The year 2022 has been full of excellent performances, with well-known greats like Cate Blanchett and Emma Thompson continuing their excellent work, beloved stars like Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan making significant screen comebacks, and a plethora of up-and-comers promising years of excellent work to come. These performances, which could lift subpar material and make exceptional material sing, were a big reason why 2022 was a terrific year for movies. Here are our recommendations for the top 25 performances of 2022 despite how difficult it was to limit the year’s abundance of talent on screen to just 25.
Before we get to the list, it’s crucial to remember that because there were only 25 options, Colin Farrell had to be left off because his outstanding performances in this year’s The Batman, The Banshees of Inisherin, After Yang, and Thirteen Lives would claim at least three of these positions. Without a doubt, Farrell is our MVP for the year. So, basically, this is The Best Movie Performance of 2022: The list of performances by Colin Farrell that were too good to include him.
Despite the fact that there have been numerous films recently on abortion, Anne (Anamaria Vartolomei) attempts to undergo an abortion in 1960s France in Audrey Diwan’s Happening. Everywhere she looks, it seems as though even those who are closest to her betray her out of fear of breaking the rules that may potentially ruin her life. Diwan makes this a voyage that Anne must undertake on her own, a terrifying situation that no human should ever have to experience, by removing any support system for Anne. Since Anne is aware that expressing her genuine emotions could endanger her life, her expressions of worry and doubt beneath her cool, controlled exterior allow us to sense the terror she is experiencing. Thanks to Vartolomei’s portrayal of the harsh reality she lives in, the world’s heavy weight can be felt in every scene.
Aubrey Plaza – Emily the Criminal
As the main character who turns to criminal tactics to just try and keep afloat in John Patton Ford’s suspenseful drama Emily the Criminal, Aubrey Plaza provides perhaps her best performance to date. Plaza gives an intense and weary performance as Emily that makes her a force to be reckoned with. Plaza strikes a terrific tone with this kind of anger and determination, and it’s difficult not to get swept up in her struggle to escape whatever nightmare scenario she finds herself in. Emily the Criminal feels like a completely new side of Plaza that we haven’t seen before, despite the fact that Plaza has always been a captivating performer.
Brendan Fraser – The Whale
Brendan Fraser’s long anticipated comeback to the spotlight is unfortunate to occur in what is undoubtedly Darren Aronofsky’s weakest work (and easily the worst film on this list). Despite The Whale’s issues, Fraser gives a fantastic performance as Charlie, an obese English professor who merely wants to make a difference in the world. Fraser is providing a heartbreaking portrayal as a man who still believes in the beauty and goodness in people beneath the layers of prosthetics and makeup as well as the horrifying amount of abuse this man endures from others and from himself. This man is largely cut off from the outside world as he eats himself to death in his squalid flat, but Fraser manages to make Charlie a figure who can find hope in the midst of despair in something as simple as a straightforward book report on Moby Dick. Although The Whale has many flaws, Fraser has always been a fantastic performer and shines a light in the shadows.
Brendan Gleeson – The Banshees of Inisherin
Brendan Gleeson has demonstrated in both In Bruges and the current film, The Banshees of Inisherin, that the actor may perform at his best when he must deal with Colin Farrell acting like a complete idiot. Gleeson portrays the sarcastic Colm Doherty, who has grown weary of his closest buddy Pádraic (Farrell), and exhibits the utter fatigue that results from attempting to avoid someone you no longer want to be with while still failing to persuade them to leave you alone. Gleeson skillfully counterbalances Farrell and demonstrates that always looking out for oneself may not always be the “good” thing to do. The Banshees of Inisherin by Martin McDonagh is both tense and absolutely entertaining since we never know how far Gleeson will take this finger-cutting nonsense. Gleeson is serious throughout the entire film.
