Top 10 Joseph Gordon-Levitt Performances

In this teen comedy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Cameron, the loveable new kid in school. He falls for good-girl Bianca Stratford, who is off limits because her dad won’t let her go out with boys until her older sister Kat does. Based on the Shakespeare play “The Taming of the Shrew,” the movie also stars Heath Ledger, to whom Gordon-Levitt is often compared. Ledger is Patrick, the bad boy who tries to date Kat while Gordon-Levitt's Cameron tries to get close to Bianca. The movie eventually became a cult teen classic and also marked Gordon-Levitt’s stellar switch from TV to film, after several years of starring on “3rd Rock from the Sun.”

No, not that Chris Pratt. After surviving a car crash, high school jock Chris must learn to cope with amnesia and anger management issues. Trying to piece his life together four years later, he starts working as a janitor at a bank. Soon he finds himself on the radar of a gang from his old high school. Upon discovering his new job, their leader, played by Matthew Goode, forces him to collaborate on their scheme to rob the bank. However, things get tangled up when Chris suddenly changes his mind – and thanks to Gordon-Levitt’s realistic performance and chemistry with the cast, “The Lookout” is an entertaining and memorable crime thriller.

This role marked Gordon-Levitt’s introduction into the world of superhero movies. In this installment of Christopher Nolan’s “Batman” trilogy, Gotham City detective John Blake becomes Bruce Wayne’s ally and the two bond over their tormented childhoods as orphans. After Batman’s presumed death, he quits the police department and inherits the Batcave. The movie’s ambiguous ending leaves many questions concerning Blake’s future and Bruce Wayne’s fate. As the quiet and heroic young cop,Gordon-Levitt’s turn inspired fan theories about a possible sequel starring his character. And frankly, we wouldn’t mind that at all!

Remember the longhaired TV kid that was always smarter than the adults around him? Our first mainstream introduction to Gordon-Levitt was through this hilarious ‘90s sitcom in which a group of aliens comes to Earth and lives as a family in order to know humans better. Tommy Solomon is a kid in the show, but back on his home planet, he is something of a wise old man. His major running gag is that he is the least sexy of his family and resembles a girl because of his Hanson-brothers-like haircut. Gordon-Levitt played the information officer going through the horny teenage years to a tee, and for that, he’s still our favorite character from the show.

If you identify with this character, we thank you for taking the time to check out this top 10. Among Jon’s favorite things are his family, his church, his boys, his girls, and his porn. The film was written and directed by Gordon-Levitt himself and tells the precautionary tale of what happens when you watch too much porn. Just kidding. It’s about the stereotypes men and women apply to each other, and as such, Jon learns that maybe his favorite things are not enough to make him happy. The romantic-comedy drama thus proved to audiences that Gordon-Levitt wasn’t only a skilled actor, but also a talented writer and director.

In this neo-noir thriller, Gordon-Levitt plays high school kid Brendan who’s broken up with his girlfriend and whose best friend has been betrayed to the authorities. One morning, he finds a note that leads him to a payphone. When the payphone starts ringing, he finds out it’s his ex-girlfriend calling him and trying to give him clues to her whereabouts. Alarmed that she might be in danger, Brendan follows her clues only to discover her dead body. It’s a bit difficult to explain, so you need to see it to really get it, but at least you’ve got Gordon-Levitt to help carry the story along!

Our next entry remains one of the most mind-bending movies of the past five years. And as we can see in this top 10, Joseph Gordon-Levitt really likes to make us think. Marking his first collaboration with director Christopher Nolan before “The Dark Knight Rises,” the actor portrays mastermind researcher Arthur. Playing opposite Leonardo Di Caprio’s Cobb, Arthur is his right hand man, the guy that has to ensure all the details of their inception crimes. As the Point Man, he’s an essential part of the team. And lucky for Gordon-Levitt, the character also gets to be the star of one of the most fascinating action sequences ever.

We hope your head isn’t spinning yet, because this next role just might blow your mind. In this sci-fi thriller, Gordon-Levitt plays a “looper” called Joe, but he also plays a young Bruce Willis. Set in a world in which time travel was invented in 2074, Joe’s job is to kill victims that are sent back in time from the future. Unfortunately, one day, the victim he has to kill is himself...only older. The actor wore special make up to make him look like a younger version of Willis, so he had to melt seamlessly not only into his character, but into the skin of one of Hollywood’s most beloved action stars.

We think it’s time to give our brains a break. This next performance will pull at your heartstrings rather than your brain wrinkles. Inspired by a true story, the film centers on Adam, who has recently been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. To add to his trauma, his girlfriend dumps him shortly after the diagnosis. Aided by his best friend and his inexperienced therapist, Adam tries to get through his ailment in this new life situation. Thanks to his heartfelt and emotional performance, Gordon-Levittreceived his second Golden Globe nomination for the role.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions:
- Hesher
“Hesher” (2010)
- Lyle Jensen
“Manic” (2001)
- Robert Todd Lincoln
“Lincoln” (2012)
- Neil McCormick
“Mysterious Skin” (2004)
- Wilee
“Premium Rush” (2012)

This next movie, and our top JGL performance, melted our hearts. With Gordon-Levitt at his most vulnerable, the romantic comedy-drama is a series of flashbacks of a relationship after we have been informed that it has ended. Piecing together Tom’s relationship with the titular Summer, we look for the cracks, even when we’re witnessing the good episodes of their time as a couple. Gordon-Levittreceived his first ever Golden Globe nomination for his turn as Tom, and the film has since earned the status as a classic “boy meets girl” story – But you should also know that “this is not a love story. This is a story about love.” Thanks to Gordon-Levitt’s charm, vulnerability and his ability to make us relate to his character, this story about love is one we won’t soon forget.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite JGL performance? For more great top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.