings of late-night Los Angeles and sells the footage to a news station that are then aired on a local television channel. And Lou goes to frightening yet thrilling extents to be the greatest freelance photojournalist on the market, making for truly intense moments around every well-written corner of Dan Gilroy’s inventive script. This is essential viewing for fans ofthe thriller genre.