Brian Tyree Henry – Causeway
For years, whether on the four seasons of Atlanta or in supporting parts in movies like Widows and If Beale Street Could Talk, Brian Tyree Henry has been a beautiful addition to any story. Causeway, however, gives Henry more of the attention he deserves as Lynsey’s new companion, who is a character played by Jennifer Lawrence who has recently suffered a brain injury while serving in Afghanistan. The enormous heart this movie requires is Henry’s James, who offers Lynsey comfort and assistance during this trying period while, most importantly, just being there for her when no one else is. Causeway is fine when it’s just about Lawrence, but when Henry and Lawrence are just hanging out, sipping drinks, swimming in a pool, and contemplating their lives, it transforms into something genuinely special.
Cate Blanchett – TÁR
In several scenes in T.R., director Todd Field just lets Cate Blanchett be, whether it’s during a protracted talk about her work, in a scene in which Blanchett’s Lydia Tár insults a music student, or when we see her sing loudly to her irate neighbours from her luxurious apartment. If you have Blanchett, Field is aware that a movie actually only needs Blanchett. Yes, Field tells a story in TR that is absolutely accurate and flawless. The amazing work and career of composer and conductor Lydia Tár are shown in the first half of the film, but it is via Blanchett that this comes to life. In the second half, however, the transgressions and individuals Tár has used to ascend to the top begin to tear these layers apart. We are aware of Blanchett’s acting prowess by this time, but it is nevertheless impressive to witness her shift from being in perfect control to tackling a conductor in the middle of a performance.
Claire Foy – Women Talking
The cast of Sarah Polley’s Women Talking might well be the best ensemble of 2022, even though Deadwyler might be the top performer of the year. Almost any performer might have made this list, but Claire Foy as Salome gives the audience’s rage and frustration a voice as they decide what to do after years of abuse at the hands of the males in their town. Salome is filled with righteous rage, more concerned about what she’ll do to the men than trying to find a solution that accords with their religious system, whereas several of these characters struggle to find the best solution to their predicament. Foy’s performances allow us to witness decades of suffering and tiredness all at once, as well as a woman who is sick of talking and wants to take action to defend her family and herself.
Daniel Radcliffe – Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
It’s a shame that comedy is so frequently overlooked when discussing the top performances of the year, especially in light of how outstanding Daniel Radcliffe is in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. In the past ten years, Radcliffe has made it plain that he’s up for anything, from burying a supervillain in The Lost City to riding a farting Paul Dano like a jetski. The performance he gave as “Weird Al” Yankovic, though, might have been his wildest to date. Radcliffe’s portrayal demonstrates a genuine respect for Yankovic’s art and career, as well as a genuine appreciation for this hilarious legend, even when Weird leads Yankovic down some bizarre paths. Although the real Yankovic never had a crazy affair with Madonna or perished in an assassination attempt, Radcliffe’s acting in this biopic parody will have you believing that he did.
Danielle Deadwyler – Till
The best performance of the year, period, bar none, belongs to Danielle Deadwyler’s portrayal of Mamie Till in Chinonye Chukwu’s Till. The outstanding portrayal by Deadwyler depicts a mother going through unbearable grief, losing her only kid in terrible circumstances, and seeing her darkest thoughts come to pass. Although it would be entirely logical for Mamie Till to scream, sob, and erupt at any moment, Deadwyler’s acting demonstrates that Mamie is actually the one who is terrified, and she will utilise her intense rage and sorrow to try to improve circumstances for others. Mamie Till didn’t ask for the duties that were placed on her, but Deadwyler illustrates how challenging it can be to keep your cool when it seems like everything around you is collapsing.
Diego Calva – Babylon
In Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, there is a lot going on, including drug-fueled raves, Margot Robbie getting bitten by a snake, and Tobey Maguire shouting that a man should eat another rat. Babylon is known for its excess and mayhem, yet without a heart beating at its core, all this lunacy would be for naught. In this large group of actors, Robbie and Brad Pitt perform admirably as would be expected, but Diego Calva’s performance as Manny Torres shines out. We see the magic and beauty of what drives people to the film industry through Manny, who plays Pitt’s Jack Conrad’s Mexican-American assistant who harbours loftier goals in the profession. As Manny’s star increases, we witness how determined he is to see his movies succeed and how passionate he becomes about moving images. When Chazelle gives us a montage of the past century or more of film, from silent black-and-white shorts to Avatar and The Matrix, we really feel the impact of Calva’s performance as he realises his place in the greater scheme of cinema history. As he recognises the cyclical nature of film while also realising that the stories he was a part of would endure forever, Calva’s reaction to this understanding is astounding. The film industry undoubtedly has its advantages and disadvantages, and Calva’s performance lets us see the highs and lows in agonising detail.
Emma Thompson – Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
Emma Thompson excels in just about everything she does, but in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, she is at her funniest and most exposed—both physically and emotionally. Thompson’s portrayal of Nancy Stokes, a former teacher who hopes to learn about sex with the aid of Leo Grande, a young sex worker (played as superbly by Daryl McCormack). As we watch Nancy learn to accept what she wants and herself, Thompson’s portrayal genuinely excels. Thompson is wonderful at capturing the doubt and uneasiness that Nancy naturally feels. Although there are many outstanding Thompson performances, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande ranks among the best.
Gabrielle LaBelle – The Fabelmans
The cast of The Fabelmans has already received a lot of attention, and deservedly so. For their portrayals of Mitzi and Burt Fabelman, respectively, Michelle Williams and Paul Dano are receiving Oscar buzz, and even the supporting parts played by Judd Hirsch and Seth Rogen merit considerable attention. But Gabriel LaBelle, who plays the “Spielberg” character Sammy Fabelman, has possibly the strongest performance in Steven Spielberg’s examination of his upbringing. We can see his mother’s theatricality and his father’s attention to detail through LaBelle’s performance, as well as a deep love for movies that we know will never wane. Playing one of the greatest directors of all time while being directed by that director is a huge challenge, but LaBelle’s portrayal reveals the passions, heartbreaks, and creative forces that shaped Spielberg into the man he is today.
Janelle Monaé – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story
In the few movies she has appeared in, Janelle Monaé has always had a dominating presence, but she has never exactly had a role like Glass Onion where she can really get into it. In the suspenseful mystery, Monaé nearly takes on the role of Benoit Blanc alongside Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, trying to investigate a murder while intoxicated on Jared Leto’s Hard Kombucha and infiltrating this circle of affluent pals. The entire cast is enjoyable to watch, but Monaé stands out as the true disruptor in Glass Onion because to her efforts to unravel the mystery at hand and the way she interacts with Benoit Blanc.
Ji-Min Park – Return to Seoul
It’s difficult to believe that Return to Seoul, directed by Davy Chou, stars Ji-Min Park in his debut feature. Park plays Freddie, a lady in her mid-20s who, after being adopted at an early age and travelling to France, returns to Seoul and isn’t sure why she’s doing it. As the story develops, Freddie makes multiple visits back to Seoul, and we get to see how much she has changed over the years and how much each trip has shaped who she is. However, Park’s performance demonstrates how many lives we may lead simultaneously and how much our character actually changes with time. It’s a fantastic movie about trying to find a place to call home, and Park beautifully captures the yearning and quest for self-knowledge in each and every frame. Hopefully, Park’s career is only getting started.
Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All at Once
The ensemble from Everything Everywhere All at Once is unquestionably one of the best of the year, and Michelle Yeoh is totally deserving of all the attention around awards season. However, the pivotal performance in Ke Huy Quan’s comeback as Waymond, the gregarious spouse, is what makes Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan’s multiverse-spanning story work. Quan makes a stunning comeback with a performance that transforms him into a variety of characters, including an action star, an anxious husband seeking a divorce, and the lead in a Wong Kar-wai love story. If Quan’s reading of “In another life, I would have truly appreciated just doing laundry and taxes with you” doesn’t make you cry, you might not have a heart. Quan pulls off everything this crazy story requires of him. We’re glad to have you back, Ke Huy Quan, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Keke Palmer – Nope
In Jordan Peele’s Nope, Keke Palmer is conspicuous whenever she appears on screen. Palmer completely does it in every scene of Peele’s story, from her bursting onto the scene at the outset to explain her family’s history to her Akira-sliding a motorcycle to escape a big flying extraterrestrial. With Palmer around, it’s impossible not to have a good time because every scene features Emerald Haywood, who provides the ideal counterpoint to Daniel Kaluuya’s stern Otis Haywood. Nope is a terrific, original extraterrestrial narrative, but Palmer’s absurdly endearing portrayal really makes this tale come to life.
Kerry Condon – The Banshees of Inisherin
Possibly the only person on the island of Inisherin with any sense is poor Siobhán Silleabháin (Kerry Condon). Siobhán wants to work at a library off the isle to escape the exhausting nonsense, which is understandable given the complaints of her brother Pádraic (Colin Farrell) about the rupture in their friendship with Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson) and dodging the advances of the simple Dominic Kearney (Barry Keoghan). Even while Siobhán has every reason to be irritated in The Banshees of Inisherin and exhibits her lack of tolerance with these feckin’ morons, Condon’s portrayal of these peculiar individuals also demonstrates love and sympathy for them, even when they are at their most annoying. Siobhan repeatedly tries to encourage Dominic and Pádric to put their differences aside while deftly rebuffing Dominic’s approaches and making fun of the young man. Siobhán is obviously fed up with this garbage, yet she is unable to completely turn her back on these fools, thus this tension between concern and annoyance is what makes Condon’s performance so outstanding. Siobhán is the lone beacon of rationality amid an Inisherin full of guys who are idiots.
Mark Rylance – Bones and All
The cannibalistic road trip movie Bones and All by Luca Guadagnino depicts the challenges of falling in love and leading a regular life when your main priority is, well, eating other people. While Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet do a great job as the two young lovers just trying to make ends meet, it is Mark Rylance’s creepy portrayal as Sully that stays with you. Sully portrays the need to connect with like-minded people as well as the profound loneliness that sometimes seems unavoidable in life. But Sully’s suffering manifests itself in darkness and rage, a monster ready to strike when provoked. Sully, played by Rylance, transforms from a possible guide to a real threat—often in the same scene—and ends up serving as the film’s most powerful representation of the loneliness and suffering of unlovedness.
Mia Goth – X/Pearl
Ti Mia Goth, who delivered three of the best performances in the horror genre in a great year for the genre, may have been West’s inspiration. In X, Goth portrays both the young porn star Maxine Minx and the old Pearl, an astonishing transition courtesy to some pretty impressive makeup. But it’s in Pearl, where Goth plays the younger Pearl in the 1910s, that Goth made this character a star. While X was more of an homage to the gritty slashers of the 1970s, Pearl becomes a surprise character study of a woman who desires more than her existence stuck at her family’s farm. With Pearl, Pearl finally receives the attention she so richly deserves. In X, Pearl was somewhat of a one-note character. The film’s most memorable scenes, such as Pearl’s “I’m a star!” outburst and Goth’s terrifyingly lengthy smile at the conclusion, have inspired memes on their own, but they also work because of the way Goth humanises a character who really wants more but is unable to get it despite her best efforts.
Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All at Once
The performance on this list that has perhaps gotten the most attention over the past year—and for good reason—comes in last but by no means least. Michelle Yeoh portrays Evelyn Wang, a wife, mother, laundry owner, and universe-traveling character, and she exhibits all the qualities that make her a wonderful actor who has not received nearly as much recognition as she merits over the years. Similar to Quan’s performance, Yeoh is required to execute a lot of different roles in EEAAO, including action star, romantic lead, hibachi chef, person with hot dogs for fingers, and a lot, lot more. Yeoh provides us a role that encapsulates everything we may be as Evelyn opens her eyes to the possibilities of the world and how little her choices can matter in the grand scheme of things. Although there is a lot going on in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Yeoh grounds this chaotic part in an incredibly honest and believable performance.
Paul Mescal – Aftersun
The character of Calum, played by Paul Mescal, who travels to Turkey with his daughter Sophie (Frankie Corio), is essential to Charlotte Wells’ emotionally wrenching Aftersun. And although Calum dearly wants to just enjoy his time with his daughter, his severe despair frequently overwhelms him. While Wells demonstrates how perspective, particularly in hindsight, may alter our recollections, Mescal’s acting allows us to feel Calum’s sorrow and joy in every frame. Even in times of joy, there are always underlying stirrings that make us wonder if everything is really okay or if the joy is only a momentary break from the sadness.
Rebecca Hall – Resurrection
Although Rebecca Hall’s acting grounds Andrew Semans unpredictable plot, Resurrection does get wilder and more psychotic than you probably ever could have imagined. This story transforms from a dark drama into something much more nasty and difficult thanks to Hall’s portrayal of Margaret. Hall, however, illustrates the effect that long-lasting trauma, grooming, and mental abuse can have on a person in a movie that could have looked too absurd. Even as Margaret engages in one of the most startling endings in a 2022 film, Hall makes it plain that she has to do what she’s doing after years of uncertainty and agony. Hall is particularly excellent in an extended monologue that basically shifts our perspective of what this picture is. Hall would probably be up for an Oscar if this weren’t one of the year’s most upsetting movies.
Rory Kinnear – Men
Rory Kinnear plays numerous characters in Men, each of which represents a different kind of threat and hostility, and reflects all these concerns in a movie that is so heavily focused on the horrors that men can inflict on women. Every role that Kinnear plays is unpleasant in its own peculiar manner, giving Harper Marlowe, played by Jessie Buckley, even another excuse to scrap her solo trip. Especially when he plays a young kid, Kinnear’s many characters initially look almost comical. However, Kinnear demonstrates how numerous horrors can share the same appearance, whether it be a nude man stalking Harper or a priest who abuses by giving bad counsel.
Tom Cruise – Top Gun: Maverick
Do you recall the dramas Tom Cruise used to produce? Edge of Tomorrow and Mission: Impossible — Fallout are two of the best action movies of the 2010s. It appears like Cruise made a concerted effort to concentrate entirely on action movies in the decade. Even while Cruise enjoys taking risks that will leave the audience in wonder, it’s difficult to not forget the times when he made movies like Born on the Fourth of July, Magnolia, and Eyes Wide Shut. But in Cruise’s comeback performance as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick, we get to see every aspect of the guy who made him a star without a doubt. Sure, there’s action, but we also get to see Cruise’s skills as a romantic lead opposite Penny played by Jennifer Connelly, his sense of humour, and his serious acting prowess. Although the scene between Maverick and Val Kilmer’s Iceman is often cited, Cruise’s performance in Maverick may actually be best when he is watching Rooster (Miles Teller) from outside the neighbourhood bar while reflecting on his past transgressions and worrying about the potential pain that working with his ex-son partner’s might bring. All of that is conveyed through Cruise’s nonverbal performance as he observes Rooster performing his father’s piano rendition of “Great Balls of Fire.” It makes sense at this time that Cruise is known as an action star, yet in Maverick, we witness everything that has made Cruise one of Hollywood’s most recognisable actors in the industry’s history.
Zoe Kazan – She Said
She Said by Maria Schrader is more than just a movie about investigative reporting because it focuses on the lives and humanity of the reporters who are incredibly talented at what they do. In particular, this is what makes Zoe Kazan’s portrayal of Jodi Kantor so impressive, as she searches for women to testify about sexual assaults in Hollywood. When a well-known actress agrees to be mentioned in her article, for example, or when her young daughter explains that she already knows what the word “rape” means, for example, Kazan’s performance is restrained but still incredibly powerful. Kantor has to conceal how deeply saddened by this moment she is. All of this is done by Kazan in a performance that demonstrates Kantor’s ongoing self-doubt, despite the fact that she is an excellent journalist attempting to do the right thing.
